15OT: Renovate, Restore, or Retire?

[JHouston]

Your thoughts please.

I picked up a well used 15ot on eBay for cheap. It should be in this week and I am trying to decide exactly what to do with it. I've always wanted to customize a knife, but only in practical ways. But, while not totally uncommon, a 15ot is not an everyday knife either. So, since I also have a brand new one thats never been used or sharpened, what should I do with this one:

1. Replace the handle with some natural material (I was thinking removable hickory handles with bone or stone inserts), and either blue or "gun-kote" the blade.
2. Keep the original handle, and polish the blade to get it back to close to As-New as possible.
3. Clean it, oil it, and otherwise leave as-is.

Anyway you slice it, this will be my "user" if I ever have need of a huntin' knife (LOL, oh yeah, like that will ever really happen with this middle aged computer geek). I don't see it as a museum piece, but they aren't making any more of them either.

I guess what I'm saying is: Which would be the best way to improve the knife: Renovate (overhaul) it, Restore it, or effectively Retire it with scares and find something else to do a frankenstein on.

 

[Codger_64]

I have been facing this very delima myself with 165OT's. My answer (after listening to the voices of reason on this board) was to acquire a second one. And a third. And a fourth. One, on the scale of 1-10 is a #10. This is my keeper and woe to the person who uses it to cut an onion. The second is a #7 and it has been my hunting companion for many, many years. They just do not wear out unless abused or neglected. Third and fourth knives are ebay finds in #5-#6 shape. They will be rescaled with birds eye maple, and probably used like a good knife should be. If they turn out too pretty, then they will be displayed with the #10 knife.

True they don't make any more of them, but a #5 will never again be a new #10. The Schrade 15OT Deerslayer was made from 1964 through 1997. My own thought is for you to do what you want with the knife and get one NIB to keep put up.

Codger

P.S.- If the knife you bought was the hog hunter's knife I saw, congratulations. You have a veteran that has "seen the elephant". It deserves to be rescaled and kept in service. HOOOORAH!

 

[JHouston]

Yep, the hog hunter's be the one. The picture and the blade coloring was just too intriging and I've brought enough leather back to life over the years that I felt the sheath has a chance of being salvagable, too. Once I see what it looks like up close, I'll be in a better position to evaluate the potental of each.