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The Newbies Arena Are you new to knife making? Here is all the help you will need.

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  #1  
Old 03-01-2020, 08:30 AM
Tex65 Tex65 is offline
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Join Date: Jul 2019
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Guards and pommels

How much do you try to make and how much do you buy from knife supply stores?
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  #2  
Old 03-01-2020, 12:40 PM
argel55 argel55 is offline
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I make all because I would rather do it to dimensions I need rather than modify existing material
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  #3  
Old 03-01-2020, 06:44 PM
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Ray Rogers Ray Rogers is offline
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I buy screws and fasteners and other such supplies. I make the blades, guards, and sheaths....


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  #4  
Old 03-02-2020, 06:42 PM
jimmontg jimmontg is offline
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Tex make your own.

It is cheaper to boot. I have some 1/8 thick sheet for smaller knife guards or for a butt plate versus a pommel. I also bought some 1 inch by 1/4 thick for guards and for pommels I have 3/8 thick by 1 inch wide also some 1 inch round. If you have a wood bandsaw you have a brass bandsaw too, 10 tpi is good, 12 is fine too. I use Tap Magic cutting fluid for cutting, I rub the oil onto both sides of the part I'm cutting. Never use oil poured onto your bandsaw. It makes a mess and will make your blade want to slip off the drive wheel. You can also use cutting wax instead. If you have a bandsaw that cuts steel you should use the wax as I've found in over 30 years in the metal trades it's better for steels and keeping the temperature down. Use a cutting/tapping wax.

I have a precision cross travel X-Y table. DO NOT TRY TO MACHINE WITH A DRILL PRESS! as it will damage your drill press because it isn't designed to take sideways pressure. I use the table to make my drill line holes straight. I use my table for jeweling too using round Cratex. It's also handy for drilling a pin hole for a stub tang and return to the same spot. Also invest in a good needle file set, word is a GOOD set. I have a Nicholson Needle set in a small box from the 70s and have taken very good care of them as they are still working very well. Cutting a brass guard hole isn't hard, but stainless takes more elbow grease which is why I seldom do a stainless guard. LOL
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  #5  
Old 03-03-2020, 06:34 AM
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Crex Crex is offline
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Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Acworth, GA and/or Hanging Dog, NC
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I salvage and re-purpose metal for my guards and fittings. Always been a scrounger so I have tons of scrap that can be recycled. I like using a lot of WI anyway so there it is.
Agree with Jim on use of drill press, very few can last long from side pressure - they weren't designed for that task.
I think maybe fitting guards is my least favorite task, but has to be done right to make the finished knife look right. I can forge and prep three or four large blades in the time it takes me to fit up a guard the way I want. Ergo - lot of blades hanging in the shop waiting for guard fittings all the time.


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  #6  
Old 03-03-2020, 08:37 PM
Tex65 Tex65 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jimmontg View Post
It is cheaper to boot. I have some 1/8 thick sheet for smaller knife guards or for a butt plate versus a pommel. I also bought some 1 inch by 1/4 thick for guards and for pommels I have 3/8 thick by 1 inch wide also some 1 inch round. If you have a wood bandsaw you have a brass bandsaw too, 10 tpi is good, 12 is fine too. I use Tap Magic cutting fluid for cutting, I rub the oil onto both sides of the part I'm cutting. Never use oil poured onto your bandsaw. It makes a mess and will make your blade want to slip off the drive wheel. You can also use cutting wax instead. If you have a bandsaw that cuts steel you should use the wax as I've found in over 30 years in the metal trades it's better for steels and keeping the temperature down. Use a cutting/tapping wax.

I have a precision cross travel X-Y table. DO NOT TRY TO MACHINE WITH A DRILL PRESS! as it will damage your drill press because it isn't designed to take sideways pressure. I use the table to make my drill line holes straight. I use my table for jeweling too using round Cratex. It's also handy for drilling a pin hole for a stub tang and return to the same spot. Also invest in a good needle file set, word is a GOOD set. I have a Nicholson Needle set in a small box from the 70s and have taken very good care of them as they are still working very well. Cutting a brass guard hole isn't hard, but stainless takes more elbow grease which is why I seldom do a stainless guard. LOL
I have a bit of a machining background so I’m familiar with milling machines, lathes etc. Probably be a bit before I can buy a small milling machine so I think l will see what I can do by hand. I do need a good vise for my drill press. Went cheap and got what I paid for.
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  #7  
Old 03-03-2020, 09:43 PM
Doug Lester Doug Lester is offline
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Having sent a drill press chuck sailing across the workshop while trying to use the drill press as a milling machine, I concur, don't try it.

Doug


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Old 03-06-2020, 07:05 PM
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M&J M&J is offline
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+1 with them. I've done a bit of "light" milling on the drill press and the press isn't really capable of tolerating side loads. The chuck will be pushed from the taper and when that happens your work piece is ruined. A freed spinning chuck that is put into low orbit is quite dangerous.


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