The function of the bolster..?

[Devon_Steven]

I don't want to take another thread off-topic, so I'll ask the question here...

keithsaltydog commented here http://www.kitchenknifeforums.com/showthread.php/24267-US-v-Japan-and-what-is-it-with-the-gyotos that

I'm not as biased as used to be. Thought any full heel bolstered knife was no more than misguided tradition.

Which got me to wondering, what is the purpose of the bolster on a kitchen knife?

 

[fimbulvetr]

I was told, years ago, that the bolster both acted as a sort of guard between the fingers and the blade (depending on one's grip) and that it added strength to the blade. The guy who said this (on some Usenet forum or another) went on to assert that all these newfangled bolsterless blades would break under stress in any professional kitchen in no time at all. Iirc, the guy was an old school German chef.

 

[Zwiefel]

from some previous threads on this forum, I'm led to believe that it was an invention for fighting blades, meant to provide strength against snapping off at the handle. to the best of my knowledge, it has no proper function on a kitchen knife, particularly one with a high HRC (i.e. over ~60).

 

[icanhaschzbrgr]

It's a conspiracy from the unnamed group of hardware makers who want's to sell even more files, grinders and sandpaper.

 

[mark76]

:laugh:

 

[fimbulvetr]

The notion of a shadowy, faceless Grinder Cabal might explain... a lot of things. Bolsters among them.

 

[Matus]

Many German knives have some sort of bolster like this which effectively hides the heel of the blade. In particular on knives that are not tall (like petty knives) the exposed heel can be easy to catch your finger on if you do not learn at least some basic 'manners'. I have been bitten by heels on our smaller knives already. Otherwise I honestly dislike this kind of bolsters - just make proper sharpening impossible and add weight to the handle.

 

[Pensacola Tiger]

What you are describing is more properly called a "fingerguard", and its purpose is exactly that - to protect the fingers. Whether it is necessary on a kitchen knife is debatable, and most people here have very negative opinions of them.

Curiously, the integral bolster knives that Michael Rader and other bladesmiths produce have a fingerguard that naturally occurs as a result of the process of forging, and in my experience they are a bit more comfortable than knives that lack one. The fingerguard doesn't extend to the heel of the blade, so it is not an impediment to sharpening.

Rick

 

[Ruso]

I think Zwiefel is on to something. However, I do not think it's for preventing the handle to snap off. Usually the finger guard (bolster in this thread), is to prevent the hand to slide into the blade on stabbing motion when unexpected resistance could be met.
It's plausible that this feature have migrated to some kitchen knives overtime.

 

[Zwiefel]

I think Zwiefel is on...something.

I've heard that for most of my life! :eyebrow::tease:

 

[BeerChef]

Super handy for opening cans before the can opener was invented.

 

[Keith Sinclair]

Super handy for opening cans before the can opener was invented.

:beer: That makes them pretty useless now. My amazement is the knives you see in department and kitchen stores that have these massive I mean massive hunks of steel in their bolsters. All my years in kitchens hardly ever saw cooks using knives with big bolsters. Some of the older French & German carbon knives have fingerguards not so bad on a slicer.

Production follows market somebody must still be buying these monster Tiger Tank knives:scratchhead:

 

[daddy yo yo]

Rumours have it that there are people using knives who are not professional chefs! I guess the fingerguard was invented for these folks...

My first kitchen knife was a 21cm Wüsthof with fingerguard. When I first used a J-knife without it felt strange, insecure and simply wrong. These d*mn little suc*ers cut me several times!!! But you learn from your experience, don't you? At least sometimes...

 

[Devon_Steven]

Thanks for all the info.

The reason that this issue piqued my interest was that, prior to finding KKF and buying my Itinomonn gyuto, I had been (quite happily) using a Furi santoku for several years.

But that knife became unsharpenable owing to the 'bolster'. Here's a pic of the same model I found online...

Took me about 6 years to reach the bolster, then one year of filing at the heel to allow further sharpening. After a while I realised that the game was up and I needed a new knife.

Good thing I found KKF before investing in another flawed design..!