Handles with bolsters?

[L6steel]

1. How do you guys get the curve/radius of the edges of the handle material the same as the bolsters? I'e been noticing that on some of mine, if you run your thumb along the rounded edge of the handle and onto the bolster, you can feel the corner of the bolster.


2.Does anyone use a bevel cutter to cut a set bevel on the edges of the bolsters and handles? I've seen knives like this and I don't see how it could be done free hand. I was thinking about buying a 45 degree carbide beveler and usng it in my mill like a pin router.


3. I've seen some knives with curved bolsters, the face, where I just roll the edges. How do you get the entire face of the bolster rounded? If you're not sure what I'm talking about, check out Ron Clark's knife at this link.
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=162412

Thanks for any tips or help you can share with me!!

 

[Eric M Ericson]

wood, metal, leather, bone, antler, butt plate, bolster, guard, I glue/rivit it together and then I mill the handle as one unit. I am a cabinet maker, so I use wood working tools usualy bandsaw first. ThenI hog it off on a large sander to final shape. after that I clean it up with hand tools. sand, oil, buff.

my rough handle looks like a bunch of garbage stuck on a blade. but the fit is always perfect because I cut all the pieces at the same time. It can be a pain holding a finished edge 1/16 inch off a belt sander cutting the bolster to shape.

I'm sure other people will have other ways of getting the same end.


P.S. you were asking about a machine lathe. look for auctions esp at the pensacola naval air station. (you said you are in the panhandle) (SO is my mother in law that's why I live in Viginia):barf:

 

[R.W.Clark]

I think you are talking about the finger groove, Right? If so this is how I do it, if not ignore me.

99% of my finger grooves are cut with a 3/4" small wheel. Once I have attached the bolsters I first go back in and clean up the 3/4" and make sure that everything is smooth and even. Now is the fun part. I switch to a 1" wheel and grind the bolster with the knife at about a 22.5deg angle. I keep going until I almost hit the blade and the tang. Then I switch to a 1 1/4" wheel. This time I hold the knife at at 45deg angle and keep grinding until I get the "look and feel" that I want. So what you have now is a beveled finger groove that has sharp angles or steps in it. I take a 1/2" wheel and slowly knock off the sharp edges and smooth the whole thing out. Then I clamp the blade up in a vise and sand it out with some 220. I cut the 220 into 1" wide strips and wrap it around my finger. Then I use my finger much as you would a file. I keep this going until the whole tapering finger groove is smooth. I then polish it out on the buffer.

Hope this helps. If you need more info let me know and I will try to get some photos to clear up each step.