Let's talk about nickel silver..

J S Machine

J S Machine

Well-Known Member
I'm fixing to get into making alot more knives. I'm trying to figure out exactly what steels and metals are good for what, and how their applications vary. The next knife I do will be a slip joint folder. I picked up some nickel silver plate, rod and tubeing so that I would have some to work with.


Looking in to it a little and talking with another member here, I understand that nickel silver may not be the best choice for durability or an EDC. I had always remembered seeing the term "nickel silver bolsters", so I assumed that this was the most commonly used metal for this application. I see alot of other metals and damascus being used as well for bolsters.

What is your opinion of nickel silver?
 
It is a bit harder and a bit tougher than brass, but it makes fine bolsters. It has a long history as furniture for knives, going back to around the 1830's. You do need to research for the best grade that will not yellow easily. I would not use any under 18% nickel, but there are ever better grades available. I don't know what EDC even means, so to use it would have to be your call.
 
LRB said:
It is a bit harder and a bit tougher than brass, but it makes fine bolsters. It has a long history as furniture for knives, going back to around the 1830's. You do need to research for the best grade that will not yellow easily. I would not use any under 18% nickel, but there are ever better grades available. I don't know what EDC even means, so to use it would have to be your call.
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Every Day Carry.
 
Wick,

Thanks for mentioning "grades" of nickel silver. I've used some 18% from sheffields and noticed the yellow tinge until getting it polished bright.

I'm assuming if left to oxidize the yellow-ness will return ????

Just curious but thanks for the info

-Josh
 
I have used nickel silver a few times and my biggeest problem with it was how easily it scratched. It polishes well and work easily but will show every little scratch from use or just being in your pocket. For an EDC you may want to look at a harder bolster material like 416 SS.
Steve
 
I've spent many hours looking for NS with a + 18% nickel content with no luck. Most say 18% or a range of say 17% to 19 %

Older " German Silver" had about 21% ( correct me if I'm wrong) and was I think not so yellow.

As Steve said soft and scratches very easily, a bummer when it's nice and bright then dulls out from just handling, not even in the pocket.
 
I'm with Steve on that one... I think it looks great, but it'll scratch if you look at it funny. I've been using a little here and there to try and deplete the bit of remaining NS i have around, but for the most part, I'll use stainless unless NS or brass is requested. Brass and NS are a lot easier to work with hand tools, but the extra initial effort working with SS is worth it in my opnion. The only other drawback with stainless is that it doesn't have the "warmth" that NS and brass do.... my two cents
 
Just for the sake of clarity... N/S (AKA German Silver) actually IS a type of brass, being a mainly-copper alloy with zinc. There's no silver in it, just nickel. It was developed as a lower-cost alternative to true silver.

I happen to like the way N/S patina's and builds "character". But I think I'm in the minority. To be fair, I must say it doesn't scratch, pit or tarnish nearly as easily as "regular" brass, and I've yet to see a piece turn that horrid green that brass can. I think it's fantastic on semi-fancy user knives that are meant to look a little worn-in.

I've often heard that most collectors shy away from anything with N/S on it, probably for the same reasons you gentlemen explained.

Having said all that, I really dislike brass (even when it's brand new) and I only use N/S for my own stuff or by request (which hasn't happened yet). Mild steel and wrought iron can make really good-looking guards but I always worry about them rusting, even when blued. Stainless is pretty much the way to go.
 
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It is not that it really scratches easily, as much as it shows scratches and imperfections in the finish due to it's color. German silver is most often a lower grade of NS, having around 12% nickel. It will even have a very slight yellow when well polished, and gets nasty looking when it tarnishes. There are grades higher than 18%, but you would have to do a search to find them.
 
Any N/S I use does not have nickel in it. Its zinc and copper. Thank god, I would hate to have to engrave nickel.
chad
 
it's gummy to drill and will often enough climb the drill bit to make you say things. it's hard to find pin stock that matches so when you pin it, you *may* have different color pins showing. The work around for this is to turn your own pins from the same material. It does have it's own look and some old school guys prefer it. I guess I never had the "good stuff" as every bolster I made with it tarnished in just a month or two. I made a few of my first knives with it and switched to 416ss and never looked back.
 
I made this with NS liners. The handle being green canvas with an acid etched D2 tang made for a good contrast. The blade and tang was etched after grinding and polishing. The NS turned a light white color that polished off with 0000 steel wool, but did not affect the etch. Had I used SS liners, I could not have got the etch to look right because SS will etch also to some degree and then I could not have polished out the etch on the liners. It sold quickly at the Blade Show so some still like it.

3-31-10acgr3-600.jpg
 
BossDog said:
it's gummy to drill and will often enough climb the drill bit to make you say things. it's hard to find pin stock that matches so when you pin it, you *may* have different color pins showing. The work around for this is to turn your own pins from the same material. It does have it's own look and some old school guys prefer it. I guess I never had the "good stuff" as every bolster I made with it tarnished in just a month or two. I made a few of my first knives with it and switched to 416ss and never looked back.
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Boss,
i have a bar of 310ss, how do you think that will work for a guard?

UncleBilly
 
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