want to try some file work out on the spine of a blade and like the vine pattern. ok i get how to do the filing part but i not sure how the scales work out with this if its a ful tang knife handle. So lets say i did the file work along the whole top and then attach the scales. do u just let the sides fill in with epoxy or not ?? thats the file question. Now another, knifes with bolsters seem to be a step above what i am making now and am ready to try taking this part of knife making on, but not sure if i understand the books im reading right. One if i do a brass bolster do i need acytelene torch to braze the bolster on ?? and do u finish out the bolster once the scales are on or before that part . Also what type of bolster would be best to start with. thanks all.
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file work on spine, and a bolster ?
- Thread starter Dakota 11
- Start date
- Joined
- Mar 22, 2001
- Messages
- 787
You can color the epoxy and let it fill the filework if you want, or you can clean it out of the filework with a toothpick before it sets. I usually do the latter, but a few customers have requested the former.
I pin bolsters on rather than braze or soldier them. Use pins of the same material as your bolster so they won't show. Drill the holes for the pins with a bit that's just a couple of thousandths over the pin size (I use 1/16" pins and a #52 bit.) Cut the pins so that about 1/16" protrudes from either side of the bolsters and smash them flat with a hammer. After finishing, the pins should be invisible.
You should finish the bolsters after the scales are attached, so they blend smoothly. It's a good idea to rough shape the bolsters to near final size before the scales are attached, however, to avoid heat build up that can damage the scales.
I pin bolsters on rather than braze or soldier them. Use pins of the same material as your bolster so they won't show. Drill the holes for the pins with a bit that's just a couple of thousandths over the pin size (I use 1/16" pins and a #52 bit.) Cut the pins so that about 1/16" protrudes from either side of the bolsters and smash them flat with a hammer. After finishing, the pins should be invisible.
You should finish the bolsters after the scales are attached, so they blend smoothly. It's a good idea to rough shape the bolsters to near final size before the scales are attached, however, to avoid heat build up that can damage the scales.
I use vaseline (petroleum jelly), and just apply it to the grooves and hollows of my filework. Once epoxy has set i just use a toothpick or something similar and just pick out the epoxy.
Becareful not to apply vaseline to the tang, the epoxy will not bond to the steel where there is vaseline.
Becareful not to apply vaseline to the tang, the epoxy will not bond to the steel where there is vaseline.
- Joined
- Jun 16, 2004
- Messages
- 2,466
You could fill the file-work with paraffin or wax, then it will come out pretty clean.
Finish the front of the bolster as close to finished as you can, as sanding on it next to the ricasso afterward is a good way to mess up the blade finish...
Finish the front of the bolster as close to finished as you can, as sanding on it next to the ricasso afterward is a good way to mess up the blade finish...
- Joined
- Jun 25, 2001
- Messages
- 8,474
you can raze the spine out of the Scale to, after all vines are round
pin and solder, I set the pin after the bolsters are almost to size that way you don't cut your exspaned part from the pin undoing what you did..
this is old but it may help??
this one, the file work I wanted filled..
http://www.kynd.com/~graydg/dan.htm
pin and solder, I set the pin after the bolsters are almost to size that way you don't cut your exspaned part from the pin undoing what you did..
this is old but it may help??
this one, the file work I wanted filled..
http://www.kynd.com/~graydg/dan.htm