What's your favorite method for attaching a guard

L

Luke Smart

Joined
Aug 24, 2001
Messages
141
I have tried numorous methods of attaching guards including soldering, pinning, a combination of pinning and soldering, brazing, and JB weld. I'm currently using JB weld like the technique outlined by Terry Primos. I'm curious if anyone has had any poor experiences with using JB weld with guards. I love the stuff, but since I have not used it much I'm alittle leary about strength. Anyone have any bad experiences using this stuff? Am I wasting my time with JB weld? I am possibly the worst silver solderer on the planet, but I don't want to make an inferior knife because of the convinence of using JB weld. Help me out fellas. Thanks.

Luke Smart
 
i use devcon 2 ton epoxy and it works just as well. i tend to like the 5 minute epoxy since i hold everything together tight myself until the epoxy sets.
 
I use a lot of JB Weld on my hidden tangs. I visited Bruce Bumps shop about a month ago, and he mentioned that JB Weld can grow (swell) slightly during curing, so it's best not to pack it completely full, so that it will have room to grow without cracking handle materials. I use it for both guards, handles and butt caps. I also make my handle slots slightly larger down inside than they are out at the opening, so that the JB Weld will set up and be larger than the slot opening, giving the butt caps greater holding ability.

I've never had any negative issues with JB Weld.
 
Scott, I too have used the JB weld for the handle and butt cap. Interesting that it swells alittle while curing. Excellent tip about making the cavatiy slightly larger at the bottom like you said. Thanks so much for the responses guys. Please keep them coming.
 
Swaging with JB weld as the sealant. When wet it will act as a lube to facilitate the swaging and then seals the seams against moisture when it sets.
 
I like pure nickel blazing within the heat-treatment process.
It is normally applied to attach cutting chip on the lathe byte.

Well, actually I didn't. Heat-treatment shop person did it for me ;)
 
I use JB Weld for guards and West System marine epoxy for handles.
 
I have been teaching my self to us stay brite soder on hidden tang gaurds. It is not easy.
But in the long run I think its worth the trouble to learn!!!
 
The guards on all the knives I make are slid onto the tang and into a slot that is milled into the tang, then pinned and soldered. IMHO, nothing looks as nice as a well soldered guard joint.

When I first started making knives I tried JB. It works well for sealing but no matter how close I would fit the guard, and I fit them close, you could still see that gray JB Weld line. Even if it was only a hairline, it still bothered me and would never shine up like a nice solder line

I think it can have its place though, where you don't want to (or can't) clean the solder joint up, like in the case of blued or heat colored hardware that might be affected by the solder clean-up process.

I agree with loussharp1, "soldering is worth the trouble to learn" Definately "a must learn" technique :thumbup: :thumbup:

EDIT TO ADD : I don't know for sure, but.....I'll bet Phillip Patton is now soldering his guards on :thumbup:

solder2.jpg
 
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I solder about 90% of all guards. JB Weld for those that can't be soldered.
I experimented with a good grade of epoxy mixed with gilding powder ( superfine metallic powder) to make silver colored and gold colored resin. It worked, but was not worth the trouble.
Stacy
 
Solder's the way to go. Tough to learn but when you get it, you'll say "Now, that's not so hard!!". :eek::)
 
Thanks guys for all the advice. I agree with David with that nothing looks as good as a well soldered joint and by the way, thats a beautiful example of a superb joint. In the past, I have had trouble with cleanup due to using damascus or if the blade has a handrubbed fininsh (non buffed). It was with my frustrations with clean up on these particular knives that I decided to try using JB weld.

Stacy, would you mind sharing and example of knives that can't be soldered? I don't buff any of my knives and therefore clean up as given me grief.

I mill the slots in all my guards and file a small shoulder all the way around the tang so when the two fit together there is zero gap. I've had possitive results with maintaining the zero gap with the JB weld so far. Although I might just go dust of my solder equipment and give it another try.

Thank you all for all the great feedback. Long live the forums!
 
another way to make for a good fit on the guard is to cut a shoulder for the guard to butt against like in the picture at the bottom of this link http://mysite.verizon.net/ress6fq6/id21.html
you wont see the slot cut in the guard. i have never had a guard come loose when done this way. it works well for a take apart knife too which is what this knife turned out to be. you can put holes directly behind the guard for epoxy to go into for an even better hold. i just remembered something a friend told me to do when soldering something and you want to remove excess solder. wipe down the area with a damp rag right after soldering to wipe away any excess. a little more heat can be applied to remove any more solder. (luke, i must need new glasses and also i need to read slower, i read right past the part you mentioned cutting the shoulder for the guard :D)
 
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You can also get silver solder paste from Pop's which is GREAT stuff. Clean both surfaces to be soldered and apply a little solder paste with a toothpick, etc. Press pieces together and clean up the extra BEFORE soldering. Then, heat the joint until you see the flux/solder flow and then stop heating. Boil the joint for 10 minutes or so in baking soda/water to make sure you neutralize the flux and you're good to go.

-d
 
System Three makes an epoxy called Metlweld that might be useful for attaching guards. I have some and have used it for attaching handle slabs, but all of my latest knives have been guardless, so I haven't had the opportunity to test it on a guard yet. Seems like it would work well.

This is what the company says about the product:

SilverTip MetlWeld
MetlWeld is a super tough epoxy adhesive designed to bond dissimilar materials such as steel to wood. MetlWeld exhibits excellent elastic properties and superior bond strength while remaining rigid. MetlWeld will bond to stainless steel, galvanized steel, aluminum, copper, glass, ceramic, neoprene rubber and most porous surfaces.​
 
Occasionally I will make a guard from a non-metalic material, or a metal that is not suitable for soldering. In those cases I use JB weld.
Stacy
 
Derek, that solder paste sounds like great stuff. I will look into it for sure. Thanks everyone for the great information.

Luke
 
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