Tapered
tangs can be terrifying to grind for most new
makers, it's only practice that makes perfect
- well, almost perfect. I can clearly remember
to having to resort to filing them on my first
couple of attempts. The fact is they look and
feel so good (weight wise) on most contemporary
designs that they cannot be ignored.
We start off with a surface ground profiled blank,
drilled for the necessary rivets and thong tube,
followed by a series of larger holes along the
centre line.
You have no doubt marked out the cutting edge
at this stage - so use the same markings at the
end of the tang. |
 |
|
|
The sketch shows a center line drawn along the handle
which angles down towards the end, as the handle
drops (common to most designs).
We start our grind on this section of the tang first.
|
|
 |
|
|
|
Using a 36 grit belt with the back of the knife
supported on the rest, and held at the correct angle
to grind along this center line, grind the tang
down to just short of the scribed lines. I use a
champagne cork to supply pressure to the tang right
over the area I am grinding.
Contact wheel diameter can be anything from 150mm
to 250mm. |
|
 |
|
|
|
This little "gizmo" I like using is made
from any hardened steel with two small steel pins
soldered in place for locating into two corresponding
holes drilled into the rest on each side of the
contact wheel. The top edge should be rounded and
fine sanded and the front should extend just past
the edge of the contact wheel. This can be quickly
repositioned to either side of the contact wheel
and prevents losing the knife between the edge of
the rest and the belt, and reduces the beating that
your fingers normally take. |
|
|
|
|
|
The angled end of the tang now roughly ground on
both sides. If you are unfamiliar with tapered tangs
- take a piece of soft wood, taper it and grind
out the profile of the handle. Study it to familiarize
yourself where the thick and thin sections should
be - they can be confusing. |
|
 |
|
|
|
The handle has now been sprayed with "marking
blue" to hilite the next grind for these pics
only, which comprises the main straight section
of the handle running out at the back of the guard. |
|
 |
|
|
|
| |
