A couple jigs and a handle transition method

[bjansen]

A couple jigs I made to help in the process.  

First a drilling jig, made from mostly aluminum and a 3/8" square steel ricasso clamping bar.

     

     


Second a guard clamp.  Made from aluminum with a 1/2" steel  round bar.  I just used some 3/32 roll pins which are holding up fine so far (If they start to give I am going to replace them with thicker drill rod)  It clamps a guard really well and you can just clamp the clamp in a vise.

     

     

     

[bjansen]

Handle transitions
I came up with a better method (better method for me at least) to get the handle slightly proud to the guard/spacer. The method is based on the principle that it is easier to sand two materials flush with each other (rather than to a scribed line) and also it is easier to sand a thin, flat material such as a spacer flush to a scribed line (rather than a bulky odd shaped handle).  

First I fit and finished the guard to nearly final dimensions. Next, I fit a copper spacer and then scribed the guard outline on the copper .  I took the copper spacer over to the belt grinder and sanded down to about .020 from the line on all sides.
   
   
Then I fit the handle material and scribed a line from the copper spacer to the handle material (and then removed the material in the normal course.  
   
Then with the guard, spacer and handle mounted I finish sanded the handle material to the copper spacer, (which left the handle material about .015 to .020 thicker than the stainless guard).
   
   
   
Finally, take the copper spacer off and sand down to the scribed line.  Now my copper spacer is flush with the stainless guard, and my handle material is slightly proud.  

   

[Lin Rhea]

Very good tip Brad! Those spacers are not only for looks are they? They are built in templates.

[Izzy]

I don't know enough to say exactly what Im looking at but I can say you put some thinking in to it. Nice knife too.

[Steve Nuckels]

Great ideas!

And very nice knife!

Steve
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Potomac Forge
Member, W.F. Moran Foundation