bolsters, we don't need no stinkin bolsters!

[wudnme]

Here are some little knives which I thought were unusual in that they have no bolsters. I have not carried these because they look like they wouldn't be as durable as one with bolsters. I think I have a mini copperhead located and bought also. Was this popular with any other brands or is it just something case tried one time? I would love to see some photos. sorry for the bad picture. I'll try to get a better one.

 

[jackknife]

Nice looking little knives. Go ahead and enjoy carrying and using them. Under normal pocket knife use I don't think it makes a difference if they have bolsters or not. If they have been well made they should be just fine. The Case sodbuster is a bolsterless design, and its a very rugged work knife, not to mention some of those 100 year old little pocket knives that smiling-knife likes to post. Some of those are bolsterless stag.

 

[smiling-knife]

You have some nice knives there wudnme. I agree with the title of your post and with jackknife's advice. Smaller knives without bolsters seem to be more of the norm in my collection. Maybe I just subconsciously preferred the style. Most seem to have survived the years quite well, even those with more delicate mother of pearl handles. Maybe they weren't kept in a pocket with coins, keys etc that might have damaged them but they have been used.

 

[Amos Iron Wolf]

Okay, I just posted this in another thread, but here's a pic of my only bolsterless knife, not including the soddies.

 

[KnifeHead]

Contrary to popular belief, the bolsterless or shadow pattern knives are quite strong. The shadow pattern is actually stronger than a knife with a bolster and obviously lighter.

 

[smiling-knife]

Here is one I use all the time. An old Wostenholm gardening knife. Still very solid.

 

[Carl64]

I generally like bolsters, but there seems to be an irrational demand for bolsters on every single knife. It seems like lower-weight non-bolster knives would be a very reasonable option for normal use, although slipjoints aren't commonly bought for pure practical use any more.

The famous Sodbuster has partial bolster-like discs (do those things have a proper name?), and that thing is solid as a rock. It also looks a lot cleaner than a simple mashed pin, although sometimes I like that too.

I would like to see some G10 models without bolsters. Maybe a muskrat with orange slabs and sodbuster-type joints.