Hidden Tang shoulder /no file guard

Mark Barone

Mark Barone

Well-Known Member
Wow 120 dollars for a file guard, This may be my only hidden tang knife so I’m not ready to buy one. My shoulder is very close to being flush with the guard, but close only works in horseshoes and hand grenades. Any hacks to get a nice tight fit without a fileguard. I have vice. I have probably a 1/16 inch relief going all the way around so my shoulder will cover up the hole in the guard.
 
You can harden them. I used JB Weld to hold down (2) 1/8 thick, 1/2" wide carbide strips. They work well. Good luck!
 
You CAN build your own.... but if you don't have a way to precision flatten and parallel the device when finished, you're right back where you started from. $120 sounds like a lot for a file guide.....but it's worth 10X that in the frustration, labor, and time it saves you.

Trying to "eyeball" the shoulders on a hidden tang is a loosing battle..... I know.... I was of the same mindset about a file guide way back when.
 
Last edited:
EdCaffreyMS said:
You CAN build your own.... but if you don't have a way to precision flatten and parallel the device when finished, you're right back where you started from. $120 sounds like a lot for a file guide.....but it's worth 10X that in the frustration, labor, and time it saves you.

Trying to "eyeball" the shoulders on a hidden tang is a loosing battle..... I know.... I was of the same mindset about a file guide way back when.
Click to expand...

Yup , I’m already on day two, tweeking it here, oh just a little there, wait now what, PERFECT, no now the other side is low. Pretty soon I will have no more Ricasso. I do know also I have to give the hole a tiny rounded edge all the way around so the shoulder doesn’t bind anywhere. I just can’t seem to get a file angled there. Maybe a little dremel tool?
 
There is no hack or easy trick to this.....save one......a carbide faced file guide that's precision ground.

Ed is spot on and gave you the answer.

$120 is a small price to pay for a precision fit. What's your time worth? Is $120 a good price to pay for two days of messing around?

I see only two choices.....get a carbide file guide or don't make hidden tangs.

Some might argue that you could make hidden tangs with a less than optimal guard fit OR spend two days chasing your tail and *MAYBE* getting lucky with a good fit. I personally don't consider either of these viable options.

YMMV
 
Going back to the "flex" thing with files..... Getting/using a file guide with the widest carbide you can find is key..... the wider those surfaces, the less you're able to make the file flex with hand pressure. I have several carbide file guides....and ALWAYS my favorite are those that have 1/2" or wider carbide slips on each side. A couple reasons carbide file guides seem pricey..... 1. Carbide is pricey...period. 2. Once you have the carbide attached, you MUST surface grind it with a machine that will cut carbide....that ain't cheap either. As with many things that are hand/custom made.....you're paying for the precision......and the frustration it will save you. ;)

In the end, I would have to say that there are few things in a knife shop that is a better bargain then a carbide file guide........ lots of uses, only limited by your imagination, and it's hard to put a price on your sanity trying to get good fits, even plunges, etc.
 
I had one of the aluminum ones with the carbide face. I over-tightened it, and it bent. Out $75. I then spent $150 for a steel one with a carbide face from Bruce Bump, and haven't looked back. I can't recommend it more. Money well spent, and worth every cent.
 
Heikki said:
This is the one I've been using. It's aluminum with surface ground carbide strips, $80 shipped. I use it for grinding and filing. Improved my plunges immediately.

View attachment 70480
Click to expand...
Just got this same one a month ago- replaced my shop made plunge guide that just reached the end of its life. It was good, but without the carbide, it had suffered many little nicks and dings.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top