Buck 119 dulling.

[MolokaiRider]

Old style, no liner.


New style, removable plastic liner, but does not contact the edge.

Not sure how the knife is getting dulled, as it's edge is just contacting leather.

 

[Billabong01]

Here is a sheath I made for this rehandled (by me) 119 Brahma.
Made from mil spec webbing belt folded and sewn.
Quick, simple, cheap and easy to make.
The "liner" is 1 inch agricultural irrigation poly pipe, about $2 per meter.
Easy to shape (hairdryer or hold over flame on gas cooker).
It is held in place by a bit of sticky back velcro, same as Spec-ops brand sheaths.
Liner is softer on blades than kydex but still rigid enough not to fold if you land on it, and no rattle!
I've never had any issues with the edge blunting with this knife or the one I use for my Ka-Bar or Randalls.

 

[Ebbtide]

Maybe you could wedge a strip of leather or cardboard between the sheath body and the insert so the blade is held firmly.
Probably be fiddly to fit but once done it’d be worth it.

 

[Hale Storm]

Dulling a 119? Had that issue once - I put a mixture of a half cup vinegar, half cup bleach, quarter cup flour onto the hollow ground part, wrap it in aluminum foil (tightly), place it in a pan for no longer than 30m at 405f in the oven, and I usually don't have that problem anymore.

I personally use an SRK sheath from Hale Storm for my 110 as it fits, has the Kydex, but is larger ever so slightly to not smash on it, and holds it in place well.

Thank you. I'm glad you're happy with it.

 

[jude_061]

I pulled the insert out of my sheath forthwith. To be honest I thought it was just there to maintain the shape; like what they put in shoes. For what it’s worth, it was a modern leather sheath for an 80s 440c 119.

 

[zmaj]

Just throwing in my 2 cents but most plastic sheath inserts I've run into, if removable from the sheath, can be form fitted/adjusted by
using a heat gun or hair dryer. Maybe that might apply here, maybe not.

I might give this a try, thank you.

 

[zmaj]

Old style, no liner.
View attachment 2220409

New style, removable plastic liner, but does not contact the edge.

Not sure how the knife is getting dulled, as it's edge is just contacting leather.
View attachment 2220408

I think what is happening is the belly is scraping the leather up and down as it rattles so almost like a strop to an extent.

 

[zmaj]

Maybe you could wedge a strip of leather or cardboard between the sheath body and the insert so the blade is held firmly.
Probably be fiddly to fit but once done it’d be worth it.

Yep this was in my mind as well. I really like this sheath as well and the design so I'm willing to put in a bit of effort to keep it. I might take out the plastic insert all together and try to wedge it with just leather.

 

[zmaj]

I pulled the insert out of my sheath forthwith. To be honest I thought it was just there to maintain the shape; like what they put in shoes. For what it’s worth, it was a modern leather sheath for an 80s 440c 119.

Buck told me it was to prevent rattling but evidently it doesn't in my case, even if it was to prevent rattling I don't really see how it would. Before I sent it in to buck I took out the insert and broke it, for me it was the same (or close enough) whether it was there or not and I hate plastic so getting rid of it is a plus.

 

[zmaj]

Here is a sheath I made for this rehandled (by me) 119 Brahma.
Made from mil spec webbing belt folded and sewn.
Quick, simple, cheap and easy to make.
The "liner" is 1 inch agricultural irrigation poly pipe, about $2 per meter.
Easy to shape (hairdryer or hold over flame on gas cooker).
It is held in place by a bit of sticky back velcro, same as Spec-ops brand sheaths.
Liner is softer on blades than kydex but still rigid enough not to fold if you land on it, and no rattle!
I've never had any issues with the edge blunting with this knife or the one I use for my Ka-Bar or Randalls.

That's pretty interesting and your brahma is beautiful. How did you go about rehandling it?

 

[zmaj]

Get ahold of Buck and ask for a better sheath. They might fix this problem for future sheaths. Can't hurt to try.

I emailed them about it and sent in the knife and sheath and it came back with the exact same problem thought to be fair to them they did replace my insert and sharpen my knife which fixed the uneven bevels I put in, I don't even know if they charged me for it, I doubt it though, I think the only thing I payed for was buying the shipping label to send it in. I could try asking again to see if they would provide a new sheath though.

 

[zmaj]

Back when I had a 119 ages ago itther was no plastic insert inside the sheath.
Could you verify that the plastic insert is removable? Because if not, it can not be modified.
If it can be removed, could you show us a photo?

Yeah it's removable. I even took it out and tore apart the one I had before. I don't know how to upload photos here so I can't. But you can find pictures online.

 

[zmaj]

A serviceable leather sheath isn’t all that hard.
Lots of good info in the “Sheaths & Such” sub forum.
But beware, once you start they’re like those potato chips…. Ya can’t stop at one.

Oh that bottom 119 (I assume it's a 119) handle is absolutely gorgeous. I'd love to have handle, if you did do it, can you explain how or link some youtube videos explaining it?

 

[rustinxcohle]

I think the plastic was put in there to prevent stabbing through the sheath if knife not inserted correctly. On the older sheath style shown above or the sheath of the 124 this is unlikely to happen because of the design.

 

[zmaj]

View attachment 2219713View attachment 2219714View attachment 2219715
As I said. KA-BAR sheath for 120 or Randall model 1. Triple K 6” fits 119 or a PAL-36. 5” fits a USN MKI the 4” with a Western L66. These sheaths carry well and do not rattle.

Have you ever had an issue with the clasp or whatever it's called coming open unintentionally?

 

[eveled]

No not really. Every once in a blue moon. Only if it catches on something.

 

[Blue Sky]

With the liner removed, you could wet-form the leather onto the blade, which would then keep it from wiggling around inside? That would change the look of the sheath (flatter), so that may or may not work out for you aesthetically.

 

[Ebbtide]

Oh that bottom 119 (I assume it's a 119) handle is absolutely gorgeous. I'd love to have handle, if you did do it, can you explain how or link some youtube videos explaining it?

Thank you. That knife was a “rescue” that I inherited from a member here. Leo had convexed the blade but the handle was beat up and chipped.

It looks like an attempt to cut off the butt cap was made….
I very carefully ( ) beat the handle with a hammer breaking all of the plastic/phenolic/whatever off.

Then I drilled the olive wood & buffalo horn and cut holes in the spacer material.

Epoxied together, pin hole located and drilled with the pin epoxied in place the shaping began
All by hand. A rasp, files and sandpaper were used. An 80 grit belt cut and stretched over a paint stick or large old file removed a lot of material quickly.
Some work on the blade with finer and finer sandpaper and it was done.

If you have questions ask away.
Rescues and blade blanks are great fun. They build a special appreciation for the pieces in your collection.

ETA: after breaking the plastic off, I used a hacksaw to cut through the butt cap and pin.

 

[GPyro]

I think the plastic was put in there to prevent stabbing through the sheath if knife not inserted correctly. On the older sheath style shown above or the sheath of the 124 this is unlikely to happen because of the design.

I've done that with sheaths that don't have the plastic insert.

I don't see how the presence or absence of the insert can effect the knife dulling.
The edge doesn't rub on the insert.
You may hear the knife rattle with insert more than without it...

 

[Ebbtide]

I’m thinking it’s a wire edge that’s being rubbed off.