Cause For Color Difference?

[DanF]

Pins don’t match the bolsters, same reputable supplier, same materials (SS 416).
Any ideas?

 

[DevinT]

If the pins have a yellow hue to them, they are 302 or similar 18-8 austenitic stainless.

Hoss

 

[DanF]

Crap!
Thanks Hoss

 

[Horsewright]

And now you know the why, behind the pins in my bolsters:

 

[DanF]

Buying both bolsters and pins from the same reputable source evidently isn’t a sure fire path to success, smh.

 

[Horsewright]

Nope!

 

[fitzo]

Is that pinstock magnetic?

 

[DanF]

Not that I am aware of but will check it tomorrow.

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

I often deliberately use contrasting pins to make it a feature. Sometimes mosaic like Dave, and sometimes a contrasting color like Bronze or Brass.

 

[weo]

I often deliberately use contrasting pins to make it a feature. Sometimes mosaic like Dave, and sometimes a contrasting color like Bronze or Brass.

And that, novice makers, is how a craftsman successfully covers up a mishap...simply call it a feature.

 

[DanF]

Is that pinstock magnetic?

Yes, it is

 

[ea42]

I actually thought you might have put nickel silver in there. Never knew those two steels had such a color difference.

Eric

 

[Horsewright]

I often deliberately use contrasting pins to make it a feature. Sometimes mosaic like Dave, and sometimes a contrasting color like Bronze or Brass.

I use to do that too at first, when I was transitioning to using a contrasting pin instead of trying to match. But the problem with me was that I was working on so many different knives at the same time, (batches of 60 to 90 in those days) that it was crazy hard to keep track of what went where. So I made an executive decision, THEY All get mosaic pins. Sometimes a guys just got to simplify. That way I couldn't screw it up and put the wrong pins in the wrong bolster.

 

[Alex Topfer]

Buying both bolsters and pins from the same reputable source evidently isn’t a sure fire path to success, smh.

Even places that try can have inventory mix-ups. Especially with lots of similar looking stuff and poor warehouse lighting