Any advice on attaching G10 bolsters

[james terrio]

I would prefer them to go the other way too, but I think this would give it more strength as the miter on the scales would help to hold the bolsters down.

Yes, you've got it. It's going to be a fair amount of measuring, but I'm certain it will be sturdy.

[OTK]

When scales fall off, raise, or become loose, what is the failure mode? The adhesive bond and seal fails. This is pretty much the result of a poor bond caused by any number of mistakes. If the bond fails it won't matter if you've used 10 corby bolts or hidden pins or no pins. The scales are trash. If moisture can get under the scales, it will and the knife must be repaired.

I don't say this to discredit any of the ideas here but just to submit that the epoxy bond is the most important thing for a durable handle. Agree?

[jawilder]

I agree to an extent. When using High Carbon steel and/or wood then I completely agree. But I don't know if the epoxy bond is all that crucial if you are using all stainless and synthetics.

Jason

[OTK]

"Stainless" will rust like crazy if water gets trapped under a scale, just sayin.

[watercrawl]

Agree?

Durable is sort of a vague word in this instance, so I'm not quite sure where you're coming from. Durable in what sense? I've seen a lot of old kitchen knives...really old...that didn't use epoxy at all and still looked good from an "attachment" standpoint using just cutlers rivets. The wood scales and tang are often times deteriorated and I believe that's mostly due to getting moisture inbetween them. Epoxy would have solved. In that sense, epoxy does help with the durability of the handle. However, I'd never build a kitchen knife with a full tang without using a bolt/rivet of some kind based on the condition of those old knives. Given the condition of either using only epoxy or bolts, I'd choose bolts every time. Epoxy degrades over time...bolts don't.

[OTK]

Durable in the sense the handle stays in the original condition as far as: scales tight to tang, moisture tight to the extent handle material allows, overall performance and appearance unchanged.

To me, a loose or non sealed scale is a failure and needs repaired. Sure, a bolted or peened on scale will stay connected under more use/abuse, but just staying connected is not enough for an otherwise quality handmade knife. Just my take and please don't take this as saying one should not make every effort to make the knife as robust as possible.

[jawilder]

I don't think anyone is suggesting that we should use bolts/pins only or epoxy only. We are only trying to get the most efficient use out of the methods we have available. Epoxy of some sort should certainly be used. But when attaching the scales/bolster material, I would much rather know for certain that everything will be held together firmly for a lifetime.

Epoxy will certainly fail eventually. But I would rather the knife be sharpened down to a nub long after I'm dead and gone because of use rather than have to rehandle it myself in 20 years due to failed epoxy.

Jason

[watercrawl]

I'm just having conversation between knife nuts guys. I, reasonably, don't disagree with anything said....just having a conversation. Hope it was construed as such.

[OTK]

Absolutely Adam, and same here. I visited your page and am quite impressed with your work and style.

[jawilder]

James, is this what you have in mind? If so, it seems like it would sure work!



Jason

I decided to try this mehod out on a few blades I got from TKS at the knife show in Ft. Worth. No big deal if it didn't work, but I found out that these bolsters aren't going anywhere!

[Remyrw]

Looks good. Did you get as annoyed as I did when you saw how the paring knife is ground where the tang meets the blade? I bought two when I started, I still have one untouched because it's not worth the hassle to fill the gap. The other wasn't as bad, but I didn't think it was worth ordering more. Love my full sized blades though. Same issue, but not as bad and easier to work with, and they cut very nicely for a stainless steel kitchen knife.

[jawilder]

Looks good. Did you get as annoyed as I did when you saw how the paring knife is ground where the tang meets the blade? I bought two when I started, I still have one untouched because it's not worth the hassle to fill the gap. The other wasn't as bad, but I didn't think it was worth ordering more. Love my full sized blades though. Same issue, but not as bad and easier to work with, and they cut very nicely for a stainless steel kitchen knife.

I know exactly what you mean. I had to fill the void with superglue. That is certainly a flaw in design or grind.
Jason

[james terrio]

Lookin' good Jason

Did you use epoxy under the scales? I agree with everyone else that it's important to seal out moisture no matter how snug the bolts are. From time to time I'm asked to make removable scales (bolts only, no epoxy) and it always makes me worry...

[Gody]

Lookin' good Jason

Did you use epoxy under the scales? I agree with everyone else that it's important to seal out moisture no matter how snug the bolts are. From time to time I'm asked to make removable scales (bolts only, no epoxy) and it always makes me worry...

I read an article in Knives Illustrated some years ago about PJ Tomes and his stag handled knives. When it came to fixed blade, full tangs, he would put bees wax on the tangs to prevent rust and rely solely on spun rivets, to hold the stag scales in place. Maybe bees wax would work on a knife with removeable scales?
A little OT but just an idea.

Brian

[james terrio]

Maybe bees wax would work on a knife with removeable scales?
A little OT but just an idea.

I never tried that but it does sound like it's worth a try! Beeswax, RenWax, something along those lines... hmm... Thanks man

[Remyrw]

What happens when the knife spends a day in a hot car? Sounds like a mess waiting to happen in a lot of situations. Do any of the appropriate waxes have higher melting points?

[james terrio]

That's why I thought of Renwax. Turtle Wax? Just thinkin' out loud...

[jawilder]

I use epoxy on all my knives. before I glued these up I test fitted and tried to pull the bolsters off but they wouldn't budge. I like the way they turned out.

[OTK]

Looking very sharp! Great looking handles!

[james terrio]

Rather than derail this thread any further, I started a new one to discuss the remo scales questions.