putting a tsuba/guard onto a blade

J

jack76

Joined
Nov 12, 2005
Messages
41
For all you guys that have put guards on your blades (without some kind of smaller tang to slide the guard on I have a question for you!). I am trying to put a oval shaped guard onto a square tang. The tang will extend the entire length of the handle and I would like to know what is the best way to attach a guard that won't wobble (like japanese swords tend to do over time).

I know I have to notch the tang somehow and put the guard on by knocking it on with a sledge hammer or something, but how would I go abouts notching the tang? anyone have any photos of such a thing done? I don't want the guard to come off and i want it permanent on there. Do I need some kind of file guide to notch the tang with? and do I cut the hole in the guard square or rounded off on the edges of the hole to fit it to the tang?

Sorry, kinda wordy way to ask, but i'm sure someone knows what i'm talking about! Thanks!

Jack
 
Before you heat treat it, file the notch, (or cut it with a dremel), carefully, radiusing the corners slightly to prevent cracks, sizing to match your guard. Then, after heat treat, silver solder (again carefully) the guard on and clean up the joint. Not nearly as tough as it sounds.

Syn
 
Thanks Syn, but do i make a rectangular hole in the guard or rectangular hole with rounded off corners? I'd like to make it very tight without having to solder anything on, like a friction fit!
 
Make the tang rectangular with slightly rounded corners.Taper the tang toward the guard. It doesn't need to be a lot of taper (I like about .040-.050" taper). Make the guard hole the same shape and (this is important) DO NOT CUT THE HOLE TO FINAL SIZE UNTIL THE BLADE IS FINISHED AND READY TO MOUNT THE GUARD. The blade will be a bit thinner after finishing. As Syn said. Use a file guide to file a small shoulder notch at the ricasso and about a 1/16-1/8" step at the spine and edge. The guard should be slowly filed to an exact shape replica of the tang. The sides should be straight and square. If the tang and the shoulders are slightly rounded (a good idea) then the guard should be a match .Once the guard will slide down to within one inch of the shoulder,start filing very carefully. I black the tang area with magic marker. Slide the guard on ,give it a few gentle taps, and slide it off. File the black spots a bit and repeat.When there is only about 1/4" more to go stop. Clean everything up completely. Finish sanding anything on the guard . Clean everything with alcohol or acetone. Slip the guard on. Clamp the blade in a vise between two pieces of hard leather.Take a piece of pipe and flatten it so it fits over the tang. Sand the end to sit flat against the guard back. Cut a slit in a piece of hard leather and slip it on the tang. Put the pipe against the leather, slide the guard up tight, check it is right side up (don't laugh, it's been done ) and give the pipe a GENTLE rap with a mallet. The guard should seat nicely. A few more taps may be needed, but quit when it is in place. More tapping will loosen it. Remove the pipe and its leather and use soft silver solder to permanently attach and seal the guard. I use TIX, which flows at 280F, many like Stay Brite, which flows at 400-450F. Applied properly, they will not affect the temper of the blade at all. If anything it will slightly drop the hardness at the ricasso/tang area - which is a good thing.

With a properly fitting handle, it should be tight for a long time. The swords that rattle have either never been re-wrapped with a new seppa, or are Pakistan/China wall hangers that were never made well in the first place.

Having a strong backing piece behind the guard (bolster, collar, seppa) will greatly strengthen the guard. This part can be glued in place, or pinned for an even stronger joint.

Hope this helps,
Stacy

BTW, Please fill out your profile.
Tell us a bit about the blade you are making.
Both will help with better answers.
 
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