Much ado about nothing

wmhammond

wmhammond

Well-Known Member
Most of the knife handle pins I see for sale are made of Stainless Steel not High Carbon Steel. Will the Stainless Steel pin "disappear" when it is used with a High Carbon Steel bolster? Also what pins should I use when making a bolster out of Damascus (up until now I have been using 16 penny nails). Thanks,

Wallace
 
Stainless pins will not blend into carbon steel on a bolster. You will need to use the exact steel and then it still might not. Even a slight difference between stainless varieties (i.e. 410 and 416, 304 and 306) will show (slightly) the pins on a bolster in the right light.

Generally, for damascus bolsters, low carbon wire (like your nails) is used and then spot etched until it matches as close as possible.
 
Well, Boss, I guess that begs the question: How do you solve that dilemma? Where do you get pins to match 1095 or O1, or 440?

Wallace
 
Wallace,
Get yourself some drill rod from MSC or Enco . See if what they have is a match for the steel you are using.


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It's not required to match the pins to the bolster. It is purely cosmetics.
I've never seen 440c pins. You should be able to find 01 Precison ground round stock. It will be scary expensive.

most guys will make their own pins if they are using something other than 300 or 400 series stainless for their bolsters if they want to blend them in. If not they go the other way and look for something that contrasts the bolster material like copper pins in a wrought iron bolster.

Generally, most bolsters on a typical hunter style knife are 416ss or 304ss. Both have pin stock available and pins in bolsters can be blended in. 416ss is by far the most common material for bolsters.
 
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