Soldering Copper bolsters to Carbon Steel blade?

oldschool45

oldschool45

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Oct 15, 2007
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I'm doing a re-handle job on an HI Khukuri. I'm redoing the bolsters in solid copper and pinning them. Instead of epoxy which may or may not fail with the sharp impacts this thing is going to take. How hard is it to solder or sweat the copper bolsters to the blade.
Right now I'm matching both surfaces down to an 80grit finish and I am going to drill the pin holes. Now do I try to get each side a light coat of solder built up or do I just flux then treat it like copper on copper pipe sweating and let capillary action do it?
Thanks
 
either way will work with the materials you are working with. I have done it both ways with equal success. My preferance is to tin the bolsters flux the blade and insert the pins and put the bolsters on the pins then put a spring clamp on the bolsters to hold them against the blade. the apply heat until the solder melts and the bolsters settle against the blade. then peen the pins after the solder cools
 
Thanks, I'm still unsure of myself when it comes to sweating & soldering. I still have my retired Union Pipefitter uncles come over and supervise when I have to do that kind of plumbing. Beer is cheap flooded basements aren't.
Now, Mapp gas or propane and what is the best solder/flux to use?
Ray
 
The easiest solder would be rosin core lead solder available at Radio Shack. Use Stay Clean flux.
 
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