Making a guard

U

unky_gumbi

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Aug 28, 2009
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Does anyone know of any good tutorials on how to make a guard? I have tried to make a couple but just am not satisfied with the turn out. I am trying to make a single sided guard for a bowie like knife. Thanks if you can point me in the right direction
 
How important is it that you make it? Specifically, for Bowie type knives the guards can be purchased.

As an aside, though, what specific deficiencies have you found in the ones you are trying to make?
 
unky_gumbi said:
Does anyone know of any good tutorials on how to make a guard? I have tried to make a couple but just am not satisfied with the turn out. I am trying to make a single sided guard for a bowie like knife. Thanks if you can point me in the right direction
Click to expand...

Is it a single-sided guard on a full-tang, or single-sided on a hidden-tang?

Erin
 
Its on a hidden tang, the problem I am having is getting them symmetrical

this is the knife in question
IMG00015-20100713-1209.jpg

I am not against purchasing a guard for it, but I would rather learn to make my own
 
Unky - I find going back to the basics is best. I draw out two templates(front/side) with as much detail and measurement as possible, transfer that to my guard material and start shaping. I keep checking symmetry as I progress slowly.

I don't have the benefit of cnc machines or the like so I just GO SLOW and careful.
 
I press fit my guard first, then blacken the face with permanent marker and then take different steel gauges of flat stock and lay out a grid. Once you have the grid layed out it's easy to get things symetrical top to bottom and side to side.
 
Quote "Does anyone know of any good tutorials on how to make a guard? I have tried to make a couple but just am not satisfied with the turn out."

I feel your pain Brother! My milling machine is out getting it's windshield fluid changed and so I've only made a couple hidden tang knives partially because of the need to make a finger guard or bolster. The hole that the tang goes through is all horribly shaped (thank goodness at least one side of it is hidden), and because of all the spaces and irregularities soldering it on becomes another challenge. Too much space and the solder won't work good, accompanied by excess solder needed to fill the gaps running out of the same gaps only to attach itself to the blade and guard, so that I can ruin the finish on them when I try to clean it up. Did I ruin the temper on the blade as I got it hot enough for the solder to melt? Heck, I'm just glad I didn't burn down my house. Symmetrical??? well, not exactly, but pretty close if you don't look at it.

I must say though that the last one I made, which was only a week ago, was much better than the one I did before that (Six months ago). It didn't make me want to gag, too much anyway, and I'm thinking that maybe I will try again in the near future. That must be what I'm thinking because I just bought a new bar of brass for that purpose. I seem to be implying that MAYBE making guards is a learned skill that just requires for practice.

Naaaaaaaa, that can't be! There must be some secret out there that "they" are holding back on us. Its a conspiracy!

;-)
LonePine
AKA Paul Meske, Wisconsin
 
I just pin a rectangular piece flat bar in place and grind it to shape on the knife. Grind a bit and take a peek at it from all angles then grind anything away that does not look just right.

George
 
I cut the slot in the guard. Fit it to the blade. Mark blade centers on guard. Then draw a line threw the marks this gives me a centerline to work with when I shape the guard.
 
OK then thanks for the suggestions, I know most of this is going to be hands on experience, but the guidance is appreciated.

Now if it would just stop raining I could get back to work on it, stupid rain:grumpy:
 
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