Putting new handle to ka-bar

[A.L.]

Hi

Over the year I've been using ka-bar a lot, breaking off the guard and eventually radically modifying the handle. Now I got tired of it and peeled the handle off (kraton or what was it).

I want to put a new handle to it, preferrably wooden but it's not that must (you may recommend something if you like). The problem is, that I don't have much equipment. There's no big deal with fitting the handle but how to attach the handle so that it stays in place. As you may know, the tang is same width all the way not narrowing towards the tip.

So any ideas how I could keep it in place without buying too much equipment.. Im on a budget line here.

Thanks!

 

[TheFlash]

If you want a solid handle, you could get a carbide drill and drill a couple holes through the tang. Then, carefully align the holes in your handle material with the tang holes and use some pins to help fasten the handle.

Or, if you want to do a bit of metal work, maybe you could create a pommel out of brass or nickel-silver (or buy one from Koval or other knifemaking supply places) and make another stacked leather washer handle.

From a friend, I received a beat-up WWII era Kabar knife where the handle had rotted away and the knife itself was in a bit of rough shape. Picking up some fiber spacer material and pre-punched leather washers, I glued up a new handle for the Kabar. At the guard end and the pommel end, it now has black-white-red-white-black fiber spacer pattern. It's taken me a lot of work with a hand bastard file and a Dremel to grind down all that excess leather, but I'm getting a lot closer to the finished product. Just a bit more grinding and then it'll be time to do the final finish on the leather handle.
Let me know if you'd like to see pics of where the project is at now...

Good luck!

Regards,
Mike

 

[A.L.]

No harm with the pictures, please show them!
What kind of glue are you using with the leather handle?