When to glue?

[oldanvilyoungsmith]

I'm working on a bowie, and now that I have the guard and handle block fitted I can't decide if I should glue the handle and guard before shaping, or after shaping?

When do you guys usually glue up something like this?


Probably some important information - I am considering (haven't become sure yet) bluing the guard. And the handle wood is Desert Ironwood.


Sorry bout the pics, they aren't very good.

 

[GTH11]

Blue the guard, you could rough outline your handle and band saw extras to save on sanding, but i would epoxy it up and start shaping to finish. That is a monster blade and that ironwood stands by its name good job!

 

[blindhogg]

Your in a real pickle, if you blue the guard then glue up you will have to be careful not to scuff, scratch, file or sand the guard when shaping the handle. Which by the way is very hard to do.
I usually attempt to get the handle to stay on without a real glue up first. If you plan to put a pin in. Do that to hold handle together then shape, lastly blue guard then glue up last if you can.
I have even gently tapered the tang and softened the corners of the part that goes into the handle before and applied a resist to my blade tang and epoxied the handle and inserted. I next pull out
the blade before the epoxy completely cures and it makes a nice glovelike fit for fitting the handle before proper glue up. Before glue up cut notches in tang and lastly glue up for good.
Chris

 

[Fred.Rowe]

Take time to put alignment pins between the handle and guard, 1/16" will do. This way you can take the guard handle assembly and shape it to a fairly finished shape. If you have a big clamp or vise to hold it you can take it to finish. Once you get to this point you can blue the guard and apply your finish to the ironwood. If the blade is finished you are ready to glue it up. Because you pined the parts assembly is easy and it will fit perfectly.

Have fun, Fred

An example of pinning a handle:

 

[oldanvilyoungsmith]

Thanks for all the thoughts guys. I went ahead and just shaped the guard and handle without glueup. Here is where I'm at now.

A peak at the ironwood, (it's only at 120, and just wetted to show how it'll look when oiled)

I went ahead and test blued the guard (obviously after the pics were taken). It's only at 120, and I still have to finish sand it, so if I decide not to do it, I can still opt out of bluing it. We'll see, I'll email the customer tomorrow with some pics and ask what he wants.

 

[oldanvilyoungsmith]

Here it is with the guard blued. Still have to find out how the customer wants it, and do all the finish sanding, on the knife and the handle. I'm thinking the handle might need a bit of shaping still... Go slow or mess it up.

Thanks for all the help guys, Stephen.