Guard & Bolster Detail Work
For the areas your belt grinder can't touch.
The junction between blade and guard is where good knives become great ones. A clean, smooth transition from steel to brass (or nickel silver, or stainless) signals craftsmanship. A rough one signals shortcuts.
The challenge is access. These are tight spaces with complex geometry — inside curves, sharp transitions, and surfaces that sit millimeters from your finished blade. A belt grinder will destroy both surfaces. Sandpaper wrapped around a dowel is tedious and imprecise. You need tools shaped to fit the contours.
Cratex cones and points are purpose-built for this. Cones follow concave surfaces naturally — the inside of a finger guard, the curve where a sub-hilt meets the blade. Points let you reach into the tight junction where guard meets ricasso. And because Cratex cuts without gouging, you can polish brass right next to your finished blade without leaving marks on either surface.
Recommended Products
Cratex Cones (Box of 100) — $89.00
The tapered shape follows inside curves and concave surfaces. Choose Fine or Extra Fine for finishing work on guards that are already fitted, or Medium for initial cleanup.
Cratex Mini Point Kit No. 167 — $58.28
Bullet and cylinder points in assorted grits. Use bullet points for getting into the tight radius where guard meets blade. Cylinder points for finishing the flat face of a bolster.
Cratex Mandrels — $8.50
Required for mounting cones and points on your rotary tool.
Pro Tips
- Tape off your blade with painter's tape when finishing the guard area — even Cratex can leave a mark if you slip
- Use Extra Fine cones on brass and nickel silver guards for a near-mirror finish without compound
- For smoothing solder joints between guard and blade, start with Medium and step down
- Dress cones and points against a file to match the exact geometry of your guard design
Working on jewelry? The same detail finishing techniques work on bezels, prongs, and settings. See Detail & Bezel Work →