Attaching Damascus bolsters?

[Chuck Gedraitis Knives]

I have a dagger that i'm working on with a full tapered tang. I would like to put damascus bolsters on it. I would like to know if I should etch them first then attach them? or attach them and etch them? Should I attach them with pins? solder? If I use pins then peen and sand down, i'm going to have to etch them while attached to the knife. Is there the possiability of using mosaic pins to attach them if I also use solder? I probally could use screws, but do I thread the tang or di I use long screws and thread into the other bolster?
Thanks for your input.
Chuck

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A Knife is no more than an Iron Tooth

 

[Darrel Ralph]

Fun Huh?
After a few hundred of these bastads I dont etch the bottom to get a good flat surface. As for attaching I use screws . You have to decide the rest . Im sure there are more opinions here.


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[Bruce Evans]

I asked this same Question at Batsons Symposium a couple of years ago.Rob Hudson attaches the guards and bolsters first,so does alex Daniels,Jim Batson,Don Fog among others.Kieth Kilby just pressure fits the guards no solder...When soldering on the guard or bolster DON'T use silver solder because the acid will eat it out,you have to use a lead solder.this means that you have to pin bolsters on,when using pins remember that feric cloride etches brass,nickle silver,copper,etc...Mosaic pins will work just remember that you will lose some material,and if you etch to long you pins will be under your damascus,I suggest steel pins.If you screw them on you drill one side ,thread the other side just like on a folder,This looks funny in my opinion on a fixed blade that is not of the tactical variety.Hope this helps.

 

[T. J.]

Just a suggestion, but

drill holes and temp fit bolster with brass pins and pein to hold tight

grind bolsters to final shape

knock out brass pins

etch the bolsters

sand back nice and flat

grind some texture in the center of the bolster staying away from the edges

use JB weld or metal epoxy of your choice to seal under bolsters

use mosiac pins so they don't look funny cause they aren't etched. Don't pien them, just use coarse sandpaper and a drill to put some rings on the outside so the epoxy has something to grip on the pins too.

hope they come out straight.

Let us know how it works out.

James


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[Jim Beam]

is there any other way to do it that is more subtle, seems like steel or mosaic pins might hurt the "flow" of the knife.
thanks