Brass lining between handle scales and blade's full tang (fix blade)?...

PocketKnifeJimmy

PocketKnifeJimmy

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Aug 4, 2013
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Okay, my question... Some traditional fix blade knives have brass between the steel tang and their handle scales, others do not. Any advantage one way or the other? My Queen fix blade knife does not have this, the wooden scales and nickel silver bolsters/guard being attached directly onto the steel tang. The above pic showing my Utica fixed blade, shows the sandwich of steel, brass, and bone. My guess would be that it would save a few bucks to not have the brass lining... so why would Utica, which are not high cost knives, choose this method. As for aesthetics, I prefer the brass being there... for no reason other than appearance :-)
 
The material between the scales, and the tang is called a liner. There are many different materials used for liners. Brass, Carbon Fiber, G-10, and some will use wood that contrasts the wood used for the scales.

The only purpose is for asthetics. I personally like liners. I think it adds a nice touch
 
Thanks... and yeah, I like the touch of class it adds too :-) Now, appearance being the case... I wonder if there may be the added benefit for a carbon steel blade to be brass lined. Here is my theory.... If the scales are a natural material, like bone, stag, wood, and others, and they are placed in contact with the brass, not the carbon steel tang, then is that not better when one considers that many of these handle materials are pretty apt to absorb moisture. Would it not be better for the scales, which are capable of holding that moisture, to be in contact with a brass liner, and then the brass contacting the steel. Liner = Barrier = Some protection from rust developing on the tang under the scales? Just a theory.... just like there was once a theory that the earth was flat! lol! ;-)
 
I've never given it that much thought. You could have a valid point, but one has to look at the old sheath knives that are say 50+ years old, which had stag or bone scales.
We will never know if those knives have suffered and rusting under the scales, unless someone takes the scales off. There may very well be some, but it would take a lot of years before it became a problem, if it ever did.
 
Brass to steel can actually be prone to corrosion due to galvanic action, so no real benefit having it between natural materials and carbon steel. It does look nice tho.
 
I suspect they solder the NS bolster to the liner before assembly. My guess is that the Queen has no bolster, only full wood slabs. It may complicate things to solder NS to steel.
 
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