Bolsters: looks or strength?

ptpalpha

ptpalpha

Joined
Aug 25, 1999
Messages
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I'm curious. Do bolsters add a significant amount of strength to the pivot area, or are they more looks than function? Consider the question when thinking of a knife with titanium liners and carbon fiber scales.
-Paul
 
I think they are definately for looks on fixed blades. ON folders I think it is usually done for strength and not for looks, but I think they really make a knife look nicer.
Kyle
 
Yes, definately on a folder bolsters suppy added strength. You can feel the difference especially if you are doing things that require a bit of lateral force be applied to the blade.

HTH:):D.
 
I think bolsters really only add strength to knives with weak or soft scale material (wood, bone, ect).
I can't see how a nickle-silver bolster will make a titanium/G-10 knife any stronger.

Good luck,
Allen.
 
I agree with Allen. I think bolsters on modern tac folders are just for a hint of nostalgia from the days of slipjoints and such. You never see a Strider folder with bolsters.
 
It depends, if the G-10, CF, etc... is backed up by good thick steel/ti double liners then you should have no troubles. If you have linerless G-10, Zytel, etc... you will expierence some scale flex.

I saw this personally comparing the BenchMade AFCK, with a Spyderco renegade. Fighting Knives magazine wrote a small piece about this awhile back.

:D:).
 
If the handles are made from metal or have strong metal liners then bolsters will not make the pivot area any stronger. If the knife has thin liners or no liners a bolster will definitely help. I have used a lot of knives that could have used bolsters to add torsional strength.
 
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