opinions on finger guards

S

Sammy Mickel

Joined
May 11, 1999
Messages
61
I'm thinking of making a hunter or skinner but not sure if I want a finger guard of just a deep notch. At the Southeastren Custom Knife Show I talked with a expierenced maker and he suggested to "skip the guard it just gets in the way." I would like to hear some more opinions?

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I make more hunting knives that any other style. I find that customers have many preferences. Some prefer a larger knife with a full guard, other like a small blade with just a finger notch. I make models that have both and almost every combination in between!!
I like a small blade about 3.5-4" long with just a small integral bottom guard, more for orientation that anything else.
Neil

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http://members.aol.com/blademakr/BlackwoodWP.html
 
Sammy,
There are places where a guard does not belong, or make sense, but a "using" knife is not one of them. I think that simply from a safety standpoint they are a good idea. A truely "high performance" knife is indifferent to what it cuts, whether that be a hemp rope, or a hand that is slippery with blood from the bull elk you just put down. I personally perfer a using knife have a guard. A great many of the knives I produce utilize a guard in conjunction with a deep finger notch. The guard helps to eliminate an unpleasent encounter with the sharp edge, and the finger notch allows for "choking up" on the blade for more delicate work.
http://www.mtn-webtech.com/~caffrey

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Ed Caffrey
"The Montana Bladesmith"


 
Ed Fowler covers this question pretty well in his book and reaches about the same conclusion as Mr. Caffrey. His feelings are also that when the guard "gets in the way" it's because you're using an unsafe grip - the guard tells you "don't hold me this way!" I'm not saying you should have a guard just 'cause somebody well-known says so, but because his reasoning's sound and he really knows using knives. Check out his book - it's awfully good knife thinking even if you don't agree with all of it.

-Drew
 
Today, if you produce a knife for sale, you have to think "Product Liability", when dealing with unexperienced users. They do some awfully stupid things. Like me, for example when I used a Tanto and lost my grip involuntarily (this happens when you get old.)
I wonder, has anyone designed a non-fixed guard that snaps in place, holds firmly, but can be removed when desired?
 
I am a fan of the self guarded working knife myself. The depth of the self guard feature should be no less than 1/2" to firmly remind the user to keep his finger away from the sharp part. When I put a guard on a knife is is seldom more than 1/2" long any how.

I find it amazing how a hunter who does not like the self guarded feature will often select a guarded knife with a guard no bigger than the self guard he just rejected.


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george
www.tichbourneknives.com
sales@tichbourneknives.com

 
GEORGE, can you please explain to me what a "SELF GUARD" is? Thanks! Michael
 
A self guarded knife is one where the choill(the rear portion of the cutting edge of the blade) is not sharpened and drops at least 1/2" below the bottom side of the handle at the front of the handle. The index finger then rests against the blade instead of against a guard which would be located in this position if the knife had one.

Narrow bladed knives can be designed to include a downward projection to act in the same way.

the primary advantage of the self guard is to reduce the cost of manufacture and allows me to put a better priced knife on the table without sacrificing safety.

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george
www.tichbourneknives.com
sales@tichbourneknives.com

 
i usually put a 5/8" self guard on my knife. the bowie i just finished has a self guard, i also put a lanyard on it. that helps too, i put the lanyard around my wrist and it keeps me from choking-up on the knife also. the bowie i'm making for my dad's friend as a gift has a half guard, i won't get in the way like a full guard. i may be posting pictures of these so keep an eye open for them.

[This message has been edited by magnum .44 (edited 24 September 1999).]
 
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