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The Newbies Arena Are you new to knife making? Here is all the help you will need.

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  #1  
Old 03-27-2005, 12:27 AM
neil1967 neil1967 is offline
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bolsters: epoxy or solder?

I was wondering what kinds of experience people have had attaching bolsters. I'm kinda new to it, and have read posts on using adhesives like JB Weld to attach bolsters instead of soldering them, as soldering can leave gaps, etc. I will also be pinning the bolsters, regardless of method, and was wondering what people thought/preferred. Thanks for any help/info you can provide.

Neil
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Old 03-27-2005, 07:09 AM
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Don Cowles Don Cowles is offline
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If you pin them (see my bolster tutorial), no adhesive is needed.


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Old 03-30-2005, 11:08 PM
neil1967 neil1967 is offline
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Thanks, Don. I have three follow-up questions. When you peen the pins in the bolster, do you countersink them in the bolster material? And if so, do you have to do it after you've shaped your bolsters so that you don't grind off the wider pin end? And finally, if you wait to countersink and peen until after shaping the bolsters, do you run into issues if the pins are near the edge and you have a slope to contend with in terms of the shape of the bolster and coutersinking into that slope?

Thanks for the help and the awesome tutorial!

Neil
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Old 03-31-2005, 02:14 AM
Jason Cutter Jason Cutter is offline
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GDay Neil, my own preference is to file and precisely fit a guard with the minimal possible blade to guard gap. I use epoxy, although I have some JB Weld on hand to try soon. I don't solder because :-

1) I don't like the look.
2) It seems more a hassle to clean up the excess solder on the front of the guard afterwards.
3) Most importantly - I never learnt to solder !

Re :- Bolsters - I don't countersink the pin holes. I don't find it necessary. I drill the correct size holes, insert the pins and then pein them into place. It has been explained to me that as you whack the pins, you are explanding the pin heads to lock the bolsters into place. But more is happening. The steel bolsters actually have enough give and malleability that as the pin heads are expanding, you are actually also slightly expanding the pin hole itself near the surface, resulting a "cone" shaped rivet hole that locks everything together. This means that where possible, you should leave the peining of the pins until the bolsters are almost near the final shape, so in the final shaping you don't remove too much of the peined area of bolster and pins.

Hope it makes sense. Jason.


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Old 03-31-2005, 10:23 AM
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I too believe in peening bolsters. I have used hidden pins in the past, but never felt comfortable.

BTW after you peen there no reason not to use some Loctite thread locker. It's invisible, easy to apply (the bolsters just suck it up), and it prevents moisture from getting underneath. I keep applying a bead around the seam until is doesn't suck any more up. then wipe off the excess.

Steve


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