1st Post - Already Need Help With This Old Ka-Bar

Awesome work Charles! Thank you for updating that the leather was infact dry rotted and not useable. I took your word on that from the beginning. Especially when you clearly showed a photo of it. I'm in completely agree with you on older steel being "better". Unless you get specific steel for something.(like I do for my knives). Anyone who has older hand tools can attest to this. And I'm with you on "tinkering" with stuff. I build firearms, make knives and much of my tooling. I taught myself all of this by just DOING IT. But it stemmed from ALWAYS taking things apart to see how they worked. Looking forward to seeing your finished product.
 
DavidHoback said:
And I'm with you on "tinkering" with stuff. I build firearms, make knives and much of my tooling. I taught myself all of this by just DOING IT. But it stemmed from ALWAYS taking things apart to see how they worked. Looking forward to seeing your finished product.
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LOL I think we have a lot in common. I built (basically just assembled) an Uzi 9mm from a parts kit about a year ago. Every single gun I own has been either built from a parts kit or "customized" with different furniture, etc.

Do you - or anyone else - know where I can get a synthetic handle for this thing? I have thought about just buying a cheap Chinese one and hacking it up and removing the handle and putting it on this knife, but if I can get one from a parts site that would OK, too. Still scared about this leather.
 
Bill DeShivs said:
When you get you new washers and get them compressed onto the tang, grind/file the leather in one direction only to cut it down. You do not need to lacquer it or otherwise treat the leather. After it is finish sanded (in the same direction,) you an put a few coats of paste wax on it.
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Thanks for the advice, Bill. I am teetering in between doing the leather handle or possibly a synthetic one. You don't know of a parts site that sells handles for these by any chance, do you?
 
Ordered the leather kit from Ka-Bar today. Hopefully the pommel pin will be the same size as the hole on the tang. Couldn't find one from Camillus. Wonder how much of a job this would be to go at it without a belt sander? Would I contract carpel tunnel if I did it by hand?
 
I've never seen any other handle on one Charles. If the leather ends up giving you trouble, you could always buy some G10, or Micarta, Carbon Fiber, etc...Cut squares out of whatever composit you went with. Drill and slot the pieces, then epoxy the pieces, 1 at a time. Use the but cap and pin as normal. Let it cure, and shape the handle just as you would the leather.

Very cool on the gun building. That is where I started-with parts kits. MANY Ak47s. Then I transitioned to Ar-15s(which I still build for people), and I have recently built a long range rifle, and a couple 1911s. A 1911 was actually the first gun I built AFTER my accident & arm/hand being paralyzed. I was deeply depressed right before, thinking about what I had lost, being disabled. But I never thought about what I had gained. God put building another 1911 in my path, and I told myself no matter how long it took-even if it took me a year..if I could finish building it, I could do anything. It took me 5 weeks! The first one took me 3 months with 2 hands! With The Lord, all things are possible.

Sorry to come off topic. Just thought you might appreciate that story Charles.
 
No I don't mind the off topic stuff LOL. My uncle - who just passed away a little over a year ago and lived next door to me - was paralyzed from the waist down for my entire life. Motorcycle accident in 1974. He never gave up trying to walk and managed to do so with the help of crutches, though after he got older he had to use a wheelchair. He never stopped driving and he liked to tinker with stuff, too. He was a watch repairman. I have a lot of his old WWII and Vietnam military watches I am trying to get repaired right now.

I built my 1 AR. I would like to get into building AK's, but parts kits are so darn expensive now. They are like $350 for Romanian kits and upwards of $750 for Russian kits.
 
OK. So I attached the guard using JB weld and sanded it flat on the underside. Got it square and flat and ready to add the leather. I then gave it a coat of flat black ceramic engine block paint. Just waiting for the leather rings and spacers to get here so I can get started.

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Well, I got the leather washers on. I was able to fit all of them on there, but I had to sand a little off the last one to thin it down. I got the top spacer on, but the one on the bottom wouldn't fit. I used the old pommel. The only parts I used from the kit were the washers, top spacer, and pin.

I have these leftover parts from the kit:

  • Hand Guard
  • Pommel
  • Bottom Spacer

I hope the washers are pressed on there tight enough. I tapped around them with a hammer and used carpenters glue. I guess I will start looking for a bench grinder or belt sander to shape the handle now.
 
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Here is a bonafide WWII Kabar USN Mk 2. As they were not stamped on the ricasso but the guard. Later after WWII Camillus made them and stamped it on the ricasso. Around 1960. Refer to pg. 377 in Blade's Guide To Knives. This knife was carried by my Father in WWII and has been in our family ever since his return. Mine has the same missing leather disk as yours but leather does not look the same. DM
 
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The fuller grooves on mine are different than yours. Probably from being 15 years earlier. Good luck on your refurbish project. DM
 
DavidHoback said:
Well that's fantastic Bill. I admitted you were correct about the handle pin. But you said the handle is new. Read the OPs post again.

"The real issue is with the old leather handle. It's shot. It's dried up, cracked, and mildewed."

What do you think? He doesn't know what dry rotted leather is? Do you think he doesn't know what mildew is. And I showed a link selling the knife for $40. So I was $10 off. Sorry, it's been about 12 years since I researched buying one of them. So I don't understand what you being a knife repair shop has to with my comment. I can admit to being wrong on something. You should take a note. Because it's just offputting when a person thinks everything they say is Gospel. Even when proof is right there. Your a liberal democrat, aren't you? That would make sense.

Anyway, nice little plug on your part though. But I don't think the OP wants to PAY YOU to do work for him. That's the difference between us. Besides that your a liberal- that I try to help. If I'm incorrect on a point I'm glad when someone tells me. Although using loaded statements like "lots of misinformation here", is just distasteful. But your here to make money. That's it! Your not looking to help. You look to spread your name and make money. Like you are doing now. So go ahead and respond with more banter. I certainly know who NOT to have ever repair a knife. Others will as well when you keep this up.

And I do see the handle repair kit for $7 now. I agree that's the way to go. I wasn't aware of that. I am now, thank you. Good to know.
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I don't give a hang about politics, but as for the rest Bill has consistently given solid advice re restoration and truing of a lot of different cutlery. I can't recall an instance where he was wrong about something and it doesn't appear to be the case this time either.

And even if he IS plugging for his business that's 100% A OK, nothing duplicitous about it. He's a paying member, supports the site with real $, and it is understood and expected he might put in a plug for his business just like folks that sharpen or do regrinds etc etc might if someone asks a question related to those aspects.


To the OP, that thing looks great now! Like to see it all finished and with a new sheath as well. I used to backpack with the Naval version Mk2 (just like David Martin's) before I stopped carrying "big" knives for camping.
 
No business plug- just wanted him to know I wasn't some guy off the street that was guessing what to do.
I have all the business that I need, but thanks for sticking up for me.
 
Didn't look like a plug to me either. Looked like a conversation that needed some more input :)

Also makes me want one of those, I gifted my old one and who knows where it is now.
 
I appreciate all the advice and encouragement, gentlemen. I realize I probably could have bought a new one of these by now with all the time and materials I have tied up in this old thing, but this has been pretty enjoyable - thus far.

I just hope the washers are going to be good n' tight. They feel like they are going to be OK, but I still wish I had gotten the newer, thicker, pommel and the bottom spacer on there just to crush the washers to each other a little tighter. I stacked them shiny-side towards the hand guard. I put one drop of that "Newer Formula" Elmer's Carpenter Wood Glue on the washers on each side of the tang, then added another washer on top that I had briefly soaked in a 50/50 wood glue & water mix. Repeated this process. Had to sand away some of the rough side of the last washer to get a tight fit. I tried to tap them on tight with a regular size ball-peen hammer. If I had it to do all over again, I would have used a chisel or short flat-head screwdriver to tap the leather down where it meets the tang. I don't think I was getting that part as tamped down as I should have been.

I also wish I had held off on painting it - except for the tang. Needed to at least hit the tang with primer to prevent it rusting up again (I would think). Also wish I would have put the newer hand guard now that I get to looking at that old USN MK2 you posted, David LOL. I bent my smallest punch driving in that pin. After I bent the crap out of the punch, I switched to the next size up (which happened to be the perfect size).

Like I mentioned earlier, I assume by the way I found this knife, some other guy had tried repair it and just gave up. I might screw it up yet, but at least I got further than that guy.
 
Leather washers were compressed with a piece of pipe that was hit with a hammer, in the knife factories. Blade was held in a vise.
You can shape the handle with sharp rasps and sharp files. Again- only cut in one direction, around the leather. Sand if you wish-same direction. Finish with a coat of paste wax or shoe polish.
It looks good so far.
 
The Dremel nicked up a few places on the pommel and underneath the hand guard, so I am going to:

  • Tape it up and paint the blade, hand guard, and pommel again
  • Cut 5 circular grooves in the handle with a triangle-edged file
  • Paint the grooves black with a Sharpie marker
  • Apply some red shoe polish to the handle
  • Put an edge on the blade
 
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Just put on a good helping of Kiwi Cordova Shoe Polish. I am debating whether or not to cut the grooves now. I am afraid I might screw it up. It's not perfect but it's not bad for my first attempt at something like this LOL.
 
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