Cleaning Stacked Leather Handles

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Jerlin
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Cleaning Stacked Leather Handles

Post by Jerlin »

I'm sure it depends on the condition of the leather as to how well stacked leather handles will clean up. That is where part of my problem lies. I only have photos of three fixed blade knives that are for sale, so I really cannot determine what condition the stacked leather handles are in. The leather on two of the knives does not look too bad. The leather on the third knife looks to be in bad shape. For the two knife handles that appear to be in fair shape, what is recommended to clean the leather and condition it? For the one knife handle that is in bad shape, what is suggested to restore the leather, if feasible? I believe it would be quite difficult to take the knife apart to install a new stacked leather handle. I have not included photos because these knives are on ebay. If anyone wants to see pictures, I suppose I could reference the ebay Item #, if we are allowed to do that on the forum. Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

Jerry Johnson
Rossr
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Re: Cleaning Stacked Leather Handles

Post by Rossr »

Hi Jerry,

I dont have a lot of experience with leather stack refurbs. I have messed around with a few. A lot depends on if the leather is dried out and dry rotted. If it is replacing is needed imo. If you cant take it apart to add a new stack. You might be able to take a leather ring and cut a slit in it and then slide it on the handle. Do as many as you need and then you would have to epoxy in place. After that it's a matter of clean up. Or maybe replacing all.of it that way.

Clean up , there are many things.on the market. I'd try Fiebings Saddle soap as a starting point. Its helps clean and preserve.

Some fine grit sandpaper 400 grit or more might work if really dirty but realize you will need to sand it all to get it consistent.

Neats foot oil will help preserve and keep.the leather moist but can darken the leather more. The are other products on the market too like Pecards leather dressing.

So much depends on condition age etc.

Hope.that helps some

Ross
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Mumbleypeg
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Re: Cleaning Stacked Leather Handles

Post by Mumbleypeg »

You may want to pick up (or make) a pommel wrench. viewtopic.php?f=4&t=39073 If you need to make a new handle it’s what you’ll need. ::tu::

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Colonel26
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Re: Cleaning Stacked Leather Handles

Post by Colonel26 »

I am sure that others will soon be along to assure me that this is the absolute wrong procedure, BUT, I can tell you what I did on an old Camillus Korea era Mark II. Its handle was starting to look real bad and crumbly and was full of years of dirt, grit, grime, and grease.

The first thing I did was spray the handle down over and over again with WD40 to flush out the oil and grime. I know it is not a leather preservative, but it had to be cleaned and of all the solvents I had on hand it was the gentlest. Once it was clean I rinsed it with very hot water. This made the leather swell some and finished washing off the gunk. After it was dry I applied a leather treatment liberally to it. Once that soaked in, I slathered it down again in the leather treatment. And if I'm not mistaken I did it a third time.

The leather treatment I used was one for Brooks bicycle saddles as that's what I had on hand at the time. Something like Picards or Obenauf's (what I use on my boots) would work well.

Afterwards it looked new again. In this case it was the accumulated junk in the leather that made it look so bad. The original color returned and the leather washers are tight. I'm sure there are other ways, most likely better ways, but this worked for me in this case. YMMV
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Gunsil
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Re: Cleaning Stacked Leather Handles

Post by Gunsil »

Photos of the knives in question would help. Leather ring handles were sealed will shellac or varnish from the factory, once that is worn off and the leather gets sweat, blood, or water into it things can be hard to "restore" If they have been oiled you can never get the finish back to original since shellac or varnish will no longer absorb into the outer layer. Saddle soap will only help prevent resealing the leather. Regarding removing pommels to replace leather rings, not all pommels have pommel nuts that can be removed. Most Western knives have two pins holding the pommel on and with their split tang construction are very hard to replace leather on. Many other knives have pinned on pommels and some rather than a removable pommel nut have lead poured into the pommel to hold it in place. Case, Kinfolks, and KA-BAR used the poured lead system for a while. Getting steel pins out of aluminum pommels can be tricky to do with out harming the aluminum.
Otherwise, if they are fairly decent and not oil or leather treatment soaked they can be sanded down and resealed with an application of thinned varnish. Neat's foot oil will not be a good thing unless you just want to preserve leather as a user, it and all other leather oils will darken and soften the leather, they are meant to preserve and soften leather saddles and shoes, leather knife handles are supposed to be pretty hard. Most leather ring hunting knives fall in the lower end of hunting knife value when it comes to collectability, so putting a lot of time into them is usually not a profitable venture, often cheaper to just get a nice one to start. Member Eveled has replaced leather rings on US military knives and done a very nice job but those knives have steel pins holding on steel pommels which are a lot easier to remove and replace than steel pins in aluminum pommels. Again photos would help evaluate you situation.
Jerlin
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Re: Cleaning Stacked Leather Handles

Post by Jerlin »

Thank you Ross, Ken, Colonel26 and Gunsil for your very informative replies. The stacked leather handIe knives were part of a package deal on ebay. I was interested in one particular item in the listing, but was trying to figure out if the other items were something I could fix up. Low and behold if the seller didn't up and remove the particular item I was interested in last night. I have never owned a stacked leather handle knife, but in case I ever do and it needs some work, I will have your helpful suggestions to fall back on. Thank you again.

Jerry
Gunsil
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Re: Cleaning Stacked Leather Handles

Post by Gunsil »

You are most welcome sir!
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Re: Cleaning Stacked Leather Handles

Post by Rossr »

Gunsil wrote: Wed Jul 22, 2020 9:24 pm You are most welcome sir!
Gunsil I learned a good bit here too from your post Never thought much about wanting the leather harder but makes sense. I've seen the older ones where the shellac or varnish was coming off or cracking. Never really thought about the fact it was shellac or varnish! I'm so used to using traditional leather products on normal leather stuff. Appreciate the education. Thank you sir.


Jerlin sorry your auction didnt pan out! Better luck next time
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Re: Cleaning Stacked Leather Handles

Post by Gunsil »

Yessir! I did a lot of leather work when I was younger, used all kinds of finishes on wallets, holsters, sheaths I made and kept my boots and leather goods waterproof and supple. I used neat's foot on my hand me down hunting knife and noticed the handle got softer. Started accumulating knives at 13 and tried just about every leather treatment available at the time before I realized I was going the wrong way on leather handled hunters. When I discovered sanding and varnishing the leather handles it was a "eureka" moment.
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Re: Cleaning Stacked Leather Handles

Post by eveled »

Reported. Don’t click the link above
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Re: Cleaning Stacked Leather Handles

Post by TripleF »

I use vaseline on leather.
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