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Bowie Refurb


fatchap
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This tired looking old fella has came into my possession. 

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He's seen some action over the years looks to have been used for pretty much everything from chopping to digging, The sheath as you can see has had it.

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The stacked leather handle is in pretty good nick, nothing loose I may replace it or give it a few minutes on the belt grinder and see how it looks.

The pommel is pretty rough, still tight but its pretty scratched and pitted.

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The blade is okish lots of rust and pits, needs to be re-ground and given a polish, not sure either satin or mirror.

The spacers and finger guard don't seem to be too bad either, just needs a clean and a polish.

Still not sure on the main handle, remove it and replace or keep it and see how it cleans up.

 

 

 

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I am expectoing to see a gleaming refurbishment. Personally I would not overdo the restoration, it is an old knife with history and some of the bumps and scrapes through it's life should remain, but looking at it, it would be possible to tidy it up without destroying it's persona.  Get at it, we wait in trepidation.   I know a certain Gent in Norfolkistan will be chomping at the bit to take over if you have a problem, which I doubt.:yes::lol:

Edited by Walker570
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Nothing on the handle is loose, all the leather is still tight, I might just remove the shine and take back the dye, give it some conditioner, maybe change the colour, don't know yet till I get stuck into it.

Question is mirror polish or satin? I don't want to lose the markings which is possible with a mirror polish. 

Just wish she who must be obeyed would stop giving me things to do so I can get out to my shed and crack on with it.

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33 minutes ago, ditchman said:

are you going to repoint it .............

Yep I will regrind the point, looking at pictures of what this knife did look like, it hasn't got a "crocodile dundee" type point but this knife its obviously worn back a fair bit over the years so will be putting it back as close to original as I can. I'll use a file rather than a belt grinder or wheel, more control over it and less chance of burning the tip.

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15 minutes ago, ditchman said:

i like the fact that it isnt stainless and it has a fuller.....

He made most of his Bowies with a Fuller or as its more commonly and inaccurately called the blood groove. Most had Fullers simply for added strength and to make the blade lighter.

11 minutes ago, Diver One said:

Pardon my ignorance but is this what in the 60s/early 70s I would have called a 'sheath knife'?....it looks very similar

If I remember you bought them in a set of 3 small med large the largest having a six inch blade going down to 3 inch for the small, .....again if my memory serves me right. When I was a kid there was sports shop in the village called Del Sports, he had a set hanging up behind the counter, I used to drool at them every morning I went past doing me paper round.

Edited by fatchap
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Still not been able to get out into the workshop I have had a list of chores to do now I am off indefinitely (work closed its door today for god knows how long) Just 2 more things to do including a broken over flow pipe and first cut of the lawn. Then she says I can do what the **** I like.

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Ok made a start on the Bowie knife today, first things first get that blade up to standard,

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Started out with a P80 disc

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1 hour later and I'm at 240

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400 grit...

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800 grit..

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Wont bore you with the rest but if your interested I went up to 1500 grit

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Don't think I'll do a mirror polish on it but that may change, I can't resist Shiny.

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The handle I sanded back, the smell of that old leather reminded me of those old leather suitcases in your loft that you used to rummage through when you was a kid on summer holidays

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I gave the spacers and pommel a blast while I was at it.

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good name for a buffalo

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So far so good Can't find the pictures of me re pointing it, defiantly took a couple. Any who will be working on the handle tomorrow and giving it another polish here and there

 

 

Edited by fatchap
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40 minutes ago, TIGHTCHOKE said:

Starting to look good, keep up the gentle resurrection!:good:

Leaving a few knocks and bruises behind, I was going to straighten the finger guard but I will leave that as it is, also there is a few dents and small holes in the handle which I will also leave for history sake.

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14 minutes ago, ditchman said:

are you going to make a new sheath for it.............

love it sofar...be interesting to see if it takes an edge...:good:

Will be making a sheath, a close version of its original sheath.

It will be a mission to get an edge on it, at the moment the edge is a flat as a witches tit. 

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Ok almost finished now, been in the shed since around 7 am got a fair bit done and I don't think its looking to shoddy.

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The handle is a mix of English Bridal and Ox Blood dyes just sploshed on randomly then 4 coats of Carnauba Wax and buffed till chest pains. Can't use the power buffer as it does more harm than good on leather.

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Will make a start on the sheath tomorrow but will need to do a material check as I'm running out of leather and wax thread.

I dont think its come out to bad, but criticisms are always welcome.

 

 

Edited by fatchap
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4 hours ago, ditchman said:

that is a loverly classic knife........................next doing the edge ...

Yep not looking forward to that, Got one silicone carbide belt left hopefully will get the edge 80% back. Then a couple of hours with the Lansky. Its well and truly rounded over. Got the same cutting edge as a baseball bat at the moment.

Edited by fatchap
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1 minute ago, fatchap said:

Yep not looking forward to that, Got one silicone carbide belt left hopefully will get the edge 80% back. Then a couple of hours with the Lansky. Its well and truly rounded over. Got the same cutting edge as a baseball bat at the moment.

That is probably how it was when new!

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