Dovetailed bolsters

e_utopia

e_utopia

Joined
Feb 7, 2000
Messages
3,221
What's the rule? Does the bolster overlap the scale, or does the scale overlap the bolster? I'm pretty sure I know the answer, but I want to double-check.

--JB

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e_utopia@hotmail.com
 
Bolsters over handle material.
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The bolsters are usually made of a stronger, less fragile material than the scales, so it makes sense to have the more durable overlap the less durable.

Don
 
It should look something like this:

<A HREF="http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=953840&a=6978796&p=23755978&Sequence=0&res=high" TARGET=_blank>
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Interesting...

I had never given much thought to the term "dovetailed" in relation to knives. From the picture, it seems to mean that the bolster material overlaps the handle material in a miter joint. This is far different from the standard use of the word "dovetail" in relation to woodworking. Has anyone ever seen true dovetail work on any knife, or is it just too damn hard to do with the materials used in knifemaking...?

Michael

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He who has smelt the smoke is never free again...
 
When you see both front and rear bolsters on a knife, and this techniques is applied, you have a true dovetail joint of the scales to the bolsters. Perhaps to be technically correct, we should call the joint on knives with only one bolster, "half-dovetailed."
 
Here's a Dake DA dagger with both front and rear dovetailed bolsters. BTW, this knife is available at KnifeArt.

knifeart_1621_2466125
 
Don and Rick Thanks for the info and the picture!!

I think I understand...

It is still quite different than a dovetail joint used in wood working. It would fit the definition of a dovetail IF the bolsters were integral to the liners. Applying beveled bolsters, over beveled handle material is more like a "ship lapped" joint.... (But still a very nice effect... as seen in the photo posted by Rick.)

Michael

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He who has smelt the smoke is never free again...
 
Rick's photo shows what is known in boat building as a scarf joint. (I built yachts for five years)
The following image shows a dovetail joint. Notice the strength of the join.
repdesk07.jpg

spelling edit

[This message has been edited by Erikfsn (edited 02-20-2001).]
 
This is all semantics. In woodworking, a dove-tail joint is named for the shape of the tenon which flares out like a doves tail.

In knifemaking, what is normally called a dovetail joint is really a lap joint. But if you look at my knife above, you still see the doves tail shape if you consider both sides of the blade.
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This type of joint is more difficult to do well compared to a straight butt joint, especially if the bolsters are curved. It shows more skill on the part of the knifemaker and is aesthetically more appealing than a straight joint.

But from a woodworking perspective, what knifemakers call a dovetail joint is actually a lap joint. So what. Everyone should understand what is meant by the term 'dove-tailed' bolsters, even if it is not technically correct.

Paracelsus
 
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