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Do you have to peen bolster pins to get them to not show up when filed or will simply gluing them work as well?
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WIP - 1st knife looking for feedback
- Thread starter seionage
- Start date
ok, back to the scale I glued up yesterday.
I take the clamps off. Not too bad. I would have liked everything to be a bit tighter, but over all. I give it about a 6 out of 10.
What you don't see, is that there was a little epoxy on the end of the spacer
(this would be between the spacer and the bolster)
I decide I want to clean up the outline a little bit, so I can see exactly what I'm working with.
There was a lot of epoxy that was over hangning. So, I hit it with the wood rasp.
Not to bad (if I say so myself).
I take the clamps off. Not too bad. I would have liked everything to be a bit tighter, but over all. I give it about a 6 out of 10.
What you don't see, is that there was a little epoxy on the end of the spacer
(this would be between the spacer and the bolster)
I decide I want to clean up the outline a little bit, so I can see exactly what I'm working with.
There was a lot of epoxy that was over hangning. So, I hit it with the wood rasp.
Not to bad (if I say so myself).
Grizz: They are a really tight fit. You have to peen them. I doubt there is any epoxy in that pin hole (ok, there might be, but it's not visible).
It was expained to me, that you have to peen that pin hard enough, with a single blow, that you are basically welding that pin in place.
It was expained to me, that you have to peen that pin hard enough, with a single blow, that you are basically welding that pin in place.
so, I decide that I want to remove some of that epoxy off of the end of the spacer. I touch it with the file.
big mistake. I touch it 1 too many times. When I put it back on the knife, I look at the gap, and start to cry. Well, not really, but I'm not happy either.
So, now I'm mad at myself for not going slower. You know that saying "never grind when you are angry?" well, don't file either. I just grab the file, and decide to take that spacer off the end. I was lucky that it turned out ok.
big mistake. I touch it 1 too many times. When I put it back on the knife, I look at the gap, and start to cry. Well, not really, but I'm not happy either.
So, now I'm mad at myself for not going slower. You know that saying "never grind when you are angry?" well, don't file either. I just grab the file, and decide to take that spacer off the end. I was lucky that it turned out ok.
so now, I need to mate up the scales with the bolster. Since I don't have a granit block (or even a piece of glass handy, I wasn't able to sand the bolsters totally flat (or square). Now I've got to do the poor mans job, and mate them up.
First, I put the scale on the knife, and draw some lines with my fancy blue sharpie.
Then, I cut a sliver of 220 sand paper, and put it against the bolster.
What I'm going to do, is sand the edge of the scale down. I line up the lines,
and move the scale up and down (not across -- or side to side) the sand paper.
This takes a while, because you are basically sanding about 1/8" or so
(the thickness of the bolster).
First, I put the scale on the knife, and draw some lines with my fancy blue sharpie.
Then, I cut a sliver of 220 sand paper, and put it against the bolster.
What I'm going to do, is sand the edge of the scale down. I line up the lines,
and move the scale up and down (not across -- or side to side) the sand paper.
This takes a while, because you are basically sanding about 1/8" or so
(the thickness of the bolster).
Here you can see me moving the scale up and down.
When you look at the sand paper, you can see where most of the scale was touching
(on the right). There isn't much scale dust on the left, because there is a gap there.
I need to keep sanding, until the entire scale is touching the sand paper.
After some more sanding, everything looks relatively even.
And, I put the scale back on the knife. The fit looks better.
When you look at the sand paper, you can see where most of the scale was touching
(on the right). There isn't much scale dust on the left, because there is a gap there.
I need to keep sanding, until the entire scale is touching the sand paper.
After some more sanding, everything looks relatively even.
And, I put the scale back on the knife. The fit looks better.
If you look in those previous pics, at the top part of the bolsters (the part next to the ricasso) you see a bead of JBWeld that squeezed out. Ok, I need to clean that up.
I decide to take a suggestion, and use a piece of scrap brass to scrape off the bead. It worked really well. I had a piece that was extra from when I cut the bolster. It actually was pretty sharp.
Another shot, to show the wedge.
After some scraping, that bead was gone.
Other side...
Another pic, different lighting.
Thanks for the suggestion guys! That worked out really good. No scratches.
Looks good enough to me. Now, to put one of the handles on.
I decide to take a suggestion, and use a piece of scrap brass to scrape off the bead. It worked really well. I had a piece that was extra from when I cut the bolster. It actually was pretty sharp.
Another shot, to show the wedge.
After some scraping, that bead was gone.
Other side...
Another pic, different lighting.
Thanks for the suggestion guys! That worked out really good. No scratches.
Looks good enough to me. Now, to put one of the handles on.
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ok, now I'm starting to get a little nervous. This is where it is all starting to come together.
I place the handle on the knife, and like the way it looks. Then, I decide, maybe I want to clean up that bolster outine a little more. Bring it closer to the knife profile.
Start filing
Close enough for now. I'm not going to take it down any more.
Time to knock off a few burrs that I created from filing.
I place the handle on the knife, and like the way it looks. Then, I decide, maybe I want to clean up that bolster outine a little more. Bring it closer to the knife profile.
Start filing
Close enough for now. I'm not going to take it down any more.
Time to knock off a few burrs that I created from filing.
Time to do the spine side of the bolsters.
Not really that much to knock off. However, I did make one mistake (ok, more than one, but who is counting).
There was a bit of a burr on the bolster. I knocked it off with the file. What i didn't realize, until it was too late, was that it created a slight gap between the bolster and the scale. It's not noticable until I glue up the handle.
Not really that much to knock off. However, I did make one mistake (ok, more than one, but who is counting).
There was a bit of a burr on the bolster. I knocked it off with the file. What i didn't realize, until it was too late, was that it created a slight gap between the bolster and the scale. It's not noticable until I glue up the handle.
Well, moment of truth. I decide to epoxy one of the handles on. In this instance, I'm going to use some T88 that I picked up from woodcrafters (another great suggestion -- thanks guys!).
I also picked up some pigment. I actually only used a dab. As soon as it touched
the resin, it just got sucked into it, so it looks like I used more than I really did. It doesn't take much.
Also, taking pics is a real pain. I have to be careful, because just a little dab, in the wrong spot, and my wife would neuter me for getting some epoxy on the camera.
I decided to dye the epoxy, because I want to fill in the filework on the spine of the knife.
My original plan was to use red, but woodcrafters didn't have any red pigment in stock, and I wasn't going to be back in town. So, I had to go with black.
Spreading it on the handle
Glued up with a single clamp.
I ended up using a 2nd clamp on it, but forgot to snap a pic of it.
Also, did I use too much epoxy? I figured I should coat the whole handle, but by that time, it started running everywhere.
I also picked up some pigment. I actually only used a dab. As soon as it touched
the resin, it just got sucked into it, so it looks like I used more than I really did. It doesn't take much.
Also, taking pics is a real pain. I have to be careful, because just a little dab, in the wrong spot, and my wife would neuter me for getting some epoxy on the camera.
I decided to dye the epoxy, because I want to fill in the filework on the spine of the knife.
My original plan was to use red, but woodcrafters didn't have any red pigment in stock, and I wasn't going to be back in town. So, I had to go with black.
Spreading it on the handle
Glued up with a single clamp.
I ended up using a 2nd clamp on it, but forgot to snap a pic of it.
Also, did I use too much epoxy? I figured I should coat the whole handle, but by that time, it started running everywhere.
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Ken -- thanks for the kind words. Doing this, really makes me
a)Value and respect hose makers who have tight seams and joints on the knives. Now I really pay close attention to slip joints. Let me say, that your work makes me feel like navel lint.
and
b)Realize that putting bolsters on a knife is a pain. I'm trying to figure out if it's worth it. I've been noticing a lot of fixed blades without bolsters, and i'm really starting to like that look. Even more so, now that I've put bolsters on this one.
a)Value and respect hose makers who have tight seams and joints on the knives. Now I really pay close attention to slip joints. Let me say, that your work makes me feel like navel lint.
and
b)Realize that putting bolsters on a knife is a pain. I'm trying to figure out if it's worth it. I've been noticing a lot of fixed blades without bolsters, and i'm really starting to like that look. Even more so, now that I've put bolsters on this one.
james terrio
Sharpest Knife in the Light Socket
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- Apr 15, 2010
- Messages
- 22,618
You've got guts, man, tackling techniques that many makers let slide. Don't stop now, you're doing really well!
P.S. I don't like metal bolsters at all on small/medium knives. Never understood the point of adding weight where it's not needed. Just my opinion.
P.P.S. good gravy, don't mention slip-joint makers. Those guys make me want to curl up and die.
P.S. I don't like metal bolsters at all on small/medium knives. Never understood the point of adding weight where it's not needed. Just my opinion.
P.P.S. good gravy, don't mention slip-joint makers. Those guys make me want to curl up and die.
- Joined
- Oct 30, 2002
- Messages
- 3,974
For some tips on sheath making, I'd recommend starting a new thread. Also, check out the stickies at the top and practice your google-fu. There's a good bit out there. If you have an opportunity to buy Chuck Burrow's Wild Rose sheath making 2 DVD set, it's well worth the money. It improved my sheaths by leaps and bounds with just one viewing, though 3 or 4 viewings are in order to soak it all in.
--nathan
--nathan
- Joined
- Dec 5, 2009
- Messages
- 1,528
You kidding me? LOL I sleep to it, helps all that knowledge permeate my subconscious
