Kabar refurbish ideas..?

[Shanghai McCoy]

While doing some cleanup/sort out I found my old dive knife from my Navy days. Well, what remains of it that is...
Some time in the long ago Past I must have removed the leather handle, no doubt it was the worse for wear due to the salt water exposure.
Anyway, I still have the blade, butt cap and the guard. Which, BTW, has CAMILLUS N.Y. U.S.N. MARK2 so, technically , it's not a true Kabar.
Any ideas on where to get some leather replacement handle parts for this old thing..? I could punch some circles out of my scrap I suppose but, if there is a kit available that would no doubt look better. Wish I still had the old sheath but that's loooong gone.

 

[rcmodel]

Pre-cut washers:
http://www.knifemaking.com/category-s/565.htm

I find it far easier & free to just cut them out of scrap leather.
They don't even need to be round to start with, as long as the tang holes fit the tang tightly.

I glue them up with epoxy as I put them on the tang.
You need to figure out a jury-rig clamp of some sort to put compression on them before installing the butt cap.

Once assembled, shape the leather handle with a belt sander using a course belt for shaping and a fine belt for finishing.

Cut the Kabar grooves with a chain saw file, or a Dremel tool.

Here's a couple I have done:




rc

 

[Shanghai McCoy]

Thanks for the tips and the link rc.
Those are some good looking knives that you fixed up. I especially like how you did that bayonet knife and that sheath for it is a fine piece of craftsmanship as well.

 

[hso]

technically , it's not a true Kabar

Ummm, Camillus produced more of USN MkII knives for the government than any other manufacturer and produced them longer than any other contractor.


Knifekits also carries leather washers and other supplies.
http://www.knifekits.com/vcom/index.php?cPath=2_320

 

[Shanghai McCoy]

Thanks for the info and link hso. I have seen and carried a lot of Camillus made knives in the past, always wondered why, and know I know.
BTW,I also found an old KABAR marked blade in my stack of stuff. Just the blade but the tang is in one piece. It's in rough shape too but, dang, it's a sure enough KABAR...

 

[lemaymiami]

Here's a tip if you do re-build that handle in the way RC recommends. Some of the better DIY books on rodbuilding will list or show how to make a cork clamp for gluing up cork rings and compressing them tightly as the epoxy cures out when building a quality fishing rod. Those same clamps (two wood blocks with a pair of threaded rods and associated hardware) should be just the ticket for doing up a really solid glued handle before the sanding process...

I'm not a knife maker but have done many, many fishing rods in this manner over the years...