I am thinking of using damscus bolsters for the first time on my fixed blade hunter. When I visualize how this is going to work I get stuck on the pins holding the bolsters to the blade. If I pin them like I do my regular bolsters I am going to end up with 2 round spots in the middle of the damascus pattern. With plain SS bolsters this does't matter since they disappear but wouldn't they show on a damascus bolster. I hope that made sense.
Thanks
Steve

You could simply work with the bolster-pin look rather than fight it...

Or you could go to a pressure fit held in place by another material that you -can- pin w/o visual problems. Imagine that your bolster slides onto the handle and is stopped by a small step where the handle meets the blade. It is a good, tight fit and behind it you pin the handle material. The bolster ain't going nowhere.

I'll bet there's other solutions, but I've done that one and it has worked out well.

One tip I will pass on that I got from J.D.Smith at the NY Custom show made me slap my forehead and hang it in shame... if you do your fitting before you etch the damascus fittings be sure to cover the inside with something that will act as a resist... nail polish works well and is easily removed.

I have found that emphasizing the pins works better than trying to hide them.

Etching the bolster after installation can be a problem if you do not intend to etch the blade as well. I use heavy duty axle grease to mask off areas not intended to be etched.

Another option is to use screws as an alternative to pins, provided it is not inconsistent with the overall knife design/style.