WIP Bowie knife

[Dennis Morland]

Back side is cleaned up.

Looks good with the handle in place.

I got the edge cleaned up, also. I will get a picture when I get the front cleaned up. Tomorrow??

 

[Sean Jones]

Every time looks like butt. What I lack for soldering skills - I make up with clean up skills.

What type of solder are you using Dennis?

 

[Dennis Morland]

What type of solder are you using Dennis?

Stay Bright silver solder. I got it 5 years ago when I started making knives. Some maker recommended it. I bought it. I use it very seldom.

 

[Sean Jones]

Stay Bright silver solder. I got it 5 years ago when I started making knives. Some maker recommended it. I bought it. I use it very seldom.

Thanks Dennis. The reason I asked is because in the past I've done a lot of soldering on circuit boards; as in far more than I ever wanted to .

I don't know if that necessarily translates to being able to solder well on a knife or not. But if true, my experience soldering circuit boards would say you could use less flux and that would make your cleanups easier.

 

[Johan Nel]

Every time looks like butt. What I lack for soldering skills - I make up with clean up skills.

I am extremely curious to know what the process is to clean all the excess solder off, while maintaining the initial flattened levels of the guard and the ricasso.

 

[Chris Railey]

I am extremely curious to know what the process is to clean all the excess solder off, while maintaining the initial flattened levels of the guard and the ricasso.

+++++1

 

[Dennis Morland]

Thanks Dennis. The reason I asked is because in the past I've done a lot of soldering on circuit boards; as in far more than I ever wanted to .

I don't know if that necessarily translates to being able to solder well on a knife or not. But if true, my experience soldering circuit boards would say you could use less flux and that would make your cleanups easier.

I will take all the hints/help I can get with soldering. I think this is the 3rd knife that I have ever soldered. Just butt!!

 

[Dennis Morland]

I am extremely curious to know what the process is to clean all the excess solder off, while maintaining the initial flattened levels of the guard and the ricasso.

Johan and Chris: This is only the 3rd knife that I have soldered. It is a learning experience for me. But, if it starts flat, gets soldered, and then cleaned up. The guard and Ricasso should still be flat. I just have to carefully remove the ugly part of the solder that is sitting on those two pieces. I will scrape off the bigger chunks and sand it down to the metal. I will post a couple pictures of the process. But, today, junior high track meet. Run fast - turn left.

 

[Sean Jones]

I will take all the hints/help I can get with soldering. I think this is the 3rd knife that I have ever soldered. Just butt!!

The real worry I would have with the way I would do it, is that it would overheat the blade and ruin the temper. And remember my experience is with soldering circuit boards and a few copper pipes.

How I would consider doing it would be to apply heat from the tang side until the joint where your knife and guard meet is just warm/hot enough to melt solder. Then I'd just drop a bead line of solder along that edge. It should suck the solder down into the joint and leave a nice clean soldered joint.

Again, I haven't done this on knives so this may be wrong for a knife that is heat treated. But this method works especially well with copper pipe and also circuit boards.

 

[Dennis Morland]

The real worry I would have with the way I would do it, is that it would overheat the blade and ruin the temper. And remember my experience is with soldering circuit boards and a few copper pipes.

How I would consider doing it would be to apply heat from the tang side until the joint where your knife and guard meet is just warm/hot enough to melt solder. Then I'd just drop a bead line of solder along that edge. It should suck the solder down into the joint and leave a nice clean soldered joint.

Again, I haven't done this on knives so this may be wrong for a knife that is heat treated. But this method works especially well with copper pipe and also circuit boards.

That was my plan. But, I really suck at soldering. With practice comes skill. I can clean-up. Lots of practice.

 

[Dennis Morland]

Time for clean up. I take my blade and carefully remove the large globs. I have seen makers use sharpened brass pieces so they do not mar the finish on the guard. With my solder skills I will sand a bunch so I am good with the blade.

Once the chunks are removed, I use my sanding stick (g10) and a stiff piece of leather to slowly sand the solder residue. Slowly is the key word. It takes forever.

 

[Dennis Morland]

After a bit, you get this. Getting there but still needs work. Before sanding I wrapped tape around the ricasso area. I did not want sand marks from guard to ruin the ricasso.

 

[Dennis Morland]

Now I will tape off the guard and work on the ricasso area on each side.

 

[Dennis Morland]

I broke down and made a 1/4 wide scraper out of a piece of brass. Way easier getting into that tight area between the guard and ricasso.

 

[Dennis Morland]

It’s getting a bit cleaner. Still a ways to go. I liken solder clean up to hand sanding. Time consuming and not at all glamorous.

 

[Von Gruff]

Would it not be better to spend the time in making a tight fit-up so there was no need for the solder in the joint??.

 

[Dennis Morland]

Would it not be better to spend the time in making a tight fit-up so there was no need for the solder in the joint??.

Yes. It was pretty darn tight. I wanted to try to make the joint disappear. All I really accomplished was several more hours of work. My hands hurt from the tedious little bits of sanding.

 

[Dennis Morland]

After hours of soldering, clean up, and sanding, I am close to being done with this task. Not sure I really gained anything from the solder attempt. My hands hurt. I will try to finish tomorrow.

 

[Johan Nel]

After hours of soldering, clean up, and sanding, I am close to being done with this task. Not sure I really gained anything from the solder attempt. My hands hurt. I will try to finish tomorrow.

Dennis, I assume that the direction of sanding is along the original sanding direction as that prior to soldering, so as not create crosslines that needs to be sanded out? What grade of courseness/ fineness of sandpaper do you use?

 

[Dennis Morland]

Dennis, I assume that the direction of sanding is along the original sanding direction as that prior to soldering, so as not create crosslines that needs to be sanded out? What grade of courseness/ fineness of sandpaper do you use?

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