# Making a finger guard



## robert flynt

When making a a guard, a must have tool is a file guide like one shown in the first picture. After you cut length of metal you need, mark the center and the length you need to slot the material. Now you can slot it with a device like I made, a straight line of holes to be connected with chain saw file or use a side grinder. When this is done you put in the file guide and enlarge the slot to the thickness of the blade. Square the bottom of the slot making sure every thing is flat and square, easier said than done. Once the guard fits properly you can put it in place on the blade and drill the pin hole through the guard and blade or If the blade is already hardened and pin holes drilled, super glue the blade to the side of the of the guard and drill pin holes in the guard through the blade holes.For now put the guard in place and JB Weld or glue in place then put some temperary pin in the holes. These pin will stay in place until the handle is on and every thing is shaped. Drive those pin out and ream those holes with the point of an 1 1/4" blade drill bit or something. The reason for this is to prevent a black ring around the pins and prevent the pins from coming loose.

Reactions: Like 3 | Great Post 1 | Way Cool 2 | Informative 1


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## Tclem

Thanks for taking all my advice and doing this exactly like I showed you

Reactions: Funny 2 | Sincere 1


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## Kevin

I don't like our rating system. We need more and different and better icons. I promise I will deliver but in the meanime I am so subscribed . . . . . . . .

Reactions: Agree 1 | +Karma 1


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## robert flynt

The hidden tang you will drill a series of holes the width of the tang, file the holes together then use the file guide and small flat file to get the hole the right width and the ends of the slot square and flat. JB 
Weld glue or soldier the guard in place.

Reactions: Like 2 | Way Cool 1 | Informative 1


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## Wildthings

Yeah baby!

Reactions: Agree 1


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## ripjack13

Robert, I merged them. I don't mind. And this is awesome. I'm subscribed...

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## robert flynt

This is the way I do it and by no means the only wa


ripjack13 said:


> Robert, I merged them. I don't mind. And this is awesome. I'm subscribed...


Thanks, I ran out of photo capacity!

Reactions: Like 1


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## Tclem

I see me trying this and tearing something up this week. Oh and for all of you who don't know why Robert is posting this. Because I've blown his phone up for the past month asking him about this

Reactions: Like 2 | Funny 2


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## robert flynt

Please, If you have any questions, ask! I do this so much a lot of it is just second nature and I might have left something out Also this is not the only way to do this, it is just the way I do it.


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## Foot Patrol

Robert can you show how you square up the Ricasso end that you slide the guard on? Do you use the file guide and remove material on each side of the hidden tang before you determine the width of the guard hole you are making?

Foot


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## ripjack13

robert flynt said:


> Thanks, I ran out of photo capacity!



Next time, you can just make another post in the same topic.

Or I can earn my zeros and merge em....either way is good for me.


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## robert flynt

Square up each end of the guard by putting the guard in the file guide like one of the pictures shows then use a 6" try square to get it perfectly square with the guide. When I get the bottom as flat as I can I put each slotted side in the file guide perfectly even with the slot you have made and get the rest of the corner flat and at 90 degree angles. With the hidden tangs I use my minny mill to slot the tang hole the proper width, then square the rounded ends of the slot with the file guide. Getting the flat perfectly flat with files. It sounds simple but it is very hard to get the flats in the slot perfectly flat and takes lot of practice with a flat file to get the hang of it. They make a slotting saw to use in a mill or lathe but they are pricey and the blade steel will have to be the same thickness as the saw but it will give you a very square bottom corners. Will take pictures for you.

Reactions: Informative 1


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## Tclem

I think we need to bring Paxton down that way in a weekend or two or three and make a pit stop by there after I drop them off somewhere and bring me a knife and a guard.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Molokai

Thank you for this Robert.


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## robert flynt

I am posting about how to use the file guide. Several things I need to mention is you need to get straight sided files not tapered and one edge on the flat file also one side on the square file need to be made safe. By this I mean all the teeth need to be ground off. The purpose is to prevent taking metal off where you don't need to. One of the pictures is of the slotting saw. The last pictures are of the the blades with the handle material on but it is not epoxy up yet. A word of warning, always, ALWAYS put the knife together to check fit before you start epoxying it together are you will be sorry with a big mess on your hands. Another thing, sand the face of the guard to finish before you attach them All question welcome, it will make life easier.

Reactions: Way Cool 2 | Informative 1


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## Foot Patrol

Robert thanks for the extra pictures. These are very helpful. I have a few questions. 



robert flynt said:


> one edge on the flat file also one side on the square file need to be made safe. By this I mean all the teeth need to be ground off.


 Robert do you mean that of the 4 sides of the file, there are only 2 sides with teeth and 2 sides are safe; one the wide side and one the narrow side.

Is the finger guard material you are using 3/8" thickness? If not what do you typically use?

What thickness do you use for the bolster on the hidden tangs? 

Can you provide some detail on how you do the finale to pull everything together like in your last picture? 

Sorry for all the questions.

Reactions: Like 2


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## robert flynt

Foot Patrol said:


> Robert thanks for the extra pictures. These are very helpful. I have a few questions.
> 
> Robert do you mean that of the 4 sides of the file, there are only 2 sides with teeth and 2 sides are safe; one the wide side and one the narrow side.
> 
> Is the finger guard material you are using 3/8" thickness? If not what do you typically use?
> 
> What thickness do you use for the bolster on the hidden tangs?
> 
> Can you provide some detail on how you do the finale to pull everything together like in your last picture?
> 
> Sorry for all the questions.


No, just one edge on the flat file and one side on the square file. It protect from cutting where you don't need to as well as gives you the ability to a very sharp corner that you can't get with the teeth on. The file guide will prevent you from cutting where you don't need to. Mostly the safe side files are for working the corners.

I use 3/8 x 3/4 " flat bar and sometimes 1/2 x 3/4" for the most part. On small knives I sometimes 1/4" thick flat bar.

I use the same thickness on the hidden tang .It really depends on what kind of effect I'm looking for.

Start by making sure the scales are nice and flat as well as the end that fits to the guard, the tang should have been checked for flat before you put the guard on. If the tang is tapered you will have to compensate for this by having a very minute taper on the end of the scale that will fit up to the guard. Next I clamp the the scale to the guard with one end butted up against the guard and mark the scale at least 1/8 inch wider than the tang, all the way around. Take the scales to the band saw and make the cut on the outside of this line. Reclamp one scale to the tang and drill your holes through holes in the blade tang and after that one is done set it aside and to do the same thing to the other scale. Drill your countersink hole if using corby pins. Now put the scales on with pin, rivets, etc. in place and make any minor corrections When the fit is correct, take it back apart placing the parts in sequence apply the epoxy to each part as you assemble it. Oh by the way rough all the contact surfaces with 220 grit sandpaper. Clamp the scales on the tang as well a tighten the corby screw pins so all the excess epoxy is squeezed out leaving no gaps.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## robert flynt

Foot Patrol said:


> Robert can you show how you square up the Ricasso end that you slide the guard on? Do you use the file guide and remove material on each side of the hidden tang before you determine the width of the guard hole you are making?
> 
> Foot


Use the file guide and a file. My file guides have carbide faces so I can clamp the file guide on the ricasso where the tang starts and apply it directly to the platten on the grinder to square everything up with a grinding belt.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## Foot Patrol

@robert flynt Thank you for providing us with your knowledge. This is a great thread and I hope that the admins make this into a sticky for others to read and digest. 

Have a good trip to Atlanta. One of these days I will attend the Blade Show and I hope I am able to get my JS stamp. I am afraid I still have a lot to learn.

Foot

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## robert flynt

Foot Patrol said:


> @robert flynt Thank you for providing us with your knowledge. This is a great thread and I hope that the admins make this into a sticky for others to read and digest.
> 
> Have a good trip to Atlanta. One of these days I will attend the Blade Show and I hope I am able to get my JS stamp. I am afraid I still have a lot to learn.
> 
> Foot


There are a lot of good blade smiths out there that teach. I would contact the Blade Smith Society or look in the back of the Knives 2016 book to find one near you.


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## Foot Patrol

robert flynt said:


> There are a lot of good blade smiths out there that teach. I would contact the Blade Smith Society or look in the back of the Knives 2016 book to find one near you.



Robert I had a mentor in Houston but his shop burned down and I lost touch with him. I believe he moved to Tennessee to be with family. Your right that having someone close that I can talk to would be great. I will look into the resources you listed.

Foot


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## Kevin

Robert this is a fantastic tutorial, thanks for sharing your hard-won experience and your talent. Most guys simply will not share anything. You da man.

Reactions: Thank You! 1 | Agree 2


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## Foot Patrol

@robert flynt I have been working on putting finger guards on 3 full tang knives. I have been trying the technigue on page 1 of the post. I bought 2 brass finger guards with an 1/8 in slot already cut. I put a 1/4" notch just behind the ricasso so the finger guard could fit into it like a jigsaw puzzle piece. Once the guard fit the notch I then drilled holes through the guard and blade. Everything went like clockwork. I then heat treated the knife and final ground the blade. I sanded the blades to 400 grit including the ricasso and etched a temper line I put in during the heat treat. Steel is 1084. When I put the guard on the first knife, there is now a visible gap from where some material was removed during sanding. The second knife also has this issue. (Problem number 1). I then figured that I could use the JB weld along with peening the pins to hopefully close the gap. I counter drilled the holes a little wider. This is where I messed up again. I tried to put some temporary pins into the guard and blade of the first knife and could not get them out. (problem #2). I got frustrated so I hammered them through. Now the guard does not have any JB Weld to address the fit issue. I have not peened the pins over yet. 

So my question now is 1) should I solder the guard in place then peen, 2) Peen the guard in place, then solder, 3) just peen and hammer with enough force to close the small gaps between the blade and guard or 4) cut pins flush and drill them out and start over. I hate the ideal of having to solder and screwing up the front of the guard. 

Lessons I have learned, 1) wait until after heat treat and sanding to fit the slot guard. Use low cost wooden or marcarta pins for the temporary pins.


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## robert flynt

If you have a press you can put the guard on the blade, put the guard under the press where the bottom of the slot is, hold pressure on the guard and hit the the top of the press with a hammer. This will close the gap but you will have to take it off and reflatten the guard again. When you put the temporary pin in don't go completely through to the other side. When ready to take them out
You can take a pin punch and drive them out by putting the guard on a hard board with a hole in it where the pin will come out. the wood shouldn't damage the guard. If I am going to soldier the guard I still put temporary pins in but I use titanium because soldier want stick to them. If you are going to thin the blade down to much don't cut your slot until after you have completed the blade. Then carefully super glue the guard to one side of the blade where it needs to be then use the pin holes in the blade as a guide to drill holes through the guard. Just be sure to drill shallow holes through both pin holes before trying to drill all the way through the guard. This is in case the glue turns loose and after the holes are drilled, holding the blade like your going to chop, rap the end of the guard on an anvil or metal and it should sheer loose. CA. has great holding power but it's sheer strength is not that great. If this doesn't work a little heat will make it turn loose easily. Sorry you had problems.


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## Foot Patrol

Thanks @robert flynt for the advise. These will come in handy for the second knife. I expect that the first time I do something it will teach me both what to do and what to avoid. This time is no different. The first knife is probably too far along to really address since the pins are already in. I still have to shape and finish the guard so there are more lessons to learn. I am going to use simple scales going forward. I had originally planned to use scales using African blackwood and white marcarta with several brass and black spacers in between the materials. I will save this scale for when I feel I have the process down.


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## robert flynt

Foot Patrol said:


> Thanks @robert flynt for the advise. These will come in handy for the second knife. I expect that the first time I do something it will teach me both what to do and what to avoid. This time is no different. The first knife is probably too far along to really address since the pins are already in. I still have to shape and finish the guard so there are more lessons to learn. I am going to use simple scales going forward. I had originally planned to use scales using African blackwood and white marcarta with several brass and black spacers in between the materials. I will save this scale for when I feel I have the process down.


Using the press works well on brass or aluminum but there isn't much hope for stainless guards. It all ways pooches out a little at the bottom of the slot and on the side where the press is applied. The pin do not have to be in when you use the press because the blade is there just to keep from closing the gap to much. If your making the guard and drilling your pin holes in place through the guard and blade of carbon steel. It will be best to use one of the atiscaling chemical coating sold by the knife supply companies, so there is very little scale to clean up and less blade thinning.


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## Foot Patrol

@robert flynt I will try the press and see how it works. I have confidence it will work.

Great idea on the antiscale. I have some in the shop and should have thought about that.


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