Brass guard question

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Well-Known Member
I'm putting a brass guard on a bowie, and was wondering experience/opinions on epoxy versus solder. Unable to pin it due to the thickness of the guard.
 
If we're talking on a hidden tang, you don't need either if it's fitted correctly. The only thing solder was ever SUPPOSED to be concerning a guards on knives..... was/is as a moisture seal, so that moisture doesn't intrude under the handle material and rot it from the inside out.

IF you are using solder, JB Weld, epoxy, or anything else to hold a guard in place, then your fit is too sloppy. The fit of the blade/guard junction should be so, that it looks like that blade it "growing" out of the guard. Again, if you have to use anything to fill space/gaps between a blade and guard, then the fit needs to the better.
Providing the guard fit is correct, and assuming a hidden tang, the adhesive that you use in the handle will fill and seal the guard/blade joint via hydraulic action, and once cured, will prevent moisture infiltration for the life of the adhesive.
 
Thanks Ed,
Should have added, I'm refurbishing an old bowie. It's full tang and has an s shaped guard. Am using the old guard as per the customer.
 
AH! Thank for the additional information! Sorry I didn't fully understand. So, if you dealing with refub of a factory knife, I have little doubt there are gona be a lot of sloppy fits. :) My advice is JB Weld. I keep both the regular and the "kwik" varieties in my shop. The regular requires overnight, and the "kwik" is about 30 mins before being able to work/grind/file/sand on. Just be careful about getting it where you don't want it... it can be a bugger to remove when cured. BUT.... it's gona be a lot easy to clean up than solder.... and much easier to apply. ;)
 
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Having just made a brass guard with basic hand tools (files and a grinder!), I can definitely agree with Ed that the JB weld option is the way to go for sloppy fits. I try to pin everything anyway as I love a mechanical connection, but this one needed filler in places and it is definitely the better option with regards to simplicity of application and certainly for cleanup!
 
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