posted 6 years ago
Keep the blade on the ground, for starters. The cupped belly of the blade will ride the ground, and you can tilt the snath up or down to adjust the height of the edge. You may find that you want the right grip twisted a little (to about 5 o'clock) instead of square to the snath, and this will reduce wrist strain. Instead of relying on glue alone, when you have the settings where you want them, drill a small pilot hole through the shaft and stem and/or grip (any of the junction points) and tap a thin finish nail or piece of steel or brass rod into the hole to pin it in place along with the glue.