Question about thickness of finger guard

S

Sprayman

Joined
Nov 15, 2014
Messages
257
Hello:

I'm making my first full tang knife. I'd like to put a basic finger guard on it, but I'm not sure what thickness of metal to get. Do you generally use stock that is as thick as the blade, or thinner? It's a pretty big blade, 3/8'' thick. I don't know if it would look to clunky with a 3/8'' finger guard, or if a thinner guard would look out of proportion. Any ideas you can contribute would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Geron
 
Yep, old file. (I know, I know). I've been making knives from thinner, more practical steel, but I had this old file laying around and I love the idea of a file knife, so I'm giving it a try.
 
Are you looking to keep that file look in the ricasso and what not? Because that probably wont be possible. I don't know how to help you other than saying you would have to surface grind it until you have a more practical size. 3/16-1/4" would be ok depending on how wide it is.
 
"Most" guards are fabricated out of 1/4" or 3/8" thick bar stock. That does not mean that the tips of the actual guards are this thick.

IMG_6837_650.jpg


The attached image is 3/8" stainless steel bar stock.

Mike L.
 
colu41 said:
Your steel bar stock is 3/8" thick??
Click to expand...

Oops! Wait a minute...no, it's not 3/8, it's 3/16 (duh!) Sorry about that. I don't know what I was thinking there. I thought everybody was raising their eyebrows at me, and now I know why.
 
Karl B. Andersen said:
What kind of blade, what kind of guard.
You offer very little information. Actually, well, yeah, very little.
Click to expand...

Thanks Karl.

You're right..very little.

The steel is 3/16''. I'd say it's a hunting knife. I'd like to put a flat guard on it, if that's even the right term. What I mean is the guard will not be part of the handle (like the guard in the picture that logem attached to this thread). Rather, the handle will but up against the bottom of the guard.
 
colu41 said:
Are you looking to keep that file look in the ricasso and what not? Because that probably wont be possible. I don't know how to help you other than saying you would have to surface grind it until you have a more practical size. 3/16-1/4" would be ok depending on how wide it is.
Click to expand...

Yeah, my math was a bit screwy. The steel is 3/16, not 3/8.
 
logem said:
"Most" guards are fabricated out of 1/4" or 3/8" thick bar stock. That does not mean that the tips of the actual guards are this thick.

IMG_6837_650.jpg


The attached image is 3/8" stainless steel bar stock.

Mike L.
Click to expand...

Hi Mike:

Beautiful knife, by the way. Mine is much simpler. I want to put a flat guard on it, not one that's part of the handle, like in your pic.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top