making a bowie guard..help.......

M

MCoughlin

Joined
Feb 1, 2005
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471
Hi guys
My name is Mike Coughlin. I am a fairly new stock removal maker. I work full time and make knives on the side (for now). I was wondering if anyone could give me some advice on how to attach a guard to a bowie. Even a good book that somebody could recommend would be helpful. I've completed about 20 knives so far but all have been full tang fixed blades with or without bolsters. I would like to attempt a bowie. I don't know any other knifemakers around here so I'm finding progressing past certain obstacles to be difficult. Thanks.

Mike Coughlin.
 
Well....I am sure that some might disagree here, but I am going on what Bagwell has told me....a Bowie guard really should be big. Double guard....with plenty top and bottom.

I set my finshed blade out on paper then trace it. After that I draw on a handle and guard.....using the material I intend to use, then make sure everyting looks in proportion and more importantly "flows well"
 
Here's how I did mine, I'm only on knife six so I don't have much experience. I draw a pattern of the whole knife, then of the gaurd. Trace it on to the material your going to use for the gaurd, and begin removing material. Make sure the tang is not going to change in size and begin the fit. I used a drill and picked up some needle files at sears, they worked well for this. Here are some pics of how it went. http://photobucket.com/albums/y61/agghumi/
Dave
 
Try using 1/8" stainless stock for the guard; get a stencil or use "Paint" and print out some ovals. Trace the design on the stock and shape it. I usually prefer symetry; equal all around. Add a 1/4" stainless ferrule to balance things out.

Take a look at my photo page, there's a pic of what I'm refering to. You might be interested in looking up an older thread I posted, it goes through the steps, search for "How I make a knife."

Dave, do you want to get together Saturday?

Matt
 
A good trick to "fit" a guard is to take a piece of heavy cardboard,or 1/8" Masonite,and make an oversize guard.Cut the slot and stick it on the tang.Hold it and think what would look good.Mark it with a marker ,cut/grind it down, and see how it looks.Try several shapes until one seems to "fit" the blade and your hand.
Stacy
 
i always cut the slot, then the outline. that way, if your slot is a little crooked, you can still use it.
 
Thanks guys but what I mean is how is it fixed to the tang. Is the handle pushed up snug against it? Or is it held just by solder. I've also noticed another steel piece under the guard on almost all bowies. It looks like this could be what holds it secure. I have no problem with pinning bolsters but a guard is something I haven't attached. Anyone? ... ;)
 
It should be a tight fit. The most common things that "hold it on" are silver solder or JB weld. You want something sealing the joint tight to keep water out and make everything solid. You can do a search on soldering here. Terry Primos has a nice tutorial on fitting a gaurd using JB weld. Again, the most important thing is that it needs to be a really tight fit. That takes some proactice.....
Ed
 
Tom Buchanan said:
i always cut the slot, then the outline. that way, if your slot is a little crooked, you can still use it.
Click to expand...

My trick is to cut the slot in an oversize piece of brass stock. Get the guard to fit the tang very tight. Then decide how wide I want it and lay a piece of steel that thickness on the ricasso against the guard and scribe a line along it on the guard. Guaranteed paralell sides.
 
Here's Terry Primos' guard tutorial.

I don't remember whether he mentions it in this tutorial but to get the holes drilled exactly inline, I use a cold chisel to punch the line, then punch the starter spots along that. Keeps them all lined up. I use a jeweler's saw to clean out the web, then files to fit the slot. A filing jig is very useful!

The suggestion to fit the slot first, then shape the guard is a good one. It's easy to get the slot a little off kilter, much easier to draw your profile centered around the slot.

The piece behind the guard is called a ferrule. It should fit fairly tight too, and be finished to final dimension before assembling the knife the last time.

Seal all joints with JB Weld, or solder. Solder can be a mess to clean up, and on a well fit knife it's probably not particularly necessary. I usually don't solder. I'm not very good at it and all you really need to do is seal out moisture. No amount of solder will fill a poorly fit guard anyway. (No need to ask how I know this. ;))

One thing on design that's worth noting. Some people make the guard symetrical above and below the handle, while some allow the lower section of the guard to extend slightly farther. I usually like to see the guard about the same length above and below the total width of the blade; that means if you have a choil, the lower section of the guard will be slightly longer from the handle than the upper section. In my opinion, the knife looks more balanced this way - but many successful makers do it the other way. Just something to consider.

Good luck! And have fun.
 
Hi Mike: I'm from Edmonton, and I am learning to make knives with Lee Brooks, of Brooksknives, here in town. Do a search on his name, as he is a member here on Bladeforums, and send him an email. He is a very knowledgeable guy, and a super nice guy as well. I'm sure he'll be able to answer any question you may have. I am in the process of making a bowie with a guard, and it is fairly easy to do, especially if you have access to a milling machine!!
 
Thanks for all the help. I will check out that website and tutorial. Once I get my knifemaker membership on here I'll post the bowie when it's finished.

Mike Coughlin
 
Bruce
I was wondering how you keep from getting the fishhook look on your ricasso as well as the guard when you do the sanding to remove the solder. All around where the ricasso meets the guard is what I'm referring to. Does using the brass chisel with sandpaper eliminate this problem? Or does one have to go to a mirror finish? This is one of the main reasons I haven't tried soldering yet. I quickly learned on a blade that once the blade is finished leave it alone unless I want fish hooks!! That tutorial is very helpful though. Thanks for the help. :D
Mike Coughlin
 
Anyone know if you can fix a guard in place without welding or soldering? I guess I'm going to have to get a little innovative here because I am very partial to a nice uniform 600 grit satin look and I won't accept fishhooks.

Mike Coughlin
 
Dave said: "I use a cold chisel to punch the line, then punch the starter spots along that. Keeps them all lined up. I use a jeweler's saw to clean out the web, then files to fit the slot."

Dave, great idea, it's hard to get holes drilled exactly inline, even using a dot punch, optivisor, and anything else handy. Also, the best little set of files I've found for cleaning up the slot, and other work in general, is a little 6 piece Nickelson set, for about $20.00. I buy mine at Lowes. Has several profiles, just right for knife work. I even use them for general spine and titanium liner filework.
 
OK here is the trick to eliminate the fish hooks.

First you need to get a old utility knife blade or single edge razor blade(that is dull of course).Once you have cleaned up the guard clamp the knife so you can do the ricasso area.First clean up any left solder with the brass chisel by pushing in straight to the guard and then skin this off with the chisel.Now here is the cool Trick Alex Daniels showed me.Wrap a piece of sand paper around the blade you have keeping it tight,now holding the blade at a angel so only the cutting edge wrapped with paper will touch the knife.Put only the cutting edge into the blade and guard joint.Now pull with one stroke to the end of the ricasso and lift without stopping your stroke,repeat as nessisary to get the ricasso as clean as you would like.

Alex also showed me that if you solder the guard before the final rub you can buff the solder off the guard if you only have a little (if much use the brass chisel first then buff),then start your rubbing with the small knife on the ricasso then do the rest of the blade.

Maybe you guys can figure out what I mean here,it does work,give it a try.I rub my blades down to 2500 grit then solder the guard,buff the solder and blade after sharpening,then go back and use this tecnique to do a final satin finish at 2000 grit.Looks great.
Bruce
 
Here is a trick to try when soldering on your guard. :cool:

When all is ready to start soldering,first tin the area around the tang hole of the guard,be sparing as you really don't need allot of solder.Nowadd a little bit of flux to the shoulders of the Blade and set the blade in the guard,it will set a little high at first.Now heat under the guard and when the solder melts again the blade will slip down in the guard the rest of the way leaving a nice clean solder joint.Alex has a aluminum piece made that is two pieces of aluminum (1/8" thick)about a inch and a half wide set over two pieces that are 1/4 inch thick by about a 1/2 inch or so wide.Pin these together and cut a half circle about a half inch across at the top so you can heat the tang and guard (make sure you square up the to so your blade sets square).Now he hard solders on a piece of threaded rod on the end of his tang and slides the blade through the guard after tinning and ads a washer and nut.He then finger tightens this together clamps the edge od the aluminum piece in a vice and heats the guard to set the solder,now when the blade drops into position he takes a wrench and tigthens the nut locking the blade tight to the guard.Now he uses the aluminum block as a handle to do the clean up,then he takes off the nut and washer cuts off the threaded rod to the leangth that he needs the tang at,now all done with a very tight soldered on guard.
I thought this was just to cool when he showed it to me,and trying it myself it works like a dream and keeps the guard to blade square also.

Hope this will help someone ,
Bruce
 
Thanks guys. The info you have given me should work out great. I appreciate all the help.

Mike Coughlin
 
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