I received this inquiry about making the lugged guard of a Loveless-style Big Bear Fighter, from friend/knifemaker Gary Martindale and think that maybe it might be of interest to some:
Question: Steve just wondering if you could tell me how to curve and mill guard for a Big Bear-type knife? I'm having a little trouble understanding that process, angle degree, ect.
Answer: First off: Make the over-all length of the guard 3 1/2" if you are using the standard Loveless Big Bear pattern and the bar is 5/8" wide and 3/8" thick. For the "curve" and lugs, I make a straight cut with an end mill from about 1/8" beyond the bottom and top of the blade. I make the lugs, or steps on the end of the guard stick out about .100" The lugs are approximately 1/2" -5/8" wide from the cut to the tip of the guard. So, if you will look here:
http://www.srjknives.com/fighters.htm you will see that the "curve" is not really a curve, but a straight shot to the lug. Look closely and you will see a "break" below and above the rounded part of the blade/ricasso on the first three knives on this page. The face of the lug matches the angle fo the "curve" of the face of the guard extensions. The front fo the guard is also flat, not curved. Cut with a 1/2" round file the curve of the back of the guard and then use a 1/2-round to gently curve the back, trying to match, in general, the front "curve" in appearance. Ask more, if you do ont understand. Or if I did not answer teh right question, OK?
Response: Thank you very much for the info I that see they are just flat angles on the front I think maybe I can make a jig when i figure the degree of angle? Looking at your knife close up says a lot.
Ans: The angle is decided by the distance out from the top and bottom of the blade and the depth of the step for the lug and the distance the lug is from the blade. I typically make the top quillion a bit shorter than the bottom one, to the angle will be slightly different from the bottom one, if that makes sense.
Resp: That makes it very clear now. Angle is determined by lenth of guard and lug depth and if the top quillion is shorter than the bottom then the angle will be slightly different. I will practice this first but from the info. you gave me i will be able to make this work now that its clear in my mind
Ans: The face of the lugged guard must be sanded and polished flat prior to installing, or shaping the guard. To do this, glue your 100x, then 400x, then 600x onto the face and around the sharp corner of a bar of steel with disc adhesive and polish the face and the corner at the step of the lug by pushing the guard back and forth and up and down (horiz. and vertically) on the guard face so that it is able to be buffed and polished prior to shaping the profile of the guard. Otherwise, you'll get a rounded, non-flat face and never get that corner cleaned and polished either. Maybe not even if you do do this, it takes time! If that makes sense. I can take a photo next time I do one, which will be for the Guild show.
I hope, if anyone out there has a better/faster/easier way to do this that you will let us know!