All About Pocket Knives

My customers often ask me if I can remove the bone or stag handles from one old knife and put it on another. My answer is generally, “I can in theory, but I never know what the condition of the old handles are. There are often unseen stress fractures or cracks in the old handles.” I then explain that all such work is performed at the owners risk. I will never guarantee the old handles can be removed intact.”

I found this old Shapleigh Hardware Company stockman at the flea market last month. This Shapleigh is an excellent example of the risk associated with trying to remove and reuse all bone handles. The knife was very dirty so I ran it through the sonic cleaner and this is what I found. I am unsure when this knife was made, but I would think it was made prior to World War II because all of the blades are tang stamped. The bone on the mark side looked beautiful, the tang stamps were clear and sharp, all the blades had good snap and the bone on the pile side was broken and had been replaced with what appeared to be solder but was probably a glue of some sort because it came off very easily.
While the bone on the mark side was gorgeous and appeared to have no cracks and it there was no way that I could match the bone color and jigging pattern on this knife. I decided I would replace the bone on both sides of the knife but I went to great pains to remove the bone on the mark side so it could be saved for use on a knife with similar jigging pattern and color. Using a ball head burr with my Foredom I cut the handle pins and shield pin from the backside of the liner. When I gently tried to push the shield pin through the hole, this was a result: Upon closer look at the bone I noticed there was an old crack (see the dark color on the piece of bone next to my thumb) and a new crack (see the lighter edge on the broken piece of bone next to my forefinger).
So much for using these old handles.
Perhaps I can use some of the fragments to patch an old knife with the chip out of the handle.




“The best laid plans of mice and men.”

See? That's what I do too. I save that odd screw or nail. It's in good condition and maybe I can use it later. I turn around two or three times and I have a five gallon bucket full of odd screws and odd nails that I've never used later.

This is not criticism, it's commiseration.

I definitely feel your pain, Dale!

I have had my shares of bone shatters, sometimes when the project knife is finished.

Breaks your spirit at times...

have you ever tried soaking the handles for a day or three before pulling one apart Dale? I can't prove it but it seems like it reduced breaks. lubricates the pins so the slide out easier and rehydrates the handles so they are less brittle. I do it on almost all old bone and stag knives I need to save the handles on. I haven't cracked one since I started soaking them.

That is a good idea Kaleb!
Because of the old crack in this one I doubt it would have helped, but I bet if they are not already cracked it would work nicely!

Do you just use water to soak them in?

Ouch! I think one of the cracks is visible in the photo you posted when you know just where to look.

orvet wrote:That is a good idea Kaleb!
Because of the old crack in this one I doubt it would have helped, but I bet if they are not already cracked it would work nicely!

Do you just use water to soak them in?

I use Formby's lemon oil treatment. it's thin and penetrates well. The handles also take on a nice shine without the need to polish; and all the gunk and crud inside the knife wipes right off after disassembly too.

Dinadan wrote:Ouch! I think one of the cracks is visible in the photo you posted when you know just where to look.

I think you are right.

Kaleb-
I have Formby's and use it on dry stag & bone to put moisture in it.
I just never thought of soaking the whole knife in it, but it makes sense though!
Great idea thanks!