Damascus bolsters
- Thread starter Kev
- Start date
chrisstaniar
Well-Known Member
Bolsters are gonna be tough with Damascus. Getting the pins to "blend" like you can with brass/ss won't work.
You could do hidden pins. That involves drill holes in the backs of the bolsters, hollowing out an area in the holes, and then using a brass pin that's just a little longer you compress both sides to the blades. The slightly longer pins and the hollowed out area allow the pin to mushroom and create the mechanical bond. You would also use epoxy while pressing.
The site below has a more detailed description of the process. I've done it without threading the tang but it's more difficult as the pins move around.
dcknives.blogspot.com
You could do hidden pins. That involves drill holes in the backs of the bolsters, hollowing out an area in the holes, and then using a brass pin that's just a little longer you compress both sides to the blades. The slightly longer pins and the hollowed out area allow the pin to mushroom and create the mechanical bond. You would also use epoxy while pressing.
The site below has a more detailed description of the process. I've done it without threading the tang but it's more difficult as the pins move around.
Hidden Bolster Pins
One thing that makes great looking bolsters is to have beautifully pressed pins so that one cannot tell if and where the pins are located. T...
dcknives.blogspot.com
Edwardshandmadeknives
Well-Known Member
I did mokume bolsters once using hidden pins years ago. Used super glue to locate them, then drilled through the tang partway into the bolsters. I used a dremel with a little burr cutter to dovetail the holes a bit and put in pins that were a little longer than the hole was deep and pressed it together. It worked pretty good. I remember one guy was spot welding his on years ago, that might be an option.
mike miller
KNIFE MAKER
I’ve done them as described but used small all thread to stick through the holes. A cut off screw works as well.
TimGinMN
Well-Known Member
as mentioned, seems like it would be tough to get something to blend in... Could you do something that contrasts the Damascus? Maybe gold or silver, with a little engraved design? Or through bolt with countersunk head and nut with mother-of-pearl inlay caps? (Just spitballing here...)
52 Ford
Well-Known Member
Sean Jones
Well-Known Member
I haven't used Damascus bolsters, but this is how I do hidden pins for bolster material.
You can also put small pins through your tang that are about 1/16 higher than your tang. Then drill a small matching hole in your bolster material that doesn't go all the way through. Then add epoxy of your choice.
You can also put small pins through your tang that are about 1/16 higher than your tang. Then drill a small matching hole in your bolster material that doesn't go all the way through. Then add epoxy of your choice.
52 Ford
Well-Known Member
Yeah.... forge welding is DEFINITELY the way to go. You get paid by the hour, right?Don Hanson used to use fine gold. That got a bit expensive. Even with peening, he used a particular type of Loctite glue. Of course, you could always gently forge weld them to the blade.
52 Ford
Well-Known Member
There are a TON (literally hundreds) of types of threadlocker and Loctite brand glue. Enough that I'd actually go ahead and call the sales department at Loctite (or Permatex, Vibra-tite, 3M, DuPont, etc) and get their recommendation. Maybe email them, but calling is a better way to go. You could spends A LOT of hours researching threadlocking and bearing retaining compounds, superglue, etc.Don Hanson used to use fine gold. That got a bit expensive. Even with peening, he used a particular type of Loctite glue. Of course, you could always gently forge weld them to the blade.
When you do that what do you use for the female side? I generally use what I would consider thin stock, and even with fine threads I don’t think there would be enough purchase to hold the bolster on?
jmforge
Well-Known Member
How do you think that some of those old line German kitchen knife companies make their 'Integral" stainless kitchen knives? Blade material comes off of a roll. Bolsters are forge welded to the blade stock using induction heat from what I can tell,. There are videos of the process on youtube.Yeah.... forge welding is DEFINITELY the way to go. You get paid by the hour, right?
J. Doyle
Dealer - Purveyor
You could still thread the tang directly. You'd be surprised how few threads it takes to make a really strong connection.
Or you could off set the screws a bit on each side so you get full tang thickness threaded on every screw. I personally would not use this method for looks reasons.
Or you could use a threaded standoff/barrel in your tang and recess it up inside your bolsters also, giving you more total threaded area.
