groves in bolsters

[cbr900son]

Ive seen a few knives with a groove in either the bolster itself or a spacer under a finger gaurd etc and wonder how do they get that so nice and clean and some of them have a darkened color and wondering if its just the light or what.

Here is a example i found.

http://www.samuel-lurquin.com/hunters/26.htm

 

[SBuzek]

Welcome to BladeForums.
Jewelers saw,file,and sandpaper.Thats the short answer,You can cut two lines around the spacer then file out between the lines and sand smooth.
Stan

 

[Don Hanson III]

I use files.

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

Often by hand as said.
In some cases, there are three or more parts stacked together to make the bolster. Each is shaped ,often with fancy filework or knurling, ...then the stack is assembled on the tang. Done well it looks like the fancy work was engraved/cut/filed in a solid bolster.