Pinching, chamfering, rounding off tops of bolsters on slipjoints

[Ben Kabisch]

Anyone have any good tips/tricks to doing these on slipjoint knives? this is one area that i feel i need to improve upon. I've been using my grinder wheel and freehanding them in after i have the bolster contoured but that hasn't worked as well as i need it to. I watched Thys Meades' video on youtube and he uses a file on micarta, guessing he does the same on a stainless bolster...but wondering what the different ways you have tried are? anything that's worked particularly well for you? Thanks for any help you can give!

Ben

 

[Hengelo_77]

I chamfer the bolsters before I contoure them.
I use the grinding table tilted and the flat platen

 

[Ben Kabisch]

I chamfer the bolsters before I contoure them.
I use the grinding table tilted and the flat platen

I haven't tried doing it before contouring, so i'll give that a try on my next one and see how it goes! Thanks for the reply!

 

[ashwinearl]

David Kramp showed me a method I haven't been able to try. He suggested putting 60 degree chamfer on sides and front first, then do the bolster rounding.

He says he does the chamfer with disc grinder. I have some pictures.

 

[Ben Kabisch]

David Kramp showed me a method I haven't been able to try. He suggested putting 60 degree chamfer on sides and front first, then do the bolster rounding.

He says he does the chamfer with disc grinder. I have some pictures. View attachment 3095241View attachment 3095242

thanks for the reply! Yeah, that looks like a good idea too! (on a side note, how the heck do you peen a pivot pin inside of the flute?? first time i've ever seen that...)

 

[ashwinearl]

thanks for the reply! Yeah, that looks like a good idea too! (on a side note, how the heck do you peen a pivot pin inside of the flute?? first time i've ever seen that...)

rat tail flutes. I am not sure how he pulled that off so well. Maybe squeezing longish pins in machinist vice, then peening with hammer more, then filing. sanding. I use machinist vice to squeeze my pivot pins first then more with hammer. The Making slipjoints DVD by Craig Brewer that Chris Crawford sells shows how to squeeze pins in vise.

 

[Ben Kabisch]

rat tail flutes. I am not sure how he pulled that off so well. Maybe squeezing longish pins in machinist vice, then peening with hammer more, then filing. sanding. I use machinist vice to squeeze my pivot pins first then more with hammer. The Making slipjoints DVD by Craig Brewer that Chris Crawford sells shows how to squeeze pins in vise.

I always make sure my pivot hole is above the flute if I’m gonna do it… I don’t wanna have to deal with THAT situation!haha yeah, I’ve squeezed pins before w my vice but don’t really do that anymore

 

[David Kramp]

Ben if you ever wanna chat about it send me a Dm on IG.

The pin in the rat tail is not as bad as you think if you plan ahead and use dapping dies to finish the job