Drill everything, grind the edge centerline( 45degrees), chamfer holes, sand well and clean prior to HT.
In my experience, AEB-L gets hot very quickly, so, dip, dip, and dip some more while grinding.
Hey Greg. (Just had nothing to do with big blocks.) Thanks for the encouraging words. It’s my cleanest blade to date and I am still working out ergonomics. Got lucky with the colors though.
I take my chef knives to .010 at the edge and then use a made jig on my belt grinder to set the edge with a 400 grit belt running against the platen. Takes 2 minutes.
I find it easier to follow a flat edge on final sharpening using a KME set up, if I want to refine the edge further.
If all else fails you could purchase a "cheapo" sword and re-purpose the hardware. Such as https://www.budk.com/Sword-Canes-2893
Me, I would make a collar and then use a wood handle that had a slight interference taper.
Hey Ted, thank you.
That handle really looks good outside. The picture fails a bit.
Years ago I used to turn pens and other things. I had two of these pen blanks that I epoxied together, ripped and flattened. I've not been able to find more of this unfortunately. It is not thermoinfused like...
Hey Greg, I feel your distress. I, too, like things just so.
I have to ask, how are you measuring and setting your angles? How much between your two center lines?
I have and still use D. Comeau's calculator and it works for me. (gets me real close.) I fuss with a digital angle cube til I get it...