Stacked leather handle?

S

stockdog

Joined
Jun 25, 2006
Messages
654
Anyone have any long time field use of a stacked leather handled knife like the Case or Ka-Bar Finn. Some weekend trips you just get wet and I would like to know how they hold up for the long haul. Thanks.
 
I have a western boy scout knife that I got new and have used for 40 years. Getting wet was never a problem. When I was gone for about 4 years, it was stored in a damp garage and mold grew on it and it was gross. I washed it off with saddle soap and oiled it. There was some pitting to both the leather and aluminum butt cap, but it was minor and I am still using it 20 years later. I have two others, 60 and 70 years old and German, except for having to tighten the nut when I got them, 35 years ago, they still are in great shape. The western has a pinned pommel and the leather has never shrunk, cracked, etc. I sometimes put mineral oil on their handles when I oil their carbon blades, but it's really not needed.
 
I've got several leather handled knives ranging from Camillus and Ka-Bar to Blackjack and Randall, all users, never had any problems. I know there are still guys carrying old WW2 models that are as tight as ever. Just take care of 'em. Just my 2cents.
 
with very little basic care, i have and carried a Cattaraugus 225Q knife from WW2 that i scored off fleabay and aside from a miniscule amount of movement in the guard area the handle is tight and very stable, used some mink oil on it and its been good to go. excellent knife
ivan
 
I have my grandfather's KaBar he carried through the Pacific campaign in WWII as a Marine. You'd better believe those knives got plenty wet, and were used hard! The handle on his still looks great, after 60+ years. I would say stacked leather is plenty tough.
 
Moving this one along to a more appropriate venue...
 
i have a stacked leather handle knife and the handle shrunk(?) i think. it is loose...what can i do?
 
I understood that stacked leather handles ceased to be used in certain knives (can't remember which) after it was found that they rotted in the jungle. Of course that may be because they where more or less constantly damp, if not wet, and warm, creating the perfect conditions for rapid mould growth. So I would say that so long as you avoid using them in warm, humid enviroments for prolonged periods (I'm assuming it took weeks or months, not days) then you should be fine.
 
theedge13 said:
i have a stacked leather handle knife and the handle shrunk(?) i think. it is loose...what can i do?
Click to expand...

My personal way, is to heat the leather washers with a regular hair dryer, then start smearing on SnoSeal, let it melt and soak in, and keep repeadting until the handle washers swell back up nice and tight.

Here is my Cattaraugus 225Q before and after cleaning and handle treating.

Before:
Cattaraugus-225Q-Pile.jpg


After:
Cattaraugus-225Q-Pile-FINAL.jpg
 
Thank you Chris...that helps! Nice job on yours! Here is my leather handled knife in question...center pig sticker...
DSCN0109.jpg
[/IMG]
 
I have a Camillus pilots survival knife that has seen a good number of years of use. A lot of it extreme. The handle has held up extremely well. All I've done to maintain it is wipe a bit of boot dressing on it occasionaly.
 
A few years ago, I bought a block of beeswax from a hobby/crafts store.
Whenever I get a stacked leather washer handled knife (my favorite handle), I take an hour or two and massage some hand-warmth softened beeswax into the leather. (Seals the handle nicely and smells great, too!)
Now I have plenty of 'user' knives with leather handles that have held up well through the years. (I've also re-handled an old WWII-era Kabar knife with new leather washer handles. A friend bought it on ebay and the handles had been left to rot away. So, I replaced 'em...)

Regards,
Mike
 
I have a Camillus pilot's knife that I bought from Cabela's. I think it was a military overstock, never used, the sheath is starting to deteriorate. It was made in the early 80's. The leather handle was terribly dried out, and I sno-sealed it also. It helped, but I think I'm going to try and heat it up as suggested, and do a couple more treatments.
 
theedge13 said:
i have a stacked leather handle knife and the handle shrunk(?) i think. it is loose...what can i do?
Click to expand...


I have an old leather-handled Case from the '30s that I refurbished. Its leather handle washers were in great condition, but the aluminum butt cap was loose. I used a heat gun and saturated the leather with Sno-Seal, but it didn't help. Research showed the aluminum butt cap was held on with a plug of solder. I clamped the knife in a vise, put a torch flame on the butt, melted the plug, then forced the cap down as hard as possible while the solder solidified. It helped. (At the factory, they used a special press to hold the butt cap down while they poured molten lead into the end.)

'30s%20Case%201b%20.jpg




Maybe yours uses the solder plug technique?

Stay sharp,
desmobob
 
Last edited:
I have two old, leather-stacked handled knives (from both of my grandfathers). Each has seen heavy use in the big woods of northern WI and overseas in the European Theatre. They're still fully capable today, though in the last few years I've relegated them to places of respect. Perhaps not the first choice for a (long term) diver's or jungle knife, in most environments they just need to be wiped down (like any knife or weapon). Once in a great while it's good to apply a restorative protectant. Obenauf's Heavy Duty Leather Preservative (LP) I would rate first in line, but you can't go wrong with mink oil, beeswax, or sno-seal. What you're trying to avoid is excessive and/or repetitive swelling and shrinking, which would loosen the handle over time.
 
Wow
Blues thanks for the move, normally live in BUCK and Traditional but you have expanded my world.
To the rest great information and a Ka-Bar is on the way to my belt. Thanks for the info.
 
The ka-bar I had was fine, I only used it for two years, and though it did dry some, it would have been nothing to soften it a bit.
 
I carry an Ontario Pilots Survival with stacked leather. Had it for about 4 years and it has seen plenty of water from rain to sloshing around in the bottom of a kayak. I used linseed oil on my leather handle and sheath
 
I have an Al Mar Grunt II that has held up pretty well for its age.
I was considering replacing it with Micarta, but have reconsidered. I'll leave it as Mr. Mar intended it to be.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top