New question about finishing Nickel/Silver

C Craft

Well-Known Member
New question(s) about the use of Nickel/Silver

This thread is about the same knife I was talking about in my previous thread about finishing Nickle/Silver. On this particular knife in the picture below there will pins in the N/S bolsters and pommel of this knife and they will be peened . When they are installed. (Sorry about the lousy pic!)
knifebolsterpommel003.jpg


knifebolsterpommel007.jpg


I kind of had in mind to epoxy them before peening!

Is that the best way or should I plan on soldering them? Something I just read in another thread made me question if I should be soldering them.

My thoughts are that the angled edges of the bolster and pommel to the jigged camel bone, won't allow for sliding the camel bone in afterwards. So I feel like I am not going to be able to solder because of the heat factor against the camel bone handles.

Therefore epoxy would be the logical choice to use when attaching the bolsters and pommels. Does that sound right to the rest of you? This is a new process for me but I felt like it was something I wanted to try and achive. Now I have questions as too if I am heading in the right direction!
 
Last edited:
Since no one has responded to the first question I have another.
As Forst Gump said, "Mama always says stupid is, as stupid does"!

I was in a hurry the other day and I know that is NO EXCUSE FOR STUPID but, when I was grinding down that Nickel/Silver I did it with out a resperatior or even so much as a dust mask.
I am now paying for STUPID! My sinuses are all screwed and my chest even feels tight this morning. Has anyone else had problems breathing the dust from N/S!
 
Basically I only use the epoxy to hold things in place while I'm fitting the bolsters. Drill the holes in the tang for the pins then glue the bolster and pommel blanks to one side. When the glue cures, drill the holes through the bolster and pommel then glue the other set on. Drill the holes through after the glue on the second set has cured. After that I bevel the openings to the pin holes with the end of a slightly large drill, I go 1/16" up, and pean the ends over. If you use sort of a glancing blow on the ends of the pins it will cause the pins to spread out into the bevels of the holes. This will give a better mechanical hold and the pins will be less noticable when you finish the piece.

As far as the respirator goes, I keep mine hanging on the grinder to remind me to put the thing on. Safety equiptment only works if you use it but don't beat yourself up about it, just learn from it. I had a close call the other day because I didn't want to stop and get my safety glasses when I cut a hole in the back of my heat treating forge to make a pass through port. It was a small job and I figured that my regular glasses were good enough. When I felt a spark land right by the corner of my eye I turned off the Dremel and went and got my safety glasses before I ended up down in the ER. It's those quick little jobs that make us think we can get by and it's that thinking that gets us hurt, like a guy I met who only had one cut to make on his table saw and didn't want to take the time to lower the blade height for it and ended up having to go to a hand surgeon. Safety first, last, and always.

Doug
 
Back
Top