Knife handle restoring?

[jethro224]

I have an old butcher knife that belonged to my great grandfather. There seems to be a piece missing in the handle. Maybe a spacer? There is a metal (pewter?) piece below the handle wood but it is loose and will slide down about 1/8 inch away from the wood. The wood also has a step cut into both sides next to the pewter(?) piece.

Here's a few pics. Can any of you guys tell me what kind of piece is missing and how I could fix it? I'd sure appreciate any info.

I'd like to fix the handle and make a sheath and use this for a hunting knife. It's been in the family for a long time and made a lot of meat for a lot of years as you can tell. And it'll take a scary sharp edge.

 

[Norskie]

I'd guess your pewter bolster is partly broken away. It probably used to cover the handle. You can recast it. Track has materials. That would be a dandy winter project.

 

[Joe Yanta]

I think you could place the knife in a pan or box of sand. Pack the sand nice and tight and them form a pocket around the front of the handle making a mould. Melt up an ounce or so of lead and pour a bolster.

I like to tell people that things are only original once, but I think a new boster would be appropriate on your knife.

Joe

 

[Bob Gular]

Pouring a pewter bolster is fairly simple. I offer as proof of this the fact that I have done it successfully several times. All you need is some heavy paper, string, tape, and some pewter metal. If you don't have access to pewter, Oatey's lead free solder works just fine. Rather than me going into detail let me direct you to a website on the subject.[url] www.wrtcleather.com/1-ckd/tutorials/_pewter.html.[/url] The knife is definitely worth restoring especially since it has a connection to your great-grandfather. He would be pleased.
Merry Chistmas to you all,and don't forget what we're celebrating.

 

[jethro224]

Thanks, y'all have given me some ideas as to what I need to figure out how to do.

Bob, I clicked the link and saw a bunch of really nice custom knives but couldn't find any info on pouring pewter bolsters... did I miss something?
What do you do with the paper, string and tape?

 

Looks like Bob got the period included in that link and threw it off - This will work for you now -
Pewter Tutorial

hope it helps......

 

[Birddog6]

If that is burnt on the front of the wood, then it obviously had a poured metal piece there & it has broken away.
However, my dad & grandfather both cut their own meat to sell in their grocery stores & on the side of the huge butcherblock there was a rail & all of the knives & were kept in this slotted rail. This rail would make a flat place in the handle over the years sliding in & out numerous times each day, such as you knife exibits. And if it was a pewter piece, it easily would have worn off in the rail such as some of Dads old knives did.

Were it me, I would have the knife on the wall rather than take a chance on messing it up, that is if ya want it to stay looking like it did from yesteryear...... :hmm: If I was going to repour it, I would send it to someone good at pouring bolsters, rather than chancing it myself & not being good & experienced at it. You could easily make it worse than it is by a flub & I think it would not cost ya much to have a new bolster poured.......... :hmm: