Not 100% complete, but close enough for a picture. I didn't think to take pictures of the process, though.
The handle is Walnut:
1. I got two knife scales and sanded the inner sides smooth so they would perfectly press together for the next step.
2. I clamped the two scales tightly together and used my drill press to drill the channel for the blade tang (I think it was 1/4 inch). I offset the hole so the blade would be inline with the spine of the handle. I did have to use the sanding wheel on my Dremel at the mouth to account for the wider part where the blade meets the tang (A drill would have been better, but I didn't have one big enough).
3. Mark and drill the side holes for cutlery rivets (And countersink). Sadly, the existing hole in the tang is bigger than the rivets, causing the blade to rotate in the channel. The solution: Make shims. Since the tang isn't perfectly round, but flat on either side, I made shims out of 1/4 inch wood dowels (Alot of sanding and test fitting to get the right thickness. Hooray for belt sanders!) Glue them in with wood glue, and you're good to go.
4. Once satisfied that the fit is just right, glue the scales together and tightly clamp overnight. Also good to keep the tang in the channel at first to ensure everything is lined up just right.
5. Shaped the handle with the belt sander (The curved end was perfect for shaping the finger grooves). I used a 120 grit belt for the initial shaping, followed by a 600 grit belt for fine tuning and smoothing. After that, I hand polished with microfiber pads of multiple grits. I think I stopped after 24,000.
6. Time for the finish. I simply rubbed in Tung oil. I used Hope's, since it doesn't leave a sticky residue as it dries. I plan on doing more treatments over time, to build up the finish within the grain.
The Guard (In this case, a Half-guard)
1. Simply, it is from the strips of steel you can find in Lowes or Home Depot, alongside the steel rods and L-brackets.
2. Cut to length with a hacksaw, or actually a little longer, in case you mess something up.
3. Mark and CAREFULLY (i.e.:
PROPERLY) drill with a drill press. Two holes you'll need. One that the widest part of the tang will fit in and a smaller one for a mounting screw. As you recall, I didn't have a big enough drill bit for the widest part of the tang, so it's back to the Dremel with a grinding wheel.
4. Grinding..... Grinding..... Sweating bullets in the 90+ degree weather..... Test fit, and repeat until done.
Aw crap, there's a tick crawling on my leg!5. Shape and size the piece. I used a 36 grit zirconia belt. Use gloves, as it's going to get HOT! After shaping and sizing, sand the flat surfaces. This will get rid of the burrs from drilling and removing the oxidation present. You want it nice and shiny for later.
6. I also went up to some finer grit belts to better smooth the shape and surfaces. I went as high as my 600 belt.
7. Once you're satisfied that the piece properly fits and is well shaped to the handle, you can take a moment to mark and drill the pilot hole in the handle for the mounting screw. -You're not done yet, though.
8. Time to give the guard a finish. I first de-greased with ordinary dish cleaner, rinsed, dried, and dropped it into a jar filled with ordinary white vinegar overnight.
9. Rinse off the vinegar and dry.
10. Put into a container (Old coffee tin with lid), filled about 1/3 full of rocks and a little veggie oil, and shake for about an hour (Doesn't have to be continuous).
Repeat steps 8 through 10 until you get the desired finish.
11. Mount the guard to the handle.
That's pretty much where I am, right now. Before I complete the assembly, with the rivets, I first want to finish sharpening the blade.
I've also seen some of the spike-type bayonets on Amazon. I might do this again with one of those.
