Bolster/guard/spacer materials

[Jrmysell]

What are everybody's pros and cons of the different bolster materials? Like easy of machining, shaping, polishing, corrosion resistant, patina, etc...

I'm thinking stainless (416 looks to be the consensus go to from what I've read), brass, copper, nickle silver, or bronze (again 655/silicon as the go to).

And any pictures of them would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Alfazulu]

I recently made the knife below (my first knife with a bolster) using 416 stainless for the bolster and pins. It worked out great. Polished up nicely, wasn't too bad to grind and shape. The only thing I really screwed up was allowing some epoxy to get on the pins/in the pin holes. Consequently, if you look close, you can see a ring around the pins. Most people don't notice it, but I do. I also didn't squeeze the bolsters down tight enough, so there is a visible line of epoxy between them and the blade on the spine.

 

[Josh Rider]

I had a similar problem with my pins on my first bolster. As far as the visible epoxy on the spine, I hollowed the inside of my bolsters a small bit so it was easier to get the edges really flat. You might give that a try.

 

[LARRYZ10]

I use a lot of nickel silver for bolsters and guards because I like the hue it gets when aged...like 1920s motorcycles before chrome plating. I use a glove and hold my bolsters against a disc sander at 400 grit to get them perfectly flat before pinning them on. I also surface grind the ricasso of my blade and finish both sides on the disc sander before installing the bolsters. I fit them so tight that they require no solder ...a film of clear epoxy seals the underside. I don't worry much about water because I use stainless blades in the first place. Larry

 

[Alfazulu]

I had a similar problem with my pins on my first bolster. As far as the visible epoxy on the spine, I hollowed the inside of my bolsters a small bit so it was easier to get the edges really flat. You might give that a try.

Amazing ideas like that are why this is such an amazing place. Thanks!

 

[Josh Rider]

Or do whatever Larry does. He has done way more than I ever will and his knives look fantastic.

 

[Willie71]

Brass and copper are a bit out of style now. Copper is used on a few kitchen knives though. There's nothing wrong with those materials, and they are easy to work, but they are used on a lot of eBay junk knives driving the desirability down. Stainless, nickel silver, g-10, and Damascus are commonly used.