another newbie question

orangeboy · Post by **orangeboy** » Sat Aug 21, 2004 2:51 am

I think I know the answer but I'm asking anyway:

Why did the cutlers in Maniago eliminate full brass lining behind the ears of the bolsters of the Italians? I thought I have seen some transitionals with full brass liners, even though they were swivel bolsters. The full liners look so much better than the newer ones without.

mrbigg · Post by **mrbigg** » Sat Aug 21, 2004 5:38 am

my guess is it was done in an effort to cut costs....!?
that combined with the stamped SS bolsters, it was cheaper and faster to assemble without having to solder?!

Post by **Bill DeShivs** » Sat Aug 21, 2004 6:26 am

Mr. Bigg is correct. Plus, it takes quite a bit more brass.
Bill

Post by **natcherly** » Sat Aug 21, 2004 6:35 am

With a picklock, a full liner behind the ears is very straightforward. The front liner, which remains fixed in a picklock, was simply cut in the shape of the bolster, ears and all.

But when the swivel bolster was introduced, you could not have full, fixed liners behind the ears. If you made a knife that way, when you would try to swivel the bolster, the fixed ears on the liner would interfere. The simplest solution was to drop the ear coverage and most makers did just that for both liners. And as Mr. Bigg points out, it saved money.

There are exceptions. I have swivel bolsters in my collection that have the back liner with ears while the front liner is of course earless. Also the AGA Campolin 15" and 18" swivels have lined front bolsters, but in this case the lining is actually a very thin piece of sheet brass soldered to the swiveling bolster. It is wholly separate from the liner. A lot of handwork in that. Too much for most to bother with.

orangeboy · Post by **orangeboy** » Sat Aug 21, 2004 5:15 pm

Speaking of cutting corners. On the new Italians the brass pins look more like premade rivits, rather than bar stock that is piened onto the liner.

I've always wondered how the brass pins stay connected to the liner so well?

Post by **Bill DeShivs** » Sat Aug 21, 2004 5:31 pm

The modern rivets are premade brass nails. The pins are peened into a chamfered hole in the liners, and finished off flat on the liner inside.
Bill

mrbigg · Post by **mrbigg** » Sat Aug 21, 2004 5:33 pm

orangeboy wrote:Speaking of cutting corners. On the new Italians the brass pins look more like premade rivits, rather than bar stock that is piened onto the liner.

I've always wondered how the brass pins stay connected to the liner so well?

you are right - they use brass nails these days, faster, cheaper and a more consistant finish on the head...
the holes on the inside (blade side) of the liner are countersunk slightly,
so with some peening, yu can "mushroom" out the head of the pin on the inside until it fills up the countersunk area, then when they are good and tight, file the excess off and sand/buff flat...make sense?