tightning up a ka-bar handle

[frontiersman]

I have an older ka-bar I've had for about 20 years. After some light battoning, I noticed the cross guard was kinda loose. I was wondering if there was any way to tighten it up. Is there some kind of oil I can put on the leather handle to swell it up or something like that?

 

[r-winter]

iv had the same problem with several different knives and all i needed to do was to use 30-w motor oil. step 1. fill jar up with oil, enough to cover the handle entirely. Step 2. put knife in jar handle first and let sit for 24 hrs or more depending on how loose it is. Step 3. after it it tight enough, take it out, dry it off, and use the hell out of it ( btw, you will notice a little bit of oil will come out of the handle for 3 - 4 days after )
Owen winter.

 

[frontiersman]

Thats what I thought. Thanks alot. Will it make the handle change color?

 

[Mossyhorn]

I use epoxy. I don't soak leather in oil.

 

[frontiersman]

Why not use oil? Will it hurt the handle? How are you using the epoxy?

 

[HoosierQ]

In the long run petroleum will destroy the leather...especially hard core stuff like motor oil.

 

[frontiersman]

If this is the case, what should I do ?

 

[HoosierQ]

Well what I did with my leather-washer knife was insert something between the pommel and the first washer there which cocked it all up tight. Mine is constructed with a final metal washer between the leather and the pommel. I wedged something (it has been 25 years so I forget what) between the metal bits which really compressed the leather washers. Then I drove in a couple of nails on either side of the tang which held it all tight. I then took some stuff called "Liquid Steel" which is indeed very tough filler material and filled in the gaps and hardened up very very hard indeed. Then I sanded the whole thing down and unless you knew to look for it, you would notice it is there. And again, this knife (the common Air Force Survival Knife) has been in countless trunks, tool boxes, consoles, and on the belt for 24 years and the thing shows no signs of loosening and the fix show no signs of aging.

I would image there are several ways to skin this kind of cat. Ideally you would somehow push the pommel down and peen the tang up tight but I was not able to go that route...or chose not to I forget.