- Joined
- May 31, 2020
- Messages
- 67
I'm hoping to fix a guard on this blade so it won't move. I've made one for the tang as-is:
As you can see, the tang is awfully narrow for the usual solution of having the width step down from the blade to the tang, plus I'd have to make the pommel bulge (?) narrower as well. Also, this is a stainless blade, so I understand a special solder would be required to attach the brass directly to the steel.
I had the thought of filing small slots into the sides of the tang, fitting small brass blocks into them, and silver-soldering the guard to the blocks to lock it into place.
Approximately how stupid is this? Will the keyholes create much of a weak point in the tang? Would making them semicircular instead of square help reduce that? And are tiny keys not enough of a connection to keep the guard from breaking loose? You folks are great at pointing out more obvious solutions that I overlooked -- is there one here?
I realize the substantial shoulder means a guard isn't absolutely necessary, but I'd like to make it look like an old Sheffield Bowie, and they seem to always have two-branch guards. I also realize they usually had symmetrical tangs, but I've seen at least one or two examples that had similar beaked pommel profiles.
Thanks for any suggestions.
As you can see, the tang is awfully narrow for the usual solution of having the width step down from the blade to the tang, plus I'd have to make the pommel bulge (?) narrower as well. Also, this is a stainless blade, so I understand a special solder would be required to attach the brass directly to the steel.
I had the thought of filing small slots into the sides of the tang, fitting small brass blocks into them, and silver-soldering the guard to the blocks to lock it into place.
Approximately how stupid is this? Will the keyholes create much of a weak point in the tang? Would making them semicircular instead of square help reduce that? And are tiny keys not enough of a connection to keep the guard from breaking loose? You folks are great at pointing out more obvious solutions that I overlooked -- is there one here?
I realize the substantial shoulder means a guard isn't absolutely necessary, but I'd like to make it look like an old Sheffield Bowie, and they seem to always have two-branch guards. I also realize they usually had symmetrical tangs, but I've seen at least one or two examples that had similar beaked pommel profiles.
Thanks for any suggestions.