Brought back from the dead

How to's, questions and build alongs for those who make or want to make their own gear made from leather. Get some tips on how you can make your own quiver, arm guard, etc. to go along with your Custom Traditional Bow.
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Ron Kulas
Posts: 657
Joined: Wed Oct 21, 2015 8:33 am

Brought back from the dead

#1 Post by Ron Kulas »

I was asked by a friend in Texas, to repair a knife that belonged to his father and grandfather. It is not an expensive knife. It's worth is more in sentiment. He said the leather washers on the handle were dry rotted so he wanted me to make a new grip and since the knife was missing it's sheath, he asked that I make a new one.


this is what I got in the mail. To make the knife usable, he had dipped the handle in Plasti-kote. There was a lot of rust as well.

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The tip had been snapped off a few years ago so he asked that I re-shape it.

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I was able to get the red plastic off but that only revealed the remnants of the duct tape that must have been used before the plastic coating.

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Once I got the leather off the handle, I found the tang was badly rusted. It can still be saved.

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The aluminum pommel has some deep dings and scratches but I can remove them as well. The thing I found odd was that the brass finger guard has a visible notch but that is how it came from the manufacturer.

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I re-shaped the blade and got rid of as much pitting as I could without wrecking the blade.

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My friend asked that I use oasge for the handle. He sent along a few pieces of 50 year old Osage fence post to replace the leather of the grip.

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Once I cut out the scales for the handle and saw the yellow, I just had to add some red. Since it is a hunting knife with a deep history, I cut two, thin bloodwood spacers that will lay closest to the metal of the handle.

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I masked off the metal parts (easier to get the extra epoxy off) and assembled the parts. After 24 hours passes, I will be able to shape the handle and finish the polishing of the metal parts.

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After a bit of shaping, the knife is starting to look like a knife again.

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I got rid of all the scratches as well.

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Time to start the sheath. I will use 8 Oz. Tooling leather because I want to stamp a little fancy schmancy stuff onto the leather

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Then stitched it and trimmed it.

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Then I made a snap strap to hold it in place.

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Lastly, I got the whole thing wet and fit the sheath to the knife. I will let it dry over night before I stain it.

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Well, A little red brown stain and Neatsfoot oil and a rub down with mink oil and the sheath and the project are complete.

I used some diamonds and ceramic and now the blade is like a razor. There is some great steel in that blade.

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It looks a little diff then when I got it. I hope he likes it.

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The Joy is in the doing.

Carpdaddy
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Posts: 9469
Joined: Tue Dec 31, 2013 7:36 pm

Re: Brought back from the dead

#2 Post by Carpdaddy »

I guessing he might! Absolutely gorgeous, probably didn't look that good new. Fine work my friend.

Captainkirk
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Joined: Tue Aug 26, 2014 8:19 pm

Re: Brought back from the dead

#3 Post by Captainkirk »

Night and day difference. The wood on the handle is gorgeous. Nice work, my friend!
Aim small, miss small!

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Graps
Posts: 6696
Joined: Mon Sep 08, 2014 8:39 pm

Re: Brought back from the dead

#4 Post by Graps »

Gave it some new life .
Looks good .
"Maybe the truly handicapped people are the ones that don't need God as much." ~ Joni Eareckson Tada

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