What is the difference between a finger guard and a bolster?

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The way bolster gets used for kitchen knives it means both the ferrule and the finger guard. The one on the left has no bolster but it does have a finger guard. The one on the right has a bolster but no finger guard.
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Some knives have both

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@stringer is correct!
Not sure why some people here call the finger guard on a Sabatier or some German knives a bolster, but they do.

Not as confused as the difference between the machi and emoto though...
 
Handle bolster is to keep crap out of the scales, the blade bolster is to make a sort of I-beam to stiffen the choil. That's my best guess :D

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HRC_64 said:
Handle bolster is to keep crap out of the scales, the blade bolster is to make a sort of I-beam to stiffen the choil. That's my best guess :D
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I've seen people theorize that the finger guard might have originally been more about strengthening the blade to prevent failures during drop forging. Calling it a "finger guard" is probably just marketing. And later the "finger guard" became a way to distinguish forged knives from "lesser quality" stamped knives. And now they make stamped knives with shrunken vestigial finger guards as an appeal to tradition I guess. At least they are easier to sharpen.

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bahamaroot said:
The emoto is the actual neck of the knife. The machi is the gap between to emoto(neck) and the handle of the knife when to tang is not fully inserted into the handle.
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Many would disagree. To most around here, the machi is a step down from the neck to a thinner tang. A gap is a gap. You can have knives with machi that don’t have a gap, eg the Kochi with machi at JKI.
 
stringer said:
I've seen people theorize that the finger guard might have originally been more about strengthening the blade to prevent failures during drop forging. Calling it a "finger guard" is probably just marketing. And later the "finger guard" became a way to distinguish forged knives from "lesser quality" stamped knives. And now they make stamped knives with shrunken vestigial finger guards as an appeal to tradition I guess. At least they are easier to sharpen.

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Sounds like as good of an explanation as any. I could never get the straight answer on why this finger guard/bolster abomination is needed and why people insist on putting it on knives. It is such a pain to sharpen around this "feature". I've read some say that it allows the heel of the knife to be used in place of a cleaver for some heavy duty stuff, but lets be serious.... Tall knives have a built in finger guard since the blade extends below the handle. Many outdoor knives have it too and it makes them difficult to sharpen on flat stones for no particular benefit.
 
Yes...the emoto is the neck and the machi is a step down from a wide emoto to a thinner tang...and a gap is a gap.

Like I said...many here are confused by this...
 
@stringer is on point here regarding Finger Guards and Bolsters

+1 Machi is the step not the gap.

My Konosuke HD and Gesshin Ginga have a machi, but handle install is flush with no gap. My Tsukiji Masamoto Gyutos have Machis and gaps.

I suppose if "Machi" referred to the gap itself, it would be "Adjusting the Machi" not "Adjusting the Machi Gap"

Mowgs
 
Most sources I can find seem to use "Machi" to denote the entire area between the line of the heel and the handle.
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There are also a few sites that use "Emoto", but there are fewer of those.
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I don't know whether one is more correct than the other, or whether the two terms are synonyms. @JBroida?
 
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Michi said:
I don't know whether one is more correct than the other, or whether the two terms are synonyms. @JBroida?
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Your first picture doesn't show the actual machi.
This how I would explain it:
  1. The emoto is the neck between the handle and the blade.
  2. Nakago is the tang, which is inserted into the handle, as in your second picture. This handle has no machi. The tang has a gradual taper.
  3. Some tangs have a step instead of a gradual taper. The step is called a machi.
  4. Some handles are installed with the machi inserted flush into the handle so one cannot see it. This might be the case in your first picture. I think you have a 210mm Kaeru that should be like this.
  5. Some handles are installed with an exposed machi or machi gap so one can see the step down in the tang.
This is a blade with a machi, and handle installed with a machi gap:
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The above pictured knife does not have a bolster or finger guard...
 
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HRC_64 said:
Handle bolster is to keep crap out of the scales, the blade bolster is to make a sort of I-beam to stiffen the choil. That's my best guess :D
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Well they failed, as they only made a 'T' and not an 'I' :D

Anywho, it's more of a plate/ web stiffener then making it into a beam.
 
ian said:
Anyone else hate the look of machi gaps, too?
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I don't mind the look of them, they have a classic appeal.
They make a lot of sense, from a usability standpoint. I think most people here are used to epoxied/immovable handles where it makes no sense.
 
Kippington said:
I don't mind the look of them, they have a classic appeal.
They make a lot of sense, from a usability standpoint. I think most people here are used to epoxied/immovable handles where it makes no sense.
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what’s the sense? Do they make it easier to remove the handle?
 
ian said:
Anyone else hate the look of machi gaps, too?
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Generally I dislike the look and its one of the reasons I gave up on Konosuke. I find them uncomfortable on a gyuto in the pinch grip and the gap tends to accumulate crap/moisture. However I like the aesthetic on a traditional Japanese blade such as a Yanagiba.
 
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ian said:
what’s the sense? Do they make it easier to remove the handle?
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I think it allows repeated handle removal and reinstallation when they are burned in, rather than epoxied. Each time the handle is hammered into place it opens up the hole a little more. If the handle was installed with no machi gap the next time you hammer it on the tang it will be loose. Thats how I understand things.
 
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Corradobrit1 said:
I think it allows repeated handle removal and reinstallation when they are burned in, rather than epoxied. Each time the handle is hammered into place it opens up the hole a little more. If the handle was installed with no machi gap the next time you hammer it on the tang it will be loose. Thats how I understand things.
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A gap makes sense if one polishes their blade frequently and need to reinstall the same handle numerous times.
Otherwise I prefer a flush burn on or hot glue but never epoxy...I can't think of and reason use epoxy instead of hot glue.
 
ian said:
what’s the sense? Do they make it easier to remove the handle?
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"A quick note on machi gaps...

I know that many on here do not like them, so i thought i would take some time to explain a bit about them. First, the biggest thing to know is that there are regional differences in aesthetics. Kanto tends to like large gaps, while kansai does not. However, most knife makers/retailers/wholesalers in japan will still leave them if it makes more sense to than not. However, on request from many us retailers, many wholesalers in japan have started installing the handles flush with the handle. So, the question becomes "why leave a gap?"

There are a few reasons the gaps are left... here are some of the top ones

-When the neck of the knife is short (which can happen for a variety of reasons or sometimes none at all), the spacing between the choil and the handle becomes important. This space should be large enough to fit about 80% of your middle finger when holding the knife in a pinch grip. Smaller than this will be too small and is uncomfortable to hold. Larger than this will be too loose and can make rotary control of the knife more difficult than it should be. 80% or so gives enough space for the finger to fit, but is tight enough that the finger is still in contact with the handle for rotational stability. Also, what i have just said is based on what one would expect for a gyuto. Ideal sizes will be different based on knife types, expected grips, intended customers, etc.

-Handle installation... This is not only for ease of installing handles in the traditional japanese way (which is easier than using epoxy, allows for easier handle replacement, and removal of handles for maintenance), but also allows for knife placement relative to the handle. Knives with no machi will have a spine that is significantly lower than the top of the handle for example. On significantly harder woods (like ebony), the tang with the machi makes installation significantly easier with less chance of the wood cracking (which can be a problem with ebony)."

- JKI blog​

https://www.japaneseknifeimports.com/blogs/news/64518725-a-series-of-notes-on-various-subjects

I should write a bit about machi gaps and their relationship with ferrules coz it would help make more sense. But it's like 5:30am here and I'm on my phone... Maybe tomorrow. :p
 
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stringer said:
I've seen people theorize that the finger guard might have originally been more about strengthening the blade to prevent failures during drop forging. Calling it a "finger guard" is probably just marketing. And later the "finger guard" became a way to distinguish forged knives from "lesser quality" stamped knives. And now they make stamped knives with shrunken vestigial finger guards as an appeal to tradition I guess. At least they are easier to sharpen.

View attachment 67173
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There's some truth about protecting from cutting. I've seen it enough times that I ended up rounding the part as a post sharpening routine after a talk with the owners. I know some manufacturers do this even more. Technically, that's part of the "return" and it being really sharp serves no purpose as part of the return (might make it worse), but maybe some people use it for something else and need it sharp.
The guard could be a pain on the long run as most people don't have the means to keep it under control, sooner of later, depending on how sharpening and maintenence in general are done.

Usually, as guys try to sell knives to restaurants, they say that the missing guard means the knife was made for professional work and not home. Obviously, not really true, but again, not having a guard makes things much easier in that environment.
 
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