Yet another bolster question..

[swede2207]

Ok guys noone yell at me..i know youre supposed to shape bolsters before you put them on..but it is difficult for me to shape them, and get the pins peened right. if i leave a curve in the bolster where a pin goes then i have to cant and turn the blade to peen the pins..i have tried leaving them flat but then its too tough to shape it later..What am i missing here? Keep in mind im just a firefighter and big words and long sentences confuse me..If the burst into flames tho i wouldnt have to ask what to do ha ha.

[dhannon]

swede,

I don't shape the bolsters completely before attaching. The bolsters can be shaped to the rough thickness if you want to peen, then do light finishing after peening. As well, the ends need to be finished and square with each other (handle end and blade end). The spine and edge sides I finish with the handle.

Another method is to attach bolsters just like the handle, with pins and epoxy. Peening is like akin to adding suspenders to belts. Both work, one is necessary.

Hope this adds to the list of possibilities...

Dan

[etp777]

Just need to shape the front of the bolstres, as once you put them on, it's tooahrd to shape the front.

[Bruce Bump]

Its like Joel (ept777) says, Shape and finish the bolsters in front because its almost impossible to do that area after they are installed. Same with the ricasso area on the blade.

[rlinger]

As so well stated above, I face up the front and the rear (were the scales or spacers match up to) and leave the rest of it flat until after attaching to tang. Sometimes I will fashion the bolsters before the scales are attached because they are harder than the scales and sanding or grinding where they meet can cause the scales to dip just a little below the bolster surface height. Patience.

RL

[george tichbourne]

I face the front and rear of the bolsters but leave the width oversize and leave the surfaces flat until peening is complete.

With the bolsters pinned and peened I finish and shape them.

On drilling I drill one bolster using the pin holes in the blade as a template, remove the bolster clamp it to the other bolster and drill the second one. With the clamp in place I temporarily pin the bolsters together and finish the front and back faces. Remove temporary pins and flatten the tang side of the bolsters before installation....look for a burr around the pin holes in particular.

[Rick Baum]

Ditto what George said. The only thing that I would add to his explaination is... I chamfer the pin holes at about 15 degrees or so to allow the pins to swell below what will be the finished bloster surface.

Rick