KA-BAR 1217 handle refurb

I just used a cut off wheel to cut the pommel off. The handle kit comes with a new pommel. I used Cordovan shoe polish on the leather after using sharpie marker in the grooves.
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The contraption was to compress the leather washers. I did use the drum sander for some of the final shaping. For the rough shaping I used a carpentry 4 inch belt sander. Glued and compressed the leather is very hard. I don’t see it being possible with hand tools. Cutting the grooves I used a round metal file
 
Ruari said:
It wasn't too difficult to remove the handle once I'd got the pin out. Hello Ruari , As I am also from the UK and in the process of looking for a pre owned Ka-Bar 1217 or its " Shorter version" for a reasonable price in good condition to refurb / customise with brass guard and cap , stag horn handle with end spacers (if its feasible) I was interested to find out Ka Bar supplied you with a spare pin and pommel (was this an easy process ) ? Also which method did you use to compress the leather washers to get the pommel fitted ? Failing this I will buy a Ka bar as it is for my collection , something Ive fancied for a long time .



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B bigeard09 hello mate, I got in touch with Kabar directly, they sent me out the replacement pin.
The leather washer I cut out (from an old belt), was slightly thicker than I needed, so it was sufficient to just apply enough pressure to squeeze the replacement leather down, and get the pin into the pommel. I did secure the pin with epoxy as well.
Then I just did some trimming of the leather to get it all in shape.
 
GOH TECK WEE said:
I have a Ka-bar USMC fighting knife which I purchase in 1988/89. The leather stacks on the handle has cracked up pretty badly so I decided that I would try to replace it after watching a video of a replacement attempt on youtube.

However i am still having difficulties getting the pommel off the tang. I have drilled the pommel to remove the pin but somehow it wont come off. Then I figured that perhaps I did not drill deep enough and hence i continued drilling (using a hand drill) until the drill bit went through the entire pommel. Still the tang would not come off.

On hindsight, I took a second hole at the hole which i drilled and I discover that it may not have been perfectly straight to the centre of the tang. It is kinda off centre.

What are my options at this point now that I have drilled it completely through, albeit, wrongly. Should I try to re-drill to make a bigger hole?

I managed to get the replacement leather stacks (which came without any pommel or pin)

Will be grateful for any kind of assistance.
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How off center is the hole you drilled?
If it is not much, you could reuse the pommel.
Just drill it right through, carefully, with the same size drill bit as the pin.

How large is the hole you drilled?
You can use a larger pin, within reason, but may have to drill out the hole in the tang as well.

Another option would be to get the rebuild kit from Ka-Bar which has the guard, pommel and pin.

When I rebuild a knife using the original pommel, I always drill the pommel right through, then lightly countersink each side.
I use a new pin long enough to go right through, and leave enough out each side to peen it over.
(Same as the WW2 pinned versions, and the current milspec Ontario 498.)
This stops it coming out, and is also a lot easier to remove than the "Blind pin" setup which is standard.
If you need any more help,just ask.
Hope this helps.
 
Ruari said:
B bigeard09 hello mate, I got in touch with Kabar directly, they sent me out the replacement pin.
The leather washer I cut out (from an old belt), was slightly thicker than I needed, so it was sufficient to just apply enough pressure to squeeze the replacement leather down, and get the pin into the pommel. I did secure the pin with epoxy as well.
Then I just did some trimming of the leather to get it all in shape.
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Thanks for that bud
 
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