Help advice for bolster repair

Fish30114

Fish30114

Joined
Jan 5, 2014
Messages
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I had an acquaintance give me a knife he would like 'fixed up' it's handle scales are in good shape (stag) but the blade needs a lot of attention and the challenge for me is that the bolsters (metal) have gaps between them and the blade, on the front side. I think that if I was replacing the handle scales, I would try and apply heat to the blade on the back side of the bolsters, and paint some flux along these gaps on the front of the bolster and then let some silver solder melt on the front side-and hopefully fill up the gaps. What I would like advice on, is how can I fill in the gaps when I'm going to leave the handle scales in place??

Thanks for any advice/instructions---Don
 
That won't work.
How are the bolsters attached? Figure that out, and use that method for repair.
 
Put up some picts of those bolster gaps
 
Pics would be helpful, but my answer will probably be the same: I'd probably start by carefully removing the scales, followed by the bolsters and just start from scratch. It'll be important to determine how they are attached. Are they soldered on? Pinned on?
Either way, clean up the tang and flatten the inside of the bolsters. They may be able to be salvaged, or you may want to just make some new. Do a loose fit up and make sure everything will work, and if it looks good, then solder bolsters/reattach scales as normal.
 
Andrew, I'll try and get a pic or two up later--I really don't want to remove the scales--they are very nice stag and I'd hate to bugger them up at all. I'm pretty sure the bolsters were soldered on, I don't know if they were also pinned, I'm looking and don't see a pin outline, but it could definitely be there.






These are two shots that show the bolster gaps pretty well.


Thanks for the input so far folks!
 
Last edited:
Pics don't work.
If you heat the bolsters hot enough to flow solder, you will destroy the scales. And the solder won't flow where you want it to.
Plan B is in order.
 
when I click on the attachment they work fine for me, noted on your thoughts for plan B Bill--Thanks
 
I think you're showing two different knives in those pics?

Either way, I think you may need to remove the scales to properly do this job.
 
The knives look to have been made that way. It will require a complete dis assembly and rebuild to correct it.
My advice is to leave it alone and enjoy the knife.
 
^^^ What Bill said.

In a case like that,
I tell the "acquaintance" that the cost of repair exceeds the value and that I don't want to run the risk of F-ing up the nice vintage stag, so just enjoy them and put any money towards a new knife.
 
AR, you are right, I just had another knife that showed the issue at hand, so wanted to put both pics up to illustrate--
Laurence you are correct--now that I've re-sanded the blade and fixed it's top line, the whole kit doesn't look bad at all--and the stag is still awesome.

Thanks folks---Don
 
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