pinning bolsters

[John S.]

I need tips on bolsters for full tang knives. I drill my 3/32 holes in the blade & ream them b4 tempering. I always use 2 holes one above the other. I always drill the first bolster perfect. I use double side tape & drill the right side. I run into trouble when i position the left side bolster. First if i use the double side tape its very difficult to line or position the left parallel w/the right one. Secondly when I do get it lined up & drill the hole usually one of the holes turns up or down. In other words when I take it apart one pin lines up & the other pin wont go thru because it didnt pass perfectly thru the hole in the blade & the bolster. I am need to know how to make a jig or some tips on how to line up & drill the left bolster.

thanks in advance.

john s.

 

[Chuck Gedraitis Knives]

John,
The easiest way to get the bolsters lined up is to use a welding clamp instead of the tape. Clamp one side to the tang and and drill the holes. Then clamp on the other bolster ( so both bolsters are on the tang)and drill through the one that you already drilled through, through the tang and through the other bolster. It helps to drill either both the top holes, or the bottom holes in the bolsters, slide a pin through so it lines up perfectly and then drill the other final hole.

hope this helps.
chuck

------------------
A Knife is no more than an Iron Tooth

 

[C L Wilkins]

John,
This is what I do and to be honest with you I don't know if it is right or wrong but it ALWAYS works for me. If someone else does it differently, don't be shy about it. You won't hurt my feelings.

For drilling thru the tang and the bolsters I use a #41 drill bit instead of a 3/32. The #41 bit is .0960 inch and the 3/32 bit is .0937. This is just over 2/1000ths of an inch difference. No reaming is required. This has no effect on peening at all and the pin is "invisible" after peening. Just a hint....

Lets say the holes are already in the tang. I line up one bolster and drill it. Evidently you do not have a problem with that. Place the pins thru the tang and the bolster that you just drilled. Flip the blade over. The bolster that you just drilled is now on top of the blade. Now, take out one of the pins that is in the bolster and tang and drill the hole thru the other bolster. Now, place the pin that you previously removed and put it thru the hole that you just drilled. This pin will go thru both bolsters and the tang. Remove the other pin that is only going thru the first bolster and tang and drill that hole in the second or bottom bolster. Place that pin thru and there you have it. Remember, the drill bit is always passing thru the first bolster then the tang before it is actually drilling a hole thru the second bolster. Whew! It sure is a whole lot easier to show someone than it is to explain it.

Peening. Don't have any mercy on the pins. Hit them as hard as you can without bending them over. I have had better luck doing this than trying to round the tops of the pins by barely tapping them unless that is the effect that you want.
After I knock the "tarnation" out of them the "heads" of the pins are virtually flat. Don't hit the bolster, just the pins. After you do this and grind off the excess, the pins will be invisible. One thing I must mention. The bolsters I use are 303 stainless. I have made them with nickel-silver and brass which are both softer so be a little more careful with those materials.
I prefer stainless hardware because it does not tarnish.

If you are making folders, then it is quite different. Everything mentioned above applies only to fixed blades.

If you have any questions, do not hesitate to ask or to post it on this forum. I have come across some very good information on this site. We have all had problems with one thing or the other at times and it is really nice to have a board like this. There are folks out there that genuinely want to help and I have found that most of the knifemakers that I have come across are really fine folks.

Breaks over, back to the shop....
CLWilkins

 

[J.A.Jones]

John
Here is another one. I use double sided tape. Stick both bolsters together then double sided tape that to the knife. drill the first hole, pin it then drill the second hole. It works for me.

Jones

 

[H.L. Holbrook]

This drove me crazy for years, and still does. But I have had real luck with the following: Use a file guide , such as sold by Riverside Machine. With the bolster holes already drilled in the blade, clamp the guide to the blade side and line it up with the bolster material to where you want the front edge of the bolsters to end up. Use a drop of super glue and place the bolster material tight up against the file guide, you may also use a small knast clamp to hold the bolster(in addition to the super glue) . Drill both holes through the bolster. After drilling leave the bolster glued to the blade. Do the same with the other side. Remove the clamp and tap the bolsters, they should come off fairly easy. The bolsters should line up perfectly with temporary pins to do your final fit-up before finishing and attaching. I also use a #41 drill for 3/32 pins, makes fit-up much easier.
The biggest negative to this is the cost of the file guide around $90.00 bucks I think. But it is very useful for several other knifemaking operations.
If you are by now completly confused by my rambling, let me know and I'll try again. Its much easier to do, then explain how to do . thanks. HLH

 

[tom mayo]

keep it simple...main thing...i do it just like you do but i only use 3/32 drills...dont ream or anything....first i take a piece of 416 and mark it off where im going to cut the bolsters with my bandsaw.. then i use something pointed to scratch a small spot to show me where the first hole goes...wack it with the center punch...drill a hole...then....using a 3/32 416 pin.. i pin the knife to the bolster material (which is still all one piece-anywhere from 6" to one foot long) and put the bolster material on my drill press table....knife on top..hold the knife carefully so its square with the 416...and slowly drill a starter hole thru the knife....then its perfect... finish drilling the hole, with the knife on or off...no matter...do the other side the same way....cut to size....pin the two pieces of 416 together and square off the ends and flatten the bottom ...hope this is clear.....tried to explain it simply... that is the way i do it.....works ever time.... i just read c wilkins post and that is pretty much the way i do it....especially the pound the crap out of it part....i just thought of one other thing....you have to be sure your original hole in the knife is square to the center line of the knife or you will have problems...have you ever checked your drill press table for squareness to your drill chuck...just get a piece of rod about a foot long and bend it niney degrees about 3 inches down and then about six inches from that bend it about 45degrees...put it in your chuck and rotate by hand....

[This message has been edited by tom mayo (edited 11 April 1999).]

[This message has been edited by tom mayo (edited 11 April 1999).]