Hello Devan. Good choice on the steel. There is no requirement for a guard on your JS performance test knife. You can do a hidden tang with guard if you want, but it is not required. A number of performance JS knives are full tang with handle slabs. If you did want to put a guard on, the size of your guard stock would depend on the type of guard you want to do.

Brion

Brion, thank you for your reply. I am wanting to forge a camp style knife for my test knife and most of the camp knives I have seen did not have a guard.

I am wanting to forge a camp style knife for my test knife and most of the camp knives I have seen did not have a guard.

I certainly am not being obtuse, but rather then make a decision to create a given "style" of knife for the performance test, you need to consider what the knife will be required to do, and build a knife to meet those criteria. All too often I have individuals come to my shop for their JS test, and it's obvious that they have not thought things through when creating a test knife... just because you "can" product/use a hidden tang for the JS test, the question is.....SHOULD you? What I mean by that is that IF you don't consider the criteria the knife must meet (as in the tasks it must successfully perform), it may not end well. Many of those have show up for JS testing with a hidden tang have regretted it in the form of a failure.

My recommendation would be to evaluate each requirement for the JS performance test, and build those characteristics into your test knife, that will offer you the best chances for success. Think about design, thing about geometry, think about handle material that will lend the most advantages.....etc. In this case, at the JS level, a full tang will typically give you a much higher chance of success, versus a hidden tang.

In the end, it's up to you, but be cautious about letting ego creep in when it comes to creating a blade for JS testing..... if you don't think it through, it can easily end in waiting 6 months to try again. <img src=' http://www.americanbladesmith.com/ipboard/public/style_emoticons//wink.gi f' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=';)' />

Ed, I never even thought to look at it that way, thank you and Brion very much for the help! I have the notes from your web site on creating a journeyman smith test blade. It is actually what drove my steel choice. I have spent a lot of time on your website and you certainly create beautiful works! I will be sure to take my time and think through this process. my goal for now is to simply concentrate on producing blades to those standards consistently. I appreciate all of the effort you, Brion and everyone else here with the ABS puts into the members. It truly is the greatest knife community in the world!