Attaching bolsters to the liners

[Ozwelder]

Hi Guys,
I am here to pick your brains again.

When attaching a brass bolsters to brass liners, is soldering a correct way to go. If so, can I soft solder them and still attain good retention.Ie that they are not likely to fall off at some point?

Thanks
Ozwelder

[Meridian_Mike]

The way I do it... (now this isn't the gospel)
I solder the bolster to the liner AND put a pin thru it. That way, my poor soldering practices don't show up so bad by having a bolster fall of.

Now that's me. The real knife repairers / builders will be along shortly.

Mike

[btrwtr]

If nickel silver bolsters that I have made I do not shape the bolsters until they are soldered on the liners. The bolsters being slightly over sized and overlapping the edge of the pre drilled liners allows for a good full solder and also allows for some room for error should the bolster slip a bit during the soldering. I cut a small piece of silver solder and then hammer flatten it to a very thin slice. Next vise grip clamp this thin slice of solder between the bolster and liner before heating the solder to melting temperature with a propane torch. Now the bolster is ready for drilling and then shaping before being pinned to assemble the knife.

Like most everything else I do this is a I self taught method and it seems to work okay for me. I'm sure there are other ways to skin this cat.

[muskrat man]

Yes, solder them. Soft solder is generally fine and what most manufacturers have used in the past (when not pinned) or a lower temp silver solder. I solder blanks to pre drilled liners, grind to shape, transfer that hole through the bolster while it's still flat, then bevel and contour everything.

[just bob]

This helped me;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQEQkz4TjVU

[Meridian_Mike]

That's a good video.
A friend showed me that way once.... he called it "tinning both pieces"....then they stick together real good!
Sho' nuff works!