docIII Posted January 22, 2014 Posted January 22, 2014 I have been thinking about making a bolster from a piece of stainless round stock. i can easily shape it but the problem i'm having is trying to figure out how to make the hole to slide the tang through. (sorry, i have tried to remember all the terminology for things but for the life of me half of the terms escape me) i no longer have a functional forge, most of my work is in stock removal for now, so the methods i would use in the forge are unavalable to me at the moment. but i do have access to a press punch, plasma cutter, mig welder, oxy-propane cutting torch, and a rather large band saw. plus a drill press and a few hand and pnumatic tools. any suggestions? Quote
Crazy Ivan Posted January 22, 2014 Posted January 22, 2014 Drill it out as much as possible, then follow with a jewlers file to make it a slot. -Crazy Ivan Quote
docIII Posted January 22, 2014 Author Posted January 22, 2014 i was thinking about that. i also thought that if i used mild steel instead of stainless, (even though it wouldn't look as nice) i could cut a slot out with the drill and the band saw, then use the mig welder to fill in the excess space, and grind it smooth. Quote
Crazy Ivan Posted January 22, 2014 Posted January 22, 2014 I have thought of that before (very briefly) and I dont think it would leave a very desirable result. Chances are the fit will be sloppy and you would have to spend time with a file anyways. Also I have notices a slight difference in coloring of the steel when polishing over a welded area (the weld tends to be darker). I am in no way a very qualified bladesmith, so I am sure others here can give you more options, but I don't think welding over mild steel is a good one at all. The drilling and filing method does not take as long as you might think and it is the only way I have seen it done personally. -Crazy Ivan Quote
Dan C Posted January 22, 2014 Posted January 22, 2014 Check out the knife making classes, bolsters & handles are all covered there. http://www.iforgeiron.com/forum/148-knife-making-class-101/ Quote
Rich Hale Posted January 23, 2014 Posted January 23, 2014 I use a jewelers saw quite often....and think if you tried to cut out the irreguler shapes between holes you would break a lot of blades.I have not tried it for this. Ivan did you break blades when you tried this? Quote
ThomasPowers Posted January 23, 2014 Posted January 23, 2014 I always used the drill/file method though for the inner holes I would work the drill side to side in them to remove more of the slot material up front Jewler's saws are also useful to get it to a stage that a file will fit. Quote
Crazy Ivan Posted January 23, 2014 Posted January 23, 2014 I use a jewelers saw quite often....and think if you tried to cut out the irreguler shapes between holes you would break a lot of blades.I have not tried it for this. Ivan did you break blades when you tried this? I have not used a jewelers saw on this, only files and only on aluminum (stainless being much tougher). I can imagine having trouble with the saw on irregular shapes which is why i went the file route. Never broke a file doing that but as I said, I don't do much in the way of bladesmithing (though I am starting to get more and more interested). -Crazy Ivan Quote
Rich Hale Posted January 23, 2014 Posted January 23, 2014 If you make knves with similiar sized tangs..It is not hard to make a filing jig. Take a few inches of a steel that will harden and is annealed..drill /file a slot in it...or you can slit and drift. Clean it up and leave it a little undersized for your tangs. Harden it,,,I would not temper. To use clamp it in place on your guard material. and drill through,,Like Thomas suggested you can drill at and angle to remove more stock between the holes...then file with guide in place...the file will only cut the guard material...then remove jig and fit to your tang with a file...I have done a whole bunch like this and if the hard steel wears the file at all I have not noticed. Quote
docIII Posted January 25, 2014 Author Posted January 25, 2014 well i got the hole in the bolster. i actually ended up using a plasma cutter to make a hole that was slightly too small for the tang to fit through, then used a file. it was stainless so the fileing took a little while, but it worked out well. Quote
Robert Yates Posted January 26, 2014 Posted January 26, 2014 i was thinking about that. i also thought that if i used mild steel instead of stainless, (even though it wouldn't look as nice) i could cut a slot out with the drill and the band saw, then use the mig welder to fill in the excess space, and grind it smooth. Go ahead a mig the slot and try to file it I will Assume you have welded for some time and have "ground down" Yes File! many a weld the reason you asked is to find out what other knife makers do to make the guard to fit properly and you have been given the correct answer Yet you want to do it your way instead of trying it the correct way to cut corners . If you want to make very good knives and make them like the Elders, Master Knife makers then try it as instructed to do by the very same folks that are trying to help you with the information you seek ! I personally would Look at the Knife making thread as it covers the Very information you want to know . Best Regards and Enjoy reading the IFI knife making thread . Quote
Rich Hale Posted January 26, 2014 Posted January 26, 2014 I think the correct way for anyone is a way they can do and the end result is wot they wanted. No one that poses a question on here is obliged to use any of the methods posted as replies. . Just as no one that posts on here has to have a certain skill set level. I believe in a core value...it is their shop and they make the rules. If they do not wish to do anything I suggest It is their right. I also see in here that in addition to the OP,,there are a lot of others that read these threads and hope that wot is posted will be of value to them. Quote
docIII Posted January 27, 2014 Author Posted January 27, 2014 i wasn't trying to cut corners. i just have access to very specific tools and havn't gotten the money togeather to buy the tools to do things the way that i think they should be done. i will post pics as soon as i can. i just have to find time to get to a friends house to use his camera. Using the plasma cutter worked well, and the slight discoloration was taken away when i used the rat tail file, (the only small enough file that we have in the shop) to get it to the correct size for the tang. what the people on here post is of immense value to me, and i have learned a lot here over they years before i joined. just because i do something differently doesn't mean that i have disregarded their advice, i just means that either i didn't have the rite tools and equipment to follow their advice to the letter, or that i was trying something new, which is how everything anyone on here knows was figured out in the first place, someone, somewhere, at some point in history, trying something new. if it worked they kept it, if it didn't they chocked it up as a learning experience and moved on. Quote
docIII Posted January 27, 2014 Author Posted January 27, 2014 the reason you asked is to find out what other knife makers do to make the guard to fit properly and you have been given the correct answer Yet you want to do it your way instead of trying it the correct way to cut corners please do not assume that you know why i asked. i asked to get some ideas, not to imitate anyone else. Quote
Robert Yates Posted January 28, 2014 Posted January 28, 2014 I will use Rich and Steve's comment to answer you inquiry. "It is covered extensively in the Knife Making Thread" Be well and I hope you have fun making knives as wonderful things. Quote
Rich Hale Posted January 28, 2014 Posted January 28, 2014 Samcro I don't suppose you noticed that I posted an answer that I felt would not only help him but may be of value for others reading this thread. I did not give the answer you posted above. Quote
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