I'm doing the same thing on both knives. Handguards on bladed weapons have two functions; to prevent your own grip moving forward onto the blade with injury, and to catch an opponents blade. We are " guarding the hand". Since we are only concerned with the first accident for survival, a lower guard is all that is required. this allows articulating the thumb over the knife for more precision cutting. You will notice many knifes are actually stippled,grooved or scalloped for this grip. Of course, if a raccoon waddles towards you with a bayonet, the upper guard is handy. That is why many are made of brass. The softer metal will catch the opponents steel, allowing a twisting counterthrust to disarm or deflect. <br><br>