Who Makes a Good Bushcraft Blank that I can START With?

[dogstar]

I believe a bolster makes a knife stronger in a stick tang construction.

 

[Bo T]

So today I was actually just thinking about doing this myself..I'm wondering is a bolster necessary? And is there an advantage/disadvantage of a blank that was not ground all the way to the tang versus the other?

I guess this would be like a mora, it seems like these blanks are cheaper (this is actually an Anssi)

and the other style I've seen (Eklund):

Would the bottom be a candidate for no bolster? I've also noticed some stick tangs lend themselves to having their bottoms riveted, and some come threaded, and some are just suited for expoxying.

Thanks, apologies if I'm intruding on the conversation.

A bolster or a ferrel (classic Moras) helps to keep the wood/leather/birch bark from being gouged by the blade. A ferrel also helps to keep the wood from splitting. They add a little interest to the handle. They are not necessary. A hard, interlocked grain wood could last a long time just by itself. And many flea market cutlers will just epoxy a round piece of wood to an old rat tail tang blade. In the case of a stacked leather handle a bolster is necessary as the leather is compressed and would be cut by the bare blade. If you took your time a round piece of hickory that was drilled and shaped to the tang could be epoxied in place and would work well. If you took your time it would probably look good too. Sometimes you can find a Mora knife that has a broken handle cheap. Then you could clean it up and rehandle it.

 

[Boozoo Chavis]

Another vote for the Enzo - here's a couple that bladeforums member, stretchNM, has done.

 

[Frederick89]

The Anssi, as few others from Brisa (Lammi, Tuominen, Inkeroinen, Puronvarsi, VK) has a rhombic section that is more efficient in carvng but a bit more difficult/long to fit to bolster.

 

[peppen108]

I would say a nightmare to fit in a bolster even whit a drill press and diamond files. If you are striving for seamless integration. This is the one draw back on the Mora laminated blades. Otherwise i think they would be close to impossible to beat price an quality taken in to account.