Anyone ever make a jig for sculpted bolster's

Bama

Bama

Joined
May 1, 2009
Messages
450
I mean the end that meets the handle being rounded or curved so you can match the handle material easily?
pics would be nice
 
That would never work for me since I do variety in my folders. Here is how I manage to get by. I cut the bolsters a bit oversize in length. If the material is Damascus, I go for a pattern match on each side.These pieces should be very flat on the side going to the liners and will not require further finishing. The up sides should be near parallel to those sides but can remain even with a very rough finish. I now underlay these on the liners, and drill the usual tapping size screw holes through these pieces. I now take one of these bolsters in progress and draw out the curve I want on it. I rough cut this out with a 60grit belt drifted over the edge of my grinding table that is permanently fixed at 90 degrees to the platen. I now place this bolster up side down on the other and place to pins the same size as the holes drilled and get it very close to the first with that same 60 grit belt. For me this gets me very close to being well along the way. I now go to a router mounted in a table for a router that has a slow down control on it. The 1/4" collet it came with allows me to place a drum sander in the router of the size that will work for this particular job. I first go with a coarse drum and then a fine. Both bolsters were together for this too. I now take them apart and make a couple of soft passes around each with their liner contact side down just to ensure a 90 degree angle. Now the clearance holes for the screws is done and the holes are tapped to hold it on. They are attatched and shaped down to 120. Some long screws are used with some washers under the front screw so the the scale can be placed under the back end of the bolster. The scales are fitted to be flat on the bottom. This also means their thickness has to be decided now or any good looking character in the tops will later be destroyed . The crews can now be tightened down and with the addition of a clamp on the back end the outline of the back of the bolster is made with a scribe. I remove some of the material that has to go with My belt grinder and then come back to the router and in some cases even a hand file. You can check the surface contact by placing some lamp black made with some fine charcoal dust and oil, on the end of the bolster and moving the scale up against it in the same position each time with the aid of some marked in guild lines. If you can see 90% or more contact unless it is at the top or bottom where absolute fit is needed, it should make for a good looking fit. I don't do pictures but you can see some of my work by going to the Custom Knife Gallery.com
Perhaps since I've never heard of a jig to do this you might try this method that is commonly used. Frank
 
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Frank after all the years on here I don't think I have seen your knives until just now and they are awesome I didn't see one I didn't like I love the carved handles.
Anthony
 
Anthony, thank you, for that. One of the other things I like doing besides making the liner lock folders is helping people. If I can ever help directly, please contact me. Frank
 
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