Jigging hitting bolsters

Prefer a slight indentation on the bolsters to having some horrid gap there or a large plateau of jigging ground off. Running Jjgged Bone or Stag into the bolsters is praiseworthy and a skill, if the bolster is somewhat crimped as a result then it's OK and not a fault or a piece of shoddy work, in my book at least.

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Obsessed with Edges said:
There's an old 'How It's Made' video out there, about making pocketknives (linked below). It just happens to feature Case's production process. In part of the video, they show that the jigging done on the handle covers is actually done BEFORE the covers are pinned to the knife, between the bolsters. And later in the video, they show the hafting process where they use high-speed, powered buffing wheels to smooth all the rough edges and blend it all in at the seams. I suspect, in that production example, the indentations in the bolsters at the intersection with deep jigging on the handle slabs are essentially buffed into the bolsters during that hafting process. In other words, it's not the jigging process itself that creates those indentations in the bolster edges.

For a time, I thought it was kind of odd in seeing those indentations in the bolsters meeting the jigging grooves. But in a way, I've grown to like the fact that the two edges are blended together at that transition. I sometimes look at unblended transitions between the bolster and jigging on other knives, and think to myself, I don't like the way that looks, with the abrupt 'cavity' in the jigging just off the crisp edge of the bolster. I realize it's a subjective, preferential thing and not everyone will view it the same way as I do. But the blending between the two doesn't really bother me anymore.

Video from 'How It's Made' is below:
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Makes sense, I think that explains it. I was thinking the scales were jigged before put on the knife, that is why I was kinda confused. I am good with it and don’t really consider it a “defect”
 
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The nickel silver is softer than the slab material. When the slabs and bolsters are polished this will happen anywhere there is a gap with no slab to protect the bolster.
 
Would the depth/style of jigging or and gnarliness of antler be a factor?
 
I personally consider this faulty craftsmanship. To avoid it, you simply stop the jigging before they get to the bolsters. Then the bolster divots will not be created in the final sanding and polishing. It is a detail many folks never notice. But I make stuff, and it bugs me when I see it.
 
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Rhinofly said:
I personally consider this faulty craftsmanship. To avoid it, you simply stop the jigging before they get to the bolsters. Then the bolster divots will not be created in the final sanding and polishing. It is a detail many folks never notice. But I make stuff, and it bugs me when I see it.
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I make stuff myself. And that’s why it doesn’t bother me. You can’t kick everything back or you’d have no product to sell. I’d much rather the blade be centered and have a good snap, than a perfect bolster transition.

I don’t care for panels that are mismatched as to color though. I once had a case mini copperlock with dark green on one side and nearly white with a bid of green on the other. It bugged me until I finally sold it. And now I’ve regretted it for about 8 years.
 
You can't stop the jigging before it gets to the bolsters because the jigging is done before its put on a knife (read previous posts). On top of that a sign of good knife craftsmanship is to have at least some jigging going to the bolster. The more the better. I don't understand how this is even an issue, it's how knives have been made for over a hundred years and it's occurred on buffed bolsters for that long as well, especially on nickel silver. Now all of a sudden folks are finding issues with it and calling it poor craftsmanship when they have no clue as to how knives are constructed to begin with.

Eric
 
ea42 said:
You can't stop the jigging before it gets to the bolsters because the jigging is done before its put on a knife (read previous posts). On top of that a sign of good knife craftsmanship is to have at least some jigging going to the bolster. The more the better. I don't understand how this is even an issue, it's how knives have been made for over a hundred years and it's occurred on buffed bolsters for that long as well, especially on nickel silver. Now all of a sudden folks are finding issues with it and calling it poor craftsmanship when they have no clue as to how knives are constructed to begin with.

Eric
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Slabs are cut to size. Do the jigging after they are cut to size and fit to length on the bolsters. Problem solved. That is unless you are jigging en mass, then cutting to size. But that is a choice in the process.
 
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Rhinofly said:
That is unless you are jigging en mass
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I think that's the key. Unless we are talking custom level knives where each cover may be carefully fitted and jigged, I'm not sure this would be practical.

Given that it hasn't been a problem for many (MANY) years and this continues to happen with even well known brands, I would think there is a good reason the practice is carried on.
 
I’d reckon one of the reasons is putting the new guy on the buffer. An experienced buffer will do it less than the new guy I bet.
 
It seems that NS bolsters, being rather soft are the 'culprit' if there is one.... :rolleyes: No such issues with the all steel knives I have from GEC whose jigging goes into the bolster with no crimping.

Frankly, this is an aesthetic or taste issue not one of quality or incompetence. ea42 ea42 Eric certainly KNOWS what he's talking about- both as collector and cutler, a rare combination.

Thanks, Will
 
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