DeMo 2022 Kith

Here are a few suggestions for bolsters.

1. Flat. If you start with two flat surfaces (knife blank and bolster) it is much easier to get a good solid fit.

2. Alignment. Getting the pin holes to match knife blank and bolster is important. Exact fits are easier to keep straight/flat. Having no wobble in the holes is a wonderful thing.

3. Clean. When working with brass, copper, aluminum, etc. clean is key. It makes it easier to hide the pins after attachment/clean up.

4. Plan. Having a plan and sticking to each step makes for a better outcome.

5. Pins. Your pins should be the same as your bolster if you want them hidden. I am fussy about pins. They have to be clean, right length, and rounded. I think it helps to keep them aligned while smashing them into the bolster material. Start with light taps to set them and then get more aggressive. If you bend the pins before setting it, you have a much higher chance of having offset bolsters. Take your time, get the bolster on straight and solid.
 
One last check before attachment. I think the two sides match up fairly well.

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I appreciate you showing how you do metal bolsters. I want to use stone and lately the wheels have been turning on how I’m going to build and install it between bolsters. But I need to learn how to make pins disappear first. Thanks for the detailed steps.
 
Dennis: Nice WIP, watching close, love the detail! Looking forward to seeing how you do the handle pinning.
 
Dennis I looked back through your WIP. Very nice. I have a question on how you dove tailed the bolsters. Do you have a mill? Or did you do that by hand. Every time I've tried to dove tail a bolster by hand I mess it up. Any insights would be helpful.

And that's great looking knife!
 
Sean Jones said:
Dennis I looked back through your WIP. Very nice. I have a question on how you dove tailed the bolsters. Do you have a mill? Or did you do that by hand. Every time I've tried to dove tail a bolster by hand I mess it up. Any insights would be helpful.

And that's great looking knife!
Click to expand...

I do not have a mill, yet. I use my 2x72 grinder. I have a DD adjustable work rest. Just set it at the angle you desire and cut both the bolster and the handle material before you change the angle.
 
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soundmind said:
I appreciate you showing how you do metal bolsters. I want to use stone and lately the wheels have been turning on how I’m going to build and install it between bolsters. But I need to learn how to make pins disappear first. Thanks for the detailed steps.
Click to expand...

My guess is stone is tough to manipulate into the shape/angle you desire. I have never used stone in any way. Kind of scary thinking about it. I wish you good luck and I would like to see how you overcome that issue. Hint - Do a WIP.
 
Dennis Morland said:
I do not have a mile, yet. I use my 2x72 grinder. I have a DD adjustable work rest. Just set it at the angle you desire and cut both the bolster and the handle material before you change the angle.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the reply. My work reply isn't adjustable. I'll have to look into one of those.
 
Bolsters can be "challenging" (Read in lots of cursing). Everything Dennis said nails it - All surfaces perfectly flat, pin holes aligned, etc.

Getting pins to completely disappear or blend in with the bolsters is the ideal, but it doesn't always happen (more cursing). Brass is generally more forgiving, stainless bolsters can be hard to get to fully disappear. I have a bottle jack press that I use after peening. Puts about 12,000lbs of extra "squish" on those pins and gets rid of all gaps
 
When I stopped last time, I was so disappointed in myself. In my zest to get a good solid connection on the bolster, I warped the back side of each bolster in the dove tail.

Worse Here:

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But here too:

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I can think of three or four fixes.

1. Adjust the front of the scale. IE Sand out a groove where the bulge is located.

2. Flatten the bulge off the dove tail. IE File the bulge off.

3. A combo of 1and2.

4. Tear off the bolster and start over.

I am going to start at 2.
 
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