Any traditional with bolsters besides Nickel Silver?

brets-ftw

brets-ftw

Joined
Sep 11, 2010
Messages
2,846
A thought occurred to me as I was cleaning my knives, most traditionals I own have nickel silver bolsters or something similar, but are there any production models with other metals as the bolster? I think a mixture of copper and indian stag or brass and bone would be a great combination.

any and all pics are welcome!
 
Here's a couple.I also have a Camillus trapper ill hunt a pic up here in a minute.
002-1.jpg
011.jpg
 
French knives, Chambriard have brushed,matte,stainless bolsters as do most customs. Acid etch on bolsters can make a variation too.

Trevor Ablett, Sheffield ,England uses brass for the bolsters on his knives. I have single blade Barlow from him and it's a knife I've grown to like a lot.
 
I was also curious about this too. Great question. The only ones that I could think of were the easy ones - Buck 110, 112, and 55.
 
ok so brass also seems to be a common bolster material but I think im more fixated on the Copper tone, ive done some acid dyes on mild steel for a gun metal and older copper look but never seen a production with just plain copper. all great lookin knives btw Seals

keep im comin guys!
 
I like copper also.I haven't seen any copper bolsters,but ive used copper spacers and i just finished this knife with copper pins.
IMG_0186.jpg
 
Iron, Brass, Nickle Silver, Stainless Steel, Damascus, Mokume and just about every configuration of metal has been used for bolsters. Sometimes, if you really want to know, you have to search outside of the current production models and delve into the past made production knives and into the custom knives.
Greg
 
Last edited:
mckgreg said:
Iron, Brass, Nickle Silver, Stainless Steel, Damascus, Mokume and just about every configuration of metal has been used for bolsters. Sometimes, if you really want to know, you have to search outside of the current production models and delve into the past made production knives and into the custom knives.
Greg
Click to expand...

well thats why I asked here, im relatively new to knives, especially traditional patterns and companies. just looking for a good lead to follow, and possibly a new dream knife :)

Seals said:
Box Elder,Dyed and stabilized obviously.Steel is from richardj.Its from a John Deere Plow disc! ( : 1075
Click to expand...
Nice! that Cyan/turquoise color was a good choice, as to the steel what all did you do for the HT? im sure itll perform wonderfully
 
I have a propane forge.I ground it hardened as received.Heated it to full orange/near red,and quenched in heated canola.Tempered at 375 for 50 minutes.Richard doesnt recommend this final step,as it loses a point or two in hardness.Piece of cake.( :
 
166850_10150090042506601_600566600_6481526_6746438_n.jpg


I really love metal on metal, but it seems to be rare now! I have the little remington above in my pocket atm, its around 80ish years old.
 
""possibly a new dream knife""
Brets, check out the Old Knives link and poke around the Custom Knives forum as well as this Traditional Forum. You'll eventually find, and most importantly be able to see, what you're looking for. It really isn't something that can be answered in one or two posts. The info is here, you just have to spend a little bit of time and poke around a bit. Folks here will help ya out. Personally speaking, I am fond of the custom Slip Joints with Stainless Steel Bolsters and Liners. But I own several, and I do mean several, nickel silver bolstered production knives from the past and present. Not many of the current production models by various companies due to my appreciation of the older ones.
Greg
 
Last edited:
I always wondered how those old disk blades would work out! :thumbup: Around here they make garden hoe's from a wedge cut from a disk blade with a short pice of chanel iron welded in the middle and a handle attached. Sort of a wide blade on one end and a pick on the other, works great! Nice knife BTW!

Not too sure about slippies, but many of the fixed blades use some kind of peuter and I think some may even be Aluminium alloy.

May be a good place to ask this question. When they say milled liners, does this mean that the bolster and liner are one piece of steel stock with the middle milled out for the scale to fit in?
 
milled liners usually are one piece bolsters, with any needed recesses cut for secondary blades done at that time...once I buy a mill I want to toy around with hardened milled liners, I think hardened carbon would ride nice in the pocket and take on an attractive appearance.
 
mckgreg said:
""possibly a new dream knife""
Brets, check out the Old Knives link and poke around the Custom Knives forum as well as this Traditional Forum. You'll eventually find, and most importantly be able to see, what you're looking for. It really isn't something that can be answered in one or two posts. The info is here, you just have to spend a little bit of time and poke around a bit. Folks here will help ya out. Personally speaking, I am fond of the custom Slip Joints with Stainless Steel Bolsters and Liners. But I own several, and I do mean several, nickel silver bolstered production knives from the past and present. Not many of the current production models by various companies due to my appreciation of the older ones.
Greg
Click to expand...

started checking out the old knives thread . . . on page 16 and counting lol, thanks for the help :)
 
ThundarStick said:
When they say milled liners, does this mean that the bolster and liner are one piece of steel stock with the middle milled out for the scale to fit in?
Click to expand...

When we say milled liners it means the inside of the liner (it could be a shadow with no bolsters) is milled out so
the blade tangs won't rub and get scratched. A milled frame or integral liners, bolsters, usually means the frame
is milled out to accept the handle scales. Yes one and the same piece of steel.
 
Here's a nice backpocket from John Lloyd that has real copper bolsters beside some fine stag.
The liners are stainless. The copper has taken on a deeper brown tone with handling, which I think
really enhances the look. I had never seen copper bolsters before and was really taken with the
match-up with stag.
CMH_9-30-2011_032.jpg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top