Thats one of them there corner daggers...

Every time I have tried to straighten, it borked.

Oh well, looks like another one for the personal collection...

Assuming that the heat treat was done correctly, is there any possibility of straightening it by bending it back, or will the blade most likely break? The steel I'm using is 5160 from a leaf spring, in case that helps.

Heat up handle to soften the Expoxy and carefully tear it down. Know it's not what you want to hear but that way you can square up everything 

I was actually wondering if that would be an option. What is the best way to go about that? Would it be to heat up the blade with a torch, so that the heat travels down into the tang and melts the glue, or is there a better method? My concern with a torch would be burning the wood as the tang got hot.

I was actually wondering if that would be an option. What is the best way to go about heating it up? Would it be to heat up the blade with a torch, so that the heat travels down into the tang and melts the glue, or is there a better method? My concern with a torch would be burning the wood as the tang got hot.

It's pretty much make another handle.  I have heard some folks say that putting the whole knife in a 250 degree oven makes the epoxy let go and they can pull the handle off, but there is still the problem of that old glue inside the handle and you have to find a way to clean it out. I have never tried this.

Do you use a mirror to set your guards? It works with all blade shapes. The guard should fit snugly, there should be no movement once it is pressed into place. the handle package should also fit tightly against the guard and should allign with the blade.

Check this thread: Getting Guard On Straight – Tools, Equipment, and Jigs – American Bladesmith Society Forum

Thank you for the information. The blade is not good enough that it is worth making another handle for it, so I'll give up on ever selling the blade and maybe try and adjust it, just for fun. Who knows, I might learn something useful from disassembling it.

Posted by: Joshua C States

↑

Do you use a mirror to set your guards? It works with all blade shapes. The guard should fit snugly, there should be no movement once it is pressed into place. the handle package should also fit tightly against the guard and should allign with the blade.

Check this thread: Getting Guard On Straight – Tools, Equipment, and Jigs – American Bladesmith Society Forum

This is such good information! How have I never heard of this before? Up to this point, I've primarily made full-tang knives, so tips like this are so useful. I think that making half tangs is about to become a lot more enjoyable... 😀 

Something else that will save you this type of heartburn in the future..... first, DO NOT tape up a blade, or otherwise cover it up when you are grinding down a handle.  Why?  Because you need to be LOOKING twice as much as you are grinding. Grind A LITTLE....then LOOK A LOT.  Your eyes will quickly learn what to look for. 😉  

  When grinding not only blades...but handles too, every time you take it off the belt/finish a pass, "Look at it from four directions"..... 1. Spine up...looking tip of blade to end of handle (or tang if you're grinding blade bevels).  2. Edge up, from tip of blade to end of handle (or tang if you're grinding blade bevels).  3. Spine up, from end of handle to tip of blade, and 4. Edge up, from end of handle to tip of blade.    If you pick up anything that looks out of alignment from any TWO of those views....then you can bet it is.  For example....if you're looking at #1 and the handle appears to be leaning left....then you need to take some off the left to center thing back up.  Works the same way for keeping the tip of a blade "centered" as you grind.    

Thank you for the tip, Ed. I've never covered up blades when grinding anyway, but I've never known to check all four directions like that before, so that will be a big help. I really appreciate all the advice here as I venture into the world of hidden tangs. 🙂