Shaping bolster on folder

T

Taximanny

Joined
Jul 27, 2015
Messages
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Been racking my brain on how to do this...
I thought this would be simple..
I can't get the front of my bolster to look like this.
Because this is my first I'm hand filing everything and staying away from the grinder.

I can't seem to get a nice round nose with a even flat line.
Is there a trick to this.
 
Ok
That does help...
I thought there was some technique for this.

At least I know I'm doing it right. Lol
Just more practice.
 
Practicing this will help you so much when it comes to fine detail grinding. I'm sure you could rig a jig to do this, but you'd be robbing yourself the training of a fine motor skill that comes in handy always when making fine pocket knives. People always comment on my dovetailed bolsters. I do use an angle plate with the grinder to grind the dovetails on the bolsters themselves to make sure they're the same angle, when doing non-integral, but I grind the handle material to match free hand.

It only takes screwing up a set of exhibition grade blue mammoth ivory once to never make the same mistake again trust me. ;) Cutting dovetails is easy now.
 
I do those round nose's bevels with a wheel. Starting in the center and rolling to the points. For a round bevel start faceting and then blend
I find it easier using the wheel because sight clearance is better than with the flat platen.
Doing them with files could be done, i use the files a lot, but for this i find it easier with the wheel
 
The pivot pin still have me scratching my head!! The last i made i couldn't hide the sucker, while the previous disappeared perfectly.
I feel i screwed at the last steps (after grinding almost flush), when lightly peening only the very edges of the pin i may actually had them lifting, more or less as when you forge flat on the anvil and have the stock bending, getting convexed anvil side.
Probably the answer is not continuing peening after you have already grinded almost flush, but you need to trust what you can't see hidden by the "mushroom".

Another thing i don't know is how the finish of the taper influences the hiding ability, will rough surfaces mate/blend better or worst than mirror finished?
 
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Finish of the taper must be clean Stefano. Actually find it easier to hide the pin if I use a tapered punch to spread the hole than if I use a tapered reamer because it leaves a cleaner finish
 
Use a steep countersink and a tight fitting rivet to make hiding the rivet easier.
 
I believe my reamer is 10 degree carbide.
I hand twist it backwards for a smooth finish after the initial ream.

The last few I made got them to disappear ( knock on wood )
Also a little less mushroom on the pin and more swelling of the pin at the last stages too.
 
javand said:
Finish of the taper must be clean Stefano. Actually find it easier to hide the pin if I use a tapered punch to spread the hole than if I use a tapered reamer because it leaves a cleaner finish
Click to expand...

thanks guys,
it burns, since the ivory scales, is there any salvage technique i could try after the pin is flush? drilling is not allowed ;-)
 
I'd knock the pin out, re-do and just leave a domed pin personally, if you don't want to try again for flush.

Otherwise, get it engraved.
 
it was so nice in the last stages of peening!!
knocking it out is difficult for many reasons, i am not sure i can drill straight and having a short ricasso i have too short a walk for installing the pivot as the last pin...i can't press the spring from inside safely.
i'll just try to sand a little more and then i'll leave as is as a reminder :-)
 
Getting the nice round end....I find when i am carving that I tend to rough things generally within reason and then move to a finer file or cutting tool. Get that closer again and then move to rough sandpaper to fine tune it. If part isn't coming together as I get finer I go back a step or two and refine it again. Not sure if this applies to bolsters, but it might help.
 
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