Friends-

I have a couple of questions that I need some help with.

First, I have an old Ka-Bar knife that was my Father's. Originally, it had the "stacked" or laminated leather handle. I had someone about 25 years ago put a deer antler handle on it. But, I would like to restore it to its original condition. Does anyone have any recommendations as to who and where?

Second, I have an leather strop. A while ago I took out a couple of my favorite hunting knives. I haven't used them since last year when I cleaned a couple of Pronghorns. Long story short I took these knives out cleaned them up and hit them with the strop and I was amazed what it did for them. Here's the question. The strop looks dry. What does one use to put some moisture back in them? My gut tells me to wipe the strop down with some vegetable or cooking oil; the lighter the better. Is this the correct treatment or will I be screwing up?

Thanks in advance.

Have you thought about attempting to do it yourself?

http://cgi.ebay.com/Knife-Scal...TL091112196003r26647

Is the butt of the knife still attached, or do you need to make/find another one?

In regards to the razor strop, there are 2 products you need in order to do it properly- a "strop dressing" and a "strop paste".

The dressing is basically a cleaner and conditioner. You can do the same thing with saddle soap foam but of course the dressing is the "proper" way to do it. The paste is just a fine abrasive you rub into the strop. There are different grades, usually white is finer and the grey ones are coarser. If you are not using it to shave with, I'd say get a coarser stropping paste.

Mark-

Thanks for the information; that was most helpful. On the Ka-Bar, I will need a butt.

The information on the Razor Strop products was very enlightening.

Best regards,

Was the butt of yours steel or aluminum?

Usually, it will be whatever material the front guard is made from. So if you have an aluminum guard up front that what the butt will be, or if the guard is steel the same applies.

Probably the simplest thing is to check ebay for a damaged Ka Bar blade and buy it for the pommel, but you might want to find a local collector club and ask around there too.

Mark-

Again, thanks for the information. I am checking around E-Bay for parts for the Ka-Bar.

By the way, I have ordered the Strop Dressing and Strop Paste. The Strop Paste does not come with instructions. Any idea as to how to apply it to the strop?

The only strop paste I have used is waxy so it needs some heat to help it evenly distribute. It may come out and go on the strop a little blotchy. Now is you were sharpening a straight razor you'd scrape off any little patches of paste, but since you're using it on knives instead of razors I wouldn't bother.