Knife Making Log Class 111: Liability, Mammoth with bolsters

[Steve Sells]

Steve Sells
due to a few things I have seen in the forum lately, I decided to cover marketing liability of our work.  Making blades is fun, but geting paid for making them is better but after the sale we are not done.

1)
 We do have legal liability in most places.  If that blade breaks and the user gets hurt we can be sued and held liable for damages.  It is not just make it and take the money.  We need to make sure our blades will hold up to the intended use. Ask the client what and why they want it, we may make a small change on design specs based on that, to make the client and our insurance companies happier.   I know from personal experience Insurance isn't cheap, nor easy to find for blade smiths, but it may be the only thing that allows us to keep our homes after a claim is filed. I wont pick on any member but in the forum there was a knife shapped object posted that has deep knotches in the spine about half way through also sharp inside corners,  these are stress risers and that blade will fail at these points if it is ever used. where does that section of blade go when this happens? how could we redesign that to avoid those issues ?

 

2)

A person selling a blade to military personel is placing that persons life in their hands with a blade.  I know there isnt likely to be a hand to hand knife fight these days, but in the combat arena getting a cut on the hand from a blade breaking isnt just a matter of a stop at redimed for 4 or 5 stitches. Understanding that it is not just getting the cut itself addressed in the field, but hoe that injury  effectes use of that nody part while it heals could be life threatening later. 

 

3)

Ask if what they are asking for is legal even if we do make it correctly.   Example: a number of years ago a guy had the money and wanted a sword cane. I wanted his money so far so good right ? WRONG its illegal in most places, including where we both live, Indiana; as a consealed weapon, and for size issues for public carry.
 
http://pweb.netcom.com/~brlevine/sta-law.htm
http://thefiringline.com/library/blades/knifelaws.html
http://www.donath.org/Rants/StateKnifeLaws/
 
These are 3 links for USA knife laws.  Each state has different  laws, and some citys have more in addition.  Save those links for wehen you get a job contact for an area you dont normaly deal with,  to check so you can inform your client the legal issues with his request.  One example is MIchigan:  a blade for a pocket blade shall be less than 3.25 inches BUT open length is limited to 5.25 inches.  According to that, a standard 3 inch pocket knife is not legal to carry in michigan,  at least not in your pocket.   I just wanted to make people aware there is more than just getting money for the blades we make, we can be held accountable for what we make and sell after the fact also, mpt to mention how it ends up being used or abused later, which are also issues we shuold plan for.

 

As a maker we all need to ask "Am I ready to make that the way it should be made?"   Dont take on a commission and then later hope to get it done,  make sure we can do it right before taking on the job.   Protect yourselves, please.

Rich Hale
Tonight I want to make another option for those makeres that are ready for it. We have already covered a hidden tang style knife with a guard that is slipped on and can be soldered or epoxied in place.
 
Another style is a bolster guard. They are not hard to make or install However if you want a nice fit and finish I will walk you through a lot of little steps to maybe seem complicated but will save you time. The area where the bolster will be need four holes, drilled and chanfered before heat treat. I rough cut some 3/16 thick 416 ss for this as this is a ss blade back from heat treat
I use 416 ss pins and 416 ss for the bolsters,,they are a color match for this blade steel.  I have a rough cut over size bolstger clammped in place for drilling. I also show a long pin,that I have tapered the end on and hit on the buffer, I worry that mill scale as it came may show later when I hammer the pins in place The shorter pin,,,look at the end not tapered, I have smacked it with ahammer and flattend the tip a bit I drill in drill press and put one ppin in,one with the end flattened

That keep it from falling onto the floor while I drill other three holes  Drill another, pin in and move clamp if needed and drill pin and drill last  Then lay that aside and do other side I make sharpie marks on top and bottom of blade before I remove first one so I can line second one up when they are derilled I cheack and if any hole does not pas a pin easi with others inplace ai drill through again with both bolsters in place on blade  i recheck finish on sides of blade and front of guard,,,make sure it looks good...Now I smooth the sides of both bolsters where they meet the blade. 120 grit is fine for this,,,,then I countersink holes on tha side,,I doe not want a sharp edge to shave any metal from a pin Then put both bolsters on and drop four pins in,,,if one is tight drill right through, Like so   These pins are not precision fit,,,  I had to redrill empty hole a wwee bit for finger push fit I had to redrill empty hole a wwee bit for finger push fit Then I niip ends of the 1/8" pins with nippers,,leave alittle for peining i don't measure how much but look here for a guess I use about a 10 oz ball pein with short handle and work one side then other so the pine stays cneterdand I mushrooms over both sieds
Tap around so the two plades stay tight to the blade now and then here they aer flattened down and ready for next step,

On top and bottom of the bolsters where they meet the blade You may see a line,,,,,not good  See the sharpie marks? i have left alittle extra material on those places marked,,,, I lay thenon anvil and support the other side and hit tip sside several time sto tighten that seen of blade bolster contact Do both sides and top and bottom of bolster,,,MAy make thisclearer in a bit No I take to belt grinder and dress both sides, I awnt these to taper,,,thicker wher scaled meet a little thinner at ricasso 120 works for this, When I get them both rough dressed so there are no more flat spots,,,I take a look and see if they are same thickness at scale end and ricasso end... Under .004 is enough,,,  

Time for scales
Kust liek the tang that is tapered I hollow the center so that It leaves a little room for glue and makes a stronger joint  Both marked with a sharpie,,then one is hollow ground Then theay are flattened. From blade side, I also put on and make sure the little angle where they meet bolster is correct,,,and that the scale is thin enough so the outside does not have to be ground away and lose color,,take material from tang side of scale for this  If wood it does not matter leave thick grind later  Then when that is right I drill scales to match predrilled holes in tang i also use a black liner,,,black thin paper from hobby shop Bend one end sharp,,,pins are pinted sharp and buffed in this pic you can see rough grind on bolsters ,,paper cut large and bent and pins ready to use,,I am using nickel pins on this,,3/32" i use apiece of leather under outside surface of scale with a little piece of brass to spread clamp pressue out a bit,,,Clamp to hold not break Drill two holes and drop pins in,,lether will keep them off floor Then drill other tow. I hold this in hand and push up into drill,,try and miss fingers,,,don't bleed on scales! Then other side same way Eyeball alot while you dreill and try and keep straight and square with everything,,,it is not a swiss watch,,,,  

i mix my K and G epoxy,,,smear on tang then put paper on then on paper then lay one scale on,,sharp pins will push through paper,,and alittle bit out other side,,flip over glue tang, push paper onto pins,,glue paper and add scale,,this will tell you if all holes line up,,,or you could have checked them many times already, I drilled without paper in place,,so when I ad dpaper it will make a real nice tight seam of bolster and scale

garey
do you use the paper/rubber liner papers ?

Rich Hale
I use four clamps on this knife No Garey just paper from hobby lobby,,,, Or draft store,,,scholl supplly etc. I tighten each clamp a little then another and another,,not break scale tight just want to get excess glue out the side,,, Forgot,,I dip end of each ppin in glue, before I push in

mike-hr
I saw an old dagger, the scales were much wider than the blade guard, this must have been the process.  

Rich Hale
This is end product,    Fossil mammoth tusk,,,the pattern is real thin, had I left scales higher than bolsters I would have had to grind a lot off to fit,,,from back side does not remove patter

garey
how thick was the bolster material when you started ?

Rich Hale
3/16" Befoer you try one of these use same material, and pin one piece, no blade, rivet pins and see how much you need to leave out each side  all from K & G