Everything on this page has to do with knife guards
Miles of Alaska
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Miles at Miles of Alaska
box 363
Nenana Alaska
99760
1-907-832-5442 miles@milesofalaska.net
If you have arrived at this page and wish to be someplace else on my web site this is the directory of my 27 pages organized to help you find what you want. I have art, my book, raw materials for artists, and advice on how to, and legal animal part stuff etc
In general
My custom knife guards were carved in wax then lost wax cast in metals, usually copper from 1920's water pipes in my village of Nenana Alaska. Also bronze from barge propellers that went up and down the Yukon many years and got worn out. These are low production so unique. I can not cast more then 50 or so before I have to begin and again and make a new wax injection mold. Most guards will be outdoor related, animals birds flowers. Most will be in the $15 each price range but a heavy or complicated design will be more. I can do special custom for you design one of a kind as a possibility and not terribly spendy , especially if the design is one I can work with easily and you want at least half a dozen.
My custom knife guards were carved in wax then lost wax cast in metals, usually copper from 1920's water pipes in my village of Nenana Alaska. Also bronze from barge propellers that went up and down the Yukon many years and got worn out. These are low production so unique. I can not cast more then 50 or so before I have to begin and again and make a new wax injection mold. Most guards will be outdoor related, animals birds flowers. Most will be in the $15 each price range but a heavy or complicated design will be more. I can do special custom for you design one of a kind as a possibility and not terribly spendy , especially if the design is one I can work with easily and you want at least half a dozen.
Bear head guard - bronze back can be cut to adjust for width of blade. Cut for knife blade has been made - but considered rough cast as you will have to make some adjustments for your handle. A KG bhead 611 is the order code if inquiring $15
Above eagle claw guard. Shaped like an eagle talon . Bronze. A KG Etalon 611 is the order code if inquiring $15
I have a lot more designs to add I just never know ahead of time what I will have in stock so listing only the guards for now that I will set aside. But I have a raven, salmon, mammoth feather, shorter whale, and full standing bear. You can inquire. If you want a dozen or more and are willing to wait for me to do the casting I can give a price break- can be different designs for - $120 ($10 each). .
Left rabbit of bronze. Good for kitchen knife like paring or fish knife this is narrow 1 ¼ wide can only be adjusted by half an inch (without cutting into the rabbit). A KG rabbit 611 is the order code if inquiring $15 .
Eagle had with eagle feather nice width easy to adjust for your blade. Simple design makes it easy to adapt with minimal work. A K eaglehead 711 $15
Above-feather of bronze. Light in weight, easy to adapt A KG feath long 711 . $15
Above-Salmon 2 ½ inches long copper from 1920's water piles in Nenana Alaska bronze from old barge propeller off the Yukon River. A little on the heavy weight side so best for big knife like bowie. The mixed metals makes this more unique then the ordinary A KG salmon L 711. $20
Above-Raven of bronze. Almost 2 inches - a 1 ¼ blade slot can only be adjusted another ¼ inch. Good design easy to recognize and one of my most popular. A KG Raven 711
Above-Showing the eagle head and the feather guards and how they can look in a knife
How to fix guard to blade
I have been asked how to fix the guards to the blade. A variety of choices depending on style of blade and shape and fit of guard….One nice way is if the cutting edge had a step before the handle forming a 'notch'. If so the guard can be run up the handle till it stops at the blade. If the handle material is pinned tight against the guard, the guard cannot move. If there are tiny gaps (due to the shape of the guard not being perfectly flat- while handle material is perfectly flat) You can fill in with sanding dust off the handle material and super glue and or sand over the gap after super glue put in and the dust drops in the crack.
This also works on top of the guard if there is a slight gab due to the guard slot not being a perfect fit to the blade width. I do not want water to be able to get down along the guard and reach the hand material. Sometimes I use copper dust or filings with the super glue.
Solder can be best, especially for white bronze. Or if one does not mind if it shows a little with brass or copper. That would be the biggest disadvantage is the solder may show against the copper.
Or more the solder can look like the steel of the blade and blend in…. but it seems better if the filled gap looks like the handle material….
Oh, and sometimes I pin the guard for a really strong fit for heavily used knives. I fix the guard to blade with super glue, set the handle on in the rough and drill through the guard and the blade at the same time (that area of you blade should not be hard as if it is, this is where it may snap when flexed) - small pins of copper or brass wire - Usually two so the guard could not pivot on one pin.
And I'm a bit of a maverick. So far out in left field I feel like I am not even in the same game. Sometimes I want to be more helpful? But I feel like when I speak, there is a dead silence in the room (chuckle) followed by "That's not how it's done" I usually know then, I am on the right track. It's the best way to make a knife like no one ever saw before. Which leads to no one else could do it, which leads to, I want it. So the theory goes.
I have been asked how to fix the guards to the blade. A variety of choices depending on style of blade and shape and fit of guard….One nice way is if the cutting edge had a step before the handle forming a 'notch'. If so the guard can be run up the handle till it stops at the blade. If the handle material is pinned tight against the guard, the guard cannot move. If there are tiny gaps (due to the shape of the guard not being perfectly flat- while handle material is perfectly flat) You can fill in with sanding dust off the handle material and super glue and or sand over the gap after super glue put in and the dust drops in the crack.
This also works on top of the guard if there is a slight gab due to the guard slot not being a perfect fit to the blade width. I do not want water to be able to get down along the guard and reach the hand material. Sometimes I use copper dust or filings with the super glue.
Solder can be best, especially for white bronze. Or if one does not mind if it shows a little with brass or copper. That would be the biggest disadvantage is the solder may show against the copper.
Or more the solder can look like the steel of the blade and blend in…. but it seems better if the filled gap looks like the handle material….
Oh, and sometimes I pin the guard for a really strong fit for heavily used knives. I fix the guard to blade with super glue, set the handle on in the rough and drill through the guard and the blade at the same time (that area of you blade should not be hard as if it is, this is where it may snap when flexed) - small pins of copper or brass wire - Usually two so the guard could not pivot on one pin.
And I'm a bit of a maverick. So far out in left field I feel like I am not even in the same game. Sometimes I want to be more helpful? But I feel like when I speak, there is a dead silence in the room (chuckle) followed by "That's not how it's done" I usually know then, I am on the right track. It's the best way to make a knife like no one ever saw before. Which leads to no one else could do it, which leads to, I want it. So the theory goes.
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