“Guard?” or “Guardless?” - That is the question!

Comprehensivist · Aug 23, 2017

Fiddleback said:
Great thread. Two of the most detailed posters on the forum. Thanks for doing this both of you.

Removing the guard with a file would not void the warranty, per se. Using a motorized tool to do the work would.

Thanks Andy for the nice comments and addressing the warranty question.

hasco said:
Thanks for another well written and informative post Phil! The photos are excellent and really show how well the modifications turned out.

In general I prefer a guard less knife, but I do like a finger indentation. I am always leery of knives where the blade and handle are a continuous line without a guard like in most traditional puukkos for example. All of the knives you modified have a nice finger indent making the necessity for a guard irrelevant for my uses. Your modified bush hermit is an especially great example of what I like. It is also one of my all time favorite Fiddlebacks!

I appreciate your input Tod. As I said in the body of my post, I appreciate “guard” characteristics(s) behind the ricasso, as long as the guard itself doesn’t extend below the back of the cutting edge. So index finger depressions on the handle and/or taller blades that result in more downward curved metal behind the ricasso are a good thing in my eye. I think we are of similar preferences here.

Since you brought up the example, I will confess that I do like traditional style Puukkos. I currently have three very nice Malanika Puukkos. They work better for me in a straight woodcarving role, than any scandi grind ever has. I am not leery of using them at all. With that said, I will paraphrase pertinux’s words again and say that I remain very mindful of the totally guardless nature of the tool in hand anytime I use it.

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crex said:
Some like guards some don't - great thing about this world and this business. Some folks just need a guard for the obvious reasons some don't. My Gran Muddy used to say "Don't be stupid, keep your fingers off the sharp end!" ....... Native American wisdom.

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crex said:
[URL='https://comp.smugmug.com/Malanika/n-qJXk2p/i-p5pR4zF/A'][URL='https://comp.smugmug.com/Malanika/n-qJXk2p/i-BpTQkSC/A'][/URL]
[URL='https://comp.smugmug.com/Malanika/n-qJXk2p/i-p5pR4zF/A'][URL='https://comp.smugmug.com/Malanika/n-qJXk2p/i-BpTQkSC/A']My take on this is: If the knife is properly designed in it's entirety, one should be able to tell in the dark which end is pointy and which edge is sharp just by the way the handle is shaped and the instrument is balanced.[/URL]
[URL='https://comp.smugmug.com/Malanika/n-qJXk2p/i-p5pR4zF/A'][URL='https://comp.smugmug.com/Malanika/n-qJXk2p/i-BpTQkSC/A']Andy does an excellent job with this, try one with the lights out and see what I mean.[/URL]
[URL='https://comp.smugmug.com/Malanika/n-qJXk2p/i-p5pR4zF/A'][URL='https://comp.smugmug.com/Malanika/n-qJXk2p/i-BpTQkSC/A'][/URL]
[URL='https://comp.smugmug.com/Malanika/n-qJXk2p/i-p5pR4zF/A'][URL='https://comp.smugmug.com/Malanika/n-qJXk2p/i-BpTQkSC/A']All that said - customer is usually right (sorry, not always), but you gotta pay the bills and buy shoes for the baby.[/URL][/URL][/URL][/URL][/URL][/URL]

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Comprehensivist · Aug 23, 2017

Tekton said:
Thanks once again for your time in making such a detailed and well written post. Great job! Your knives look perfect now.

While I have knives with guards, like you I also prefer a "guardless" knife. Most of what I do with a knife is in the kitchen or the woods. So long as there is a finger indention I am happy.

I have been tempted to do this with a few of my favorites as well but haven't worked up the nerve. Your post may have pushed me over the edge.

Thanks for the nice comment. It seems to be a consensus that the folks who like the guardless models like having an index finger depression to feel where the hand is in relation to the blade.

Sonnydaze said:
Excellent thread and pics...thank you.

Thanks. I am glad you enjoyed the thread.

Looking ahead to other guardless models, I think I might give the Handyman another try because many people I respect here say that is their favorite knife to use. Now if I could only convince the guys at the shop to make one in thinly tapered 1/8” steel and the same handle combo as I have on my Bush Hermit…

Another guardless model I do have that doesn’t get enough respect in the Fiddleback line-up is the Bourbon Street Skinner. I’ll admit that I avoided this model too for the longest time. It has a nice tall handle (like the Bush Hermit) in combination with a taller blade that yields a positive “guard” feeling behind the ricasso. The smooth continuous sweep of the cutting edge is great for many task, plus you have the sharp point for piercing things that need poking. I recommend giving this model a serious look if you have not already.

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Tim the Wizard · Aug 23, 2017

Malanika is really the best at what he does. But in the case of both of your examples above, the handle/scale material support grip, as shadetree burlap has a sort of matrix texture and the birch is segmented and ridged. I would be more likely to use a guardless knife with material like that than smoothed g10 or bone. BTW, wicked cutting board!

TrainedBullets · Aug 24, 2017

Wow, what a well thought out, helpful, and compelling post.

I agree with everything you said. Personally, I just don't have the courage to try my hand at removing a guard. Somehow, I just know mine would not come out nearly as well as yours.

So I think that leaves me considering how I intend to use the knife as built.

BTW - The patina on your Sneaky Pete is amazing.

Mistwalker · Aug 27, 2017

It depends on size, profile, and purpose for me. If the knife is big enough to use for food prep and has a shape that is suited to it, then yeah as long as I have some sort of contour or speed bump between the handle and edge then I prefer no guard behind the edge so I can rock it on a cutting board.

But if the size and shape aren't all that well suited for food prep, and I'm carrying more for general utility then I sort of like a stop behind the edge for cutting fine twine and stuff, just an old habit from my commercial fishing days.

JustinFournier · Aug 27, 2017

Great post Phil.

I live in the Pacific Northwest, the air is salty and we get tons of rain. Everything that can, tends to rust very fast.

I'm also very busy with my career, family (2 young kids) and a never ending list of renovations and the like in our older home.

Because of this, I've taken to using only stainless knives in the kitchen, and those designed for that application. So interesting that you specifically chose to do that which I specifically chose not to do!

To that end, zero of my kitchen knives have a guard. I have knives by CPK, Matther Gregory, North Arm Knives and Cutco in the kitchen.

However like PT, all of my outdoors knives do have a guard.

Now here is an interesting note. Almost 100% of the times I have cut myself, it was because I was doing some task, needed my knife, then continued working on the task while still holding my knife in my hand, and the tip or something else came into contact with some part of my opposite hand because I was not paying attention and holding the knife when I should have put it down.

Even in my folders which I always carry one, are Shirogorov flippers which all have a tab to flip which becomes a gaurd when open.

I've never slipped past a guard and cut myself though the though of it is unpleasant. I've also never bought a knife for outdoor or EDC use without.

Maybe old habits die hard?

plue · Aug 28, 2017

I dislike guards and really wish my FBs didn't have them. Bad for cutting, bad for sharpening, bad for plue.

“Guard?” or “Guardless?” - That is the question!

When it comes to choosing your next fixed blade knife to buy, what is your preference in terms of

I prefer a guard on the knife.

I prefer a guardless knife.

I have no strong preference either way.

Comprehensivist

Comprehensivist

Tim the Wizard

Street Samurai

TrainedBullets

Mistwalker

JustinFournier

plue