Recommendation? Bolster Orientation Conundrum

[Cushing H.]

Ok ... here I have a question (or poll??) that is strictly of visual nature. Below is a template of a steak knife (thanks to Horsewright!). As you can see - I have drawn several lines on the thing. The two vertical lines are meant to designate the location and orientation of the bolster (1/2 inch wide). The horizontal line is the reference line through the pin holes, designating the center line of the handle. the location lines for the bolster were originally drawn using the perpendicular to the spine at the front of the bolster.


Ok ... here is the thing. Because the spine of the knife is curved through the location of the bolster and the handle, the vertical lines for the bolster are not perpendicular to the reference line that designates the centerline of the handle. Sooooo .... when you put a bolster into that location and orientation (as sort of demonstrated below). the overall visual impression is that it is "canted" to the appearance of the knife, and the scales will definitely appear to be angles a bit to fit cleanly against the bolster......


IF, on the other hand, you orient the bolster so that it is perpendicular to the centerline of the handle, it now appears unduly "canted" (backwards at the top) relative to the blade........


On the third hand .... if you use the original orientation I drew (using the perpendicular to the spine at the front of the bolster .... imagine that you are holding the thing, and the handle is obscured by your hand (kind of simulated in the photo below by a covering of paper), then all appears just fine. No perfect solution..... what does one do in this kind of situation??????? (I am not sure I want to go through the process of curving the front of the bolster ... kind of difficult to get truly symmetrical top to bottom.....)

 

[Jesse Latham]

I am not sure I want to go through the process of curving the front of the bolster

Yeah we know. Do it anyway. You know it's the right thing.

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

You are looking at the bolster as a rectangle … that is why you are confused.

Make the back perpendicular to the handle scales and make the front shaped and angled as needed to look right for the blade. They do not have to be parallel or the same shape.

 

[Cushing H.]

You are looking at the bolster as a rectangle … that is why you are confused.

Make the back perpendicular to the handle scales and make the front shaped and angled as needed to look right for the blade. They do not have to be parallel or the same shape.

Huh. You are right on with that observation. Thanks stacy.

 

[Horsewright]

Might be over thinking the whole deal buddy. While most of the time I'll follow Stacy's idea of keeping the back end perpendicular:

I often don't and they still come out fine:

Working on a set of steak knives just keep em all similar and ya'll be cool.

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

Horsewright is correct, angling the back of the bolster is a very professional look. My point was they don't need to be parallel.