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How to replace a stacked leather handle


Steve S.
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Thanks! I always try to find a way to contribute to everything I collect. The money I make replacing handles is how I pay for my "keepers". Thats how I got into making reproduction WW2 flight jackets. I started out doing restoration/repair work to fund my collection & got the idea one day to see if I could make one from scratch & it took off from there.

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Been working on something a little different today, a Western L-71 "SeaBee" knife. The pommel had broken off & was missing so had to add metal to the dual tang. The original handles on these were made from thinner leather & had the fiber washers on both ends in red & black. I think the handle turned out well & just need to finish up making the pommel & attaching it.

 

 

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most of the knife making supply places carry the phenolic spacer material in sheets for the red & black spacers. just cut glue & sand along with the leather.

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What excellent craftsmanship! Short of replacing the entire stacked handle on knives whose leather washers have shrunk/separated slightly (sometimes only in one spot) do you have a process for applying an insert of some type?

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If you only need to replace or add a missing washer, you can split a washer & work it in place. Just make sure you get a good amount of glue on it & wipe off the excess after you get it in place. & tape it tightly to close the split gap until the glue dries & its pretty much invisible unless someone is really looking close. I have this postwar unmarked M3 type knife that was missing a couple washers up front next to the guard. I split a couple washers, added some glue & worked them in place. Just split one end & work it in so the split is on the bottom side (Kinda like a horseshoe)

 

before & after;

 

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Made the pommel & finished the Western. Those double tang pommels are a pain to make! Broke 3 end mill bits making the holes...

 

 

 

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That Western turned out great!

 

Did you re use the original fiber spacers or make new ones?

 

Everything is new. It was just a blade & guard when I got it. Picked it up on Ebay for $7.

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Steve just throwing this in the discussion for consideration. When you need to apply pressure to a small piece like the replacement split washer while the glue is drying, instead of binding it with tape I've gone out to a local fishing supply store and picked up a length of small diameter rubber tubing. Stretching it around in this case the leather washer, and tying it off provides a nice clamping force that is pretty much equally applied around the washer. This is a trick a gunsmith taught me in repairing damaged gun stocks using surgical tubing.

The L71 does look great.

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Very nice.

 

 

Thanks! I'll be making the scabbard for it today. Also just finished up my "U.S.N." stamp for the leather MK II scabbards so should have a prototype put together soon for that also.

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brother, you don't know the half of it! Right now, I have 5 antique motorcycles to paint, 2 A2 jackets to get some restoration work done on, 2 reproduction jackets to make & just got an order from the military contractor I sub for wanting 42 ammo box covers by Monday...

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Finished up the first copy of the MKII sheath. Left this one unmarked to match up with a USMC knife.

 

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Even added the unique little "wedge spacer" as per the original.

 

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Thanks Skip! I've always loved a challenge just to see if I could accomplish the goal. I also enjoy restoring these items so they can be preserved & not thrown away as so much does. Doing the restoration work has also provided me the ability to handle so many items that otherwise would never be seen.

 

I recently had a fellow send me his grandfather's A2 flight jacket for restoration work that had been stored in the attic all these years & was completely covered in mold. Under the mold was some beautiful artwork. It's now in a shadowbox in his home, so I got to handle something there that most guys will never see. Kinda like having the museum come to you!

 

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So Steve did you make your own staples for that sheath? I like the color you picked for the sheath. How light a shade do you start with and do you prefer a specific type, like alcohol, water, or oil for the dye?

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Ha! The staples were some I found in some old construction materials I had here. Still searching for a more "exact" staple but all I've found so far are some NOS originals that aren't very cost effective.

 

As far as dye, I've just been using the Fiebings brand As I can get it locally. The new "pro dye" they have out is really nice, although I've only used the black so far. I think it's oil based IIRC. I kinda go "willy nilly" with the dyes. I always start light usually with a british tan, which gives it a russet base & go from there. I mix dyes, change application techniques & do all sorts of other things to age/distress it. The dark spots that look like water/oil stains on this one are made using wood glue before any stain is applied. I put a few drops here & there, let it sit until dry & peel off. Something in the glue soaks into the leather & leaves a dark spot when you stain over it. I found that out once by "accident" & started using it in a controlled way! I've seen some really poor aging jobs done on things & the trick is go easy. I had a reproduction leather flight jacket in a yr or so ago that I had to completely disassemble & restitch. Somewhere along the way, a previous owner had taken 80 grit sandpaper to it to age it & sanded all the thread away. The guy I did the job for bought it & it started falling apart on him. I do some sanding to age the sheaths, but always wetsand usually no courser than 600 grit & always before sewing!

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