Tool steel bolsters

[di81ni]

I’m imagining an original Kiwi with nicely patinated bolsters (and blade), and wooden inlays.
Now that would be a cool sprint run!
Probably should be shipped together with some oil though

[GarageBoy]

Just use cor-ten weathering steel and let it rust

Hardened steel handles - for when you're worried about your handles getting scratched...

[Tristan_david2001]

I’d be amazed if we ever saw another sprint run of the original kiwi model. but I love this idea.

[JRinFL]

Brass & copper bolsters patina pretty well, but steel goes from cool patina to rusted chunk pretty quickly. It would probably need to be a near-stainless steel to work well over time. D2 is cheap enough these days so maybe it could be tried. However, I think most knife users would steer clear even though some of their favorite blade steels are far more reactive.

I would try one myself, but it'd have to be in something larger than the Kiwi. An Alcyone (or Byrd) might work since there is plenty of D2 in China.

[Bill1170]

No, thanks. Tool steels give toughness in return for loss of corrosion resistance in blades. In a bolster I just don’t see any upside to having it rust, or to it needing special care.

[Stuart Ackerman]

When you actually to clean the bolsters, the handle material might get stained from the rust and cleaning product residue...

I have made D2 guards for four knives, and the customer used Flitz and and meth spirits to clean, and the Micarta scales were fine.

[knivesandbooks]

I think a knife with color case hardened handles or bolsters would be nice. Like what you find on some of the old revolvers and lever guns. Kiwi or otherwise. Color case hardened handles and a Damascus blade for the doubly the swirly. I have no idea if it must be carbon steel or if it can be stainless to do that.

[Evil D]

I think I'd be more interested in brass myself, even though aesthetically I like silver toned bolsters more.


I'm still holding out a small amount of faith that the Kiwi 4 will someday get a bolstered version and/or a contoured full stainless handed version.