Blade steel for bolsters?

[Jason Fry]

Is there any reason not to use CM154 or 440C for bolsters on a slipjoint? Is there anything super special about 416 that makes it "better?" I've got some 410 for liners, and plenty of stainless blade stock in 3/16 and 1/8, but only have 1/4" 416. Just pondering using what I have instead of buying more or grinding away 1/2 of my 416.

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

There are different types of stainless. Some is easier to work, some is shinier, others are easier to harden. The martensitic stainless isn't all that rust resistant until hardened. Stainless blade steel should be used for blades.

Mete or Nathan will elaborate with better detail, soon.

 

[Travis Fry]

The pins won't match unless you can come up with some pinstock in 154CM or 440c. Of course, my EDC is a tiny little yellow Camillus with nickel silver bolsters and a brass pivot pin, so maybe it doesn't matter. It would matter to me, though, if I were making it.

 

[james terrio]

Scraps/cut-offs of CPM-154 or 440C should make an excellent bolster, if they're HT'ed appropriately. If they're not HT'ed, they'll eventually corrode. And not in the pretty way that carbon steels develop a patina, but in an ugly, pitted way that no one likes.

Travis raises a good point... different grades of steel will not look the same when hand-sanded/buffed/bead-blasted together. Whether or not that matters is up to you.