Bolster steel question

jwesthurl

jwesthurl

Joined
Sep 17, 2013
Messages
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Is there any disadvantage to using low carbon steel (like from a hardware store) for bolsters? What kind of pins would you use with this steel?
Is there any reason to not use knife steel scraps(1095) for bolsters?
Thanks,
Josh
 
When you peen the bolsters in place if you are using 2 different steels you will see the pins. When you use the same steel like 416 stainless for the bolster and pins the pins will dissapear and look like one piece. As far as will dissimilar metals work, sure they will but are not as likely to look as good.
 
jwesthurl said:
Is there any disadvantage to using low carbon steel (like from a hardware store) for bolsters? What kind of pins would you use with this steel?
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It's dead soft and has basically zero corrosion-resistance. Folks who do use mild steel for fittings almost always blue them so they stay looking good, and sometimes case-harden or quench them to make them more scratch resistant.

Always use the same metal for pins as you do for bolsters, or they will look just different enough to "stand out" and look stupid. The exception is if you want the contrast, like copper pins with stainless bolsters or something like that.
 
It would be great if somebody would come out with CM154 pin stock so we could use blade stock scraps for bolster material without the pins showing.
 
Jason Fry said:
It would be great if somebody would come out with CM154 pin stock so we could use blade stock scraps for bolster material without the pins showing.
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Does CPM-154 come in round bar? I wonder if it could be drawn and ground somewhere. I think remember carpenter doing a special size but it wasn't cheap.
 
Remember that stainless steels aren't really stainless until they're heat treated so you'd be trying to peen hard CM154...
 
I'm not sealing the Thread :) but since there are a bunch of folder makers following this I'll ask a question. On a bolster that is rounded and the pins are not dead center- you have to peen hammer them at an angle (sloped part of bolster) and I have found it very difficult. Are there any tricks of the trade on this?
 
I don't use that approach on my folders. They are liner locks so I go the screw way, But I made hundreds of straight knives that I pinned the bolsters on. I did most in 416 SS but I also used as lot of brass. I keep reading on the recommendations on how to do this. First off I pinned my bolsters before shaping them and I still do but have the screws in place.Most say use the round head on a ball peen hammer going from side to side and doing both pins as they went. I cut my pins so they will show about one diameter extra length on each side; I used the flat part of the ball peen hammer. I got a good fit in the holes so unless two different materials were used, the pins would be hidden. If however, I got carried away to the point I was trying to deface the bolsters, they would twist and strange , unpleasant things would happen. Of course, some learning here as in all of our making. Frank
 
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