Attaching a bolster

R

Roger

Well-Known Member
What is the 'best',here's that word again.....
What are some various way's to attach a butt cap on a hidden tang when the tang does not protrude through the rear of the handle? Will epoxy hold it well enough or is there some other secret old maker trick?
 
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Are you referring to a pommel/buttcap? A bolster is usually pinned on to the sides, but it doesn't sound like that's what you're asking about. Buttcaps (which really need another name, but I don't know of one) can be attached to the end of the tang via a soldered on threaded nut, by epoxy with lots of pins through the handle material, by having the tang go all the way through (though you specifically mentioned doing this WITHOUT such) an peining it over, an probably any number of other ways. I even know one Mastersmith who drills a lot of little holes in the buttcap, threads them with a tiny tap, and uses little treaded rods as pins to hold the epoxy better when the whole thing is glued to the handle. Maybe overkill, or maybe genius, but effective. Hopefully someone who actually does this can chime in.
 
Here is a quick sketch that essentially summarizes a presentation I saw Dave Lisch do. I spent the rest of that day and the next at the ABS Expo asking Mastersmiths and Journeymen how they do it, and the answers didn't change much other than the aforementioned screws.

My handwriting isn't great (which is why I type everything), but hopefully you get the idea. If not, I'm happy to translate my scribbles into real, legible words.

buttcap drawings.jpg
 
Thanks Travis, if the holes in the template were laid out right you could do that with a full tang. Or is that something that isn't done?
 
It is pretty simple to silver braze a threaded rod to the tang with a lap joint and pin rivet. Then you can tap the butt cap and screw it down. You can also just extend the tang in the same manner, run it through the cap and peen it over.
 
Roger, if it were a full tang I don't see why you wouldn't pin on bolsters from the sides. It's much simpler, and stronger too. In fact, that's what I usually do if I want some sort of pommel/buttcap/rear bolster on a full tang. My original reply assumed stick tangs, as does Wick's above. If you were to do a takedown, you would HAVE to use Wick's method, or some variation of it.
 
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