Backspine and bolster question

[mt_hangglider]

Hello,

I am currently working on the following folder:

As you can see, it isn't complete by any means but it's starting to take shape. I really like the curly koa and believe it will look very nice when finished. The liners will be also be fileworked and a backspine will be made which will also be fileworked. I also need to do something with the bolsters. As you can see, they are very plain and have a matte bead blasted finish at the moment.

Anyway, I have a couple of questions for the folks here more knowledgeable and experienced than I.
The first is regarding a backspine. I was thinking about making a backspine with an alternative material such as wood, micarta, etc. rather than steel to filework. If I were to go with wood, I understand that it would have to be out of something durable like ebony or ironwood. I have a leftover piece of koa but am not sure it would be durable. I would like to use something that comes close to or at least compliments the wood scales with regards to color. I'm just wondering what your thoughts / experience is on this or should I just fabricate a piece of steel and go with that?

My second question is about the bolsters. What would your suggestions be to finish / embellish? The knife will have a nice damascus blade, fileworked spine and liners, and nicely figured koa wood....then you have these very plain bolsters. Considerations have been heat bluing, having them engraved (which gets ungodly expensive), simply finishing with a brushed finish, polishing, or leaving them as is. What are your thoughts, ideas, or suggestions? I have to do something fairly simple if I do it myself. As you can see, I am still very much a newbie at this, especially when it comes to folders. Thanks in advance for your thoughts, time, suggestions, help!

 

[Frank Niro]

You already have stand offs in ththe back end and a stop pin in the front where the back bar - spacer, - back spine, would go. If you took the stand offs out would there be room for the back spine? I think with ther type of blade you have there would be and you could also make it long enough to take out nthe stop pin. However, why not leave this until you make the next one? It looks fine by the way. Frank

 

[thegeek574]

Personally, I like it the way it is right now. I prefer a clean look over a really overly fileworked knife. however, that is my personal opinion.

 

[fast14riot]

I say leave the bolsters plain. Between the nice activity in the wood, and the patterning in the blade there needs to be some seperation or it will look too busy and overworked. I think if you did a layered spacer with wood and another contrasting material it would keep the soft look while strengthening it as well.


-Xander

 

[mt_hangglider]

Thanks guys! I appreciate your thoughts!

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

You can try and order the spine from knifekits (EV4N1 - If that is where you got the kit?). They have spines for some kits in black micarta and in steel. The bolsters can be polished bright, or checkered, or engraved, or textured with a carbide ball burr. Changing the screws to the gold plated ones will add a lot to the looks, too.