Process:Guard for bgspecialk's dagger, pic-heavy

[John White]

We've had some great process threads lately. Here's one detailing work on one part of the Damascus dagger I made for bgspecialk.

Making a shaped Damascus guard by hand.

After drilling holes vertically in the damascus plate, connecting them with a round file.

Mirror polishing the guard plate shows when the file is "square" to the hole as the slot is filed for a press fit.

The slotted plate is trial press-fit to the blade, and a paper pattern is ready

The pattern is cut into the plate with a razor knife, and the shape is started on the grinder.

The guard is ground to profile on the grinder's work platen

Using chainsaw files and sandpaper, the edges of the shaped guard are rounded.

The shaped and sanded guard is trial fit to the blade.

Etched, the shaped Damascus guard is ready to go. All the Damascus, blade, guard, collar, backstraps, and butt-cap are from a 4-bar,W,basket-weave, twist billet.

I'll start a new thread for a view of making the file-grooved collar.

Thanks,

John

 

[Ellis]

great stuff John,thanks for sharing
Dave

 

[Bailey Bradshaw]

Looks great John!! Cool pattern in the steel too.

 

[mullerforge]

Super cool,,,, A show stopper in the works.

 

[Lorien]

that little guard mounting jig is brilliant.

 

[Michael Lovett]

Looking Good SIR!!!

 

[RogerP]

If you like, I can follow up with the process of making the shouldered, file-grooved Damascus collar.

Yes please. Terrific work John!

Roger

 

[lwrhea]

John,
I have been wanting to see just how you formed your guards. It's very timely and a beautiful job. Thanks for showing us.
Lin

 

[thepaintedbird]

Yes please. Terrific work John!

John, I'll second Roger's sentiment. Fine, beautiful work; please show us as much "in progress" as you can.

 

[canineforge]

John, fabulous guard design, fabulous execution. Thanks for sharing. These start-to-finish threads are a joy, whether the whole knife or special parts like this great guard. Would love to see the collar process.

- Joe

 

[Keith Montgomery]

It's always of great interest to me to see the amount of work that goes into an intricate knife like this one.

 

[Mace]

Thank you John for sharing this! Your guards are awsome!
Mace

 

[Wulf]

There is SO much I could learn from you. Thanks for sharing your process!

 

[Erik Fritz]

Thank you for shareing John, it is great to get insight into a true master's process.

 

[raythebigfoot]

Hey what a great thread! I really like that guard mounting jig...I am going to have to make one like it if you don't mind me copying you! Great work and thanks for showing us!

 

[John White]

Folks,
Thanks for all the nice words. Makes toiling away in the dust more fun.

Have to point out that the original guard press jig is a "Mikie's" soldering jig from "Uncle Al" www.riversidemachine.net As each piece wore out over the years, I replaced it with steel and bronze, till only the original socket screws remain. Couldn't do without it, however,

John

 

[raythebigfoot]

Hey thanks for the head's up...at that price I might as well just buy one and save some time!

 

[peterinct]

VERY cool. I remember admiring the dagger when I saw a picture of it. That is some precision filing in making that guard and getting the right fit.

Thanks,
Peter