coyote16 Posted November 2, 2011 #1 Posted November 2, 2011 Hello world I'm looking for a solution to restore my knife USM3 I'm looking for a vendor who could sell me a full leather handle, I would like to change the washers that are not in good condition! you have a solution or an address please thank you
coyote16 Posted November 3, 2011 Author #3 Posted November 3, 2011 I've seen the washers listed on Ebay. Hello, thank you for the information :thumbsup: but I do not!
gunbarrel Posted November 4, 2011 #4 Posted November 4, 2011 Hello, thank you for the information :thumbsup: but I do not! How hard did you look? http://www.ebay.com/itm/Leather-Washers-Ca...s-/180749162573 http://www.ebay.com/itm/LEATHER-KNIFE-HAND...N-/270843606347 http://www.ebay.com/itm/STACKED-LEATHER-WA...2-/370534364475 http://www.ebay.com/itm/STACKED-LEATHER-WA...6-/230605724203 http://www.ebay.com/itm/STACKED-LEATHER-WA...4-/370389700261
Bob Smalser Posted November 30, 2011 #5 Posted November 30, 2011 Have a friend with a lathe? Leather turns quite easily, and that model of knife comes apart and goes together without difficulty. I could renew your handle in less than an hour. http://www.wkfinetools.com/contrib/bSmalse...s/mChisels1.asp Flatten a hardwood dowel as a mockup of the knife's tang. Place oversize leather washers (use vegetable-tanned leather and cut them yourself) on the dowel and glue them to each other (and not to the dowel) using superglue. Drill a couple blocks to glue the dowel to so as to mount it in the lathe. Turn, sand and shellac the leather handle, cut the dowel to dismount the new handle, and mount it on the knife. To make centering the assembly on the lathe easy, drill 16th pilot holes all the way through the blocks before using a Forstner bit to drill the stopped dowel holes. The pilot holes are your lathe centers. Use a quarter-inch wood chisel to cut the rectangular holes in the washers. There's an example below in my post on a sword restoration: http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/ind...howtopic=128124
KABAR2 Posted November 30, 2011 #6 Posted November 30, 2011 While leather turns easily the originals were die cut stacked compressed and sanded/buffed no matter how good someone may be at turning unless they are doing this full time I don't think they will be able to produce a convincing factory handle short of a CNC lathe.
coyote16 Posted November 30, 2011 Author #7 Posted November 30, 2011 hello friends I did all the work! this is a bit complicated, but the result is quite Please give me your opinion thank you
Bob Smalser Posted December 1, 2011 #8 Posted December 1, 2011 While leather turns easily the originals were die cut stacked compressed and sanded/buffed no matter how good someone may be at turning unless they are doing this full time I don't think they will be able to produce a convincing factory handle short of a CNC lathe. Clamps and glue compress, and calipers duplicate dimensions in something as straightforward as a knife handle as well as a CNC setup. It only has to be good enough to please the eye, but an experienced hand with a wood lathe can equal the repeatability of the original handles, which weren't CNC-perfect either.
Bob Smalser Posted December 1, 2011 #9 Posted December 1, 2011 I did all the work! this is a bit complicated, but the result is quite Please give me your opinion Very nice. Now all it needs is some wear and tear to fair those curves in the handle. Well done.
Woody Posted December 1, 2011 #10 Posted December 1, 2011 Lightened the pics so members can see the effect better
coyote16 Posted December 2, 2011 Author #12 Posted December 2, 2011 Another one I just finished before after
sgtdorango Posted December 13, 2011 #13 Posted December 13, 2011 Wow!!!!. :w00t: ..those are some great results!......mike :thumbsup:
12thengr Posted December 15, 2011 #14 Posted December 15, 2011 Have a friend with a lathe? Leather turns quite easily, and that model of knife comes apart and goes together without difficulty. I could renew your handle in less than an hour. http://www.wkfinetools.com/contrib/bSmalse...s/mChisels1.asp Flatten a hardwood dowel as a mockup of the knife's tang. Place oversize leather washers (use vegetable-tanned leather and cut them yourself) on the dowel and glue them to each other (and not to the dowel) using superglue. Drill a couple blocks to glue the dowel to so as to mount it in the lathe. Turn, sand and shellac the leather handle, cut the dowel to dismount the new handle, and mount it on the knife. To make centering the assembly on the lathe easy, drill 16th pilot holes all the way through the blocks before using a Forstner bit to drill the stopped dowel holes. The pilot holes are your lathe centers. Use a quarter-inch wood chisel to cut the rectangular holes in the washers. There's an example below in my post on a sword restoration: http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/ind...howtopic=128124 You say this knife comes apart quite easily. Could you show or explain how to remove the pommel?
p2tharizo Posted December 16, 2011 #15 Posted December 16, 2011 Those turned out great Coyote! :thumbsup: I have to ask, how did you learn how to shape them so nicely on your first try? What method did you use to shape them? I'm about to try doing this to a MK2, and I'm pretty intimidated!
coyote16 Posted December 16, 2011 Author #16 Posted December 16, 2011 hello friends The first knife was a bit complicated to achieve, to remove the knob of the silk must be very careful, take your time is really needed I did not do photo restoration, it is not very complicated I made a false grip has the dimension of the original. I found the leather has the right thickness. I traced and cut out the puck with a cutter. and I stacked the washer on the wrong handle to shape the handle a simple belt sander is needed, use the sandpaper end (120) to make the cuts I used a dremel with a small grinding wheels, and I did finish with a cutting 3mm this is simple
coyote16 Posted December 16, 2011 Author #19 Posted December 16, 2011 I may be restored this dagger. I'll make you a picture of all stages
artu44 Posted March 6, 2012 #21 Posted March 6, 2012 Honestly speaking I prefer to buy another junk M3 and recover original washers. It's quite difficult to properly age new leather. In pics my restoration job. Metal parts were only acid pickled and blued.
SgtJim Posted September 9, 2012 #22 Posted September 9, 2012 I have found that dw-40 does a good job cleaning bayonets and stopping corrosion. Also its great on dug iron items.
Longhorn1939 Posted September 29, 2012 #23 Posted September 29, 2012 http://www.ebay.com/itm/STACKED-LEATHER-WA...2-/370534364475
artu44 Posted September 29, 2012 #24 Posted September 29, 2012 http://www.ebay.com/itm/STACKED-LEATHER-WA...2-/370534364475 It requires a lot of hand skill to shape decently an oval handle with stacked circular washers.
sactroop Posted October 6, 2012 #25 Posted October 6, 2012 The knife makers during WW2 had some broaching machines made up to shape the handles. The link below is from Ka-Bar but one portion of the video shows one of the broaching machines in action. In case anyone may fine it interesting.
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