Camillus

[Chris54326]

I have an old Camillus knife, with the original leather scabbard, that looks like the WWII military Ka-Bar fighting knives. I have no idea how old it is, for sure. But it looks to me as if it would make a nice woodcraft knife. In fact, I keep it in my "bug out" stash. The only thing I don't care for is it's leather handle is painted black!!!!! Is it possible to strip that paint with a paint stripper and expose the original leather so I can treat the leather and leave it natural? It would have a whole lot more grip that way.

 

[Shanghai McCoy]

Camillus was one of the companies that made a lot of the USN MK2, aka "Kabar", knives so it could very likely be one of those. Are the markings on the blade or the guard?
Pictures of the knife and sheath would be a big help.

 

[hso]

Please post pictures of the ricasso and the guard from all sides.

 

[Chris54326]

Sorry, but I was in a meeting until late last night and am just now seeing these posts. You'll have to give me an example of a ricasso because I have no idea what that is. I don't have time to photograph the knife today. No markings on it except the words "Camillus USA" on the blade up next to the hand guard. I'm just wanting to know a safe way to remove the ugly black paint from the handle.

 

[Sunray]

"...strip that paint with a paint stripper..." Not likely. Knife grips tend to be rounds of leather with the flesh side(rough side) out. Leather is porous stuff and will have soaked up the paint. And any paint stripping chemical will damage leather.
You could try a light touch with a fine, brass wire, wheel in a bench grinder. Eye protection is mandatory. A dust mask would be good too.

 

[TomADC]

I'd just use some of those heavy duty emory boards the beauty supply shops sell we have Sally's here these works great are reasonable in price and will get the job done.

 

[Chris54326]

Thanks for the sanding suggestions.

 

[Chris54326]

Okay, I've got that God awful black paint off the handle. Soaked it in Acetone for a while and got the paint out of the cracks and crevices. I dried it at 150 degrees for an hour, so the leather is dry now. It has a great tactile grip surface now, even though the sanding took off the "whiskers" of the exposed leather. So was the leather left dry or was it typically oiled with something?

 

[AJumbo]

I believe the original stacked leather handles were varnished. You could varnish them again, or maybe even paint on a layer of epoxy. Something as simple as saddle soap or neatsfoot oil would preserve the leather very well. If you really need to know how they were originally treated, I'll bet the War Department specs are available online if you dig hard enough. Before you apply any new finish, allow plenty of time for the acetone to cook out of the leather.

 

[Chris54326]

I really have no interest in trying to restore this knife to it's original condition. But I would like to protect the leather somewhat. I think neatsfoot oil, mixed with beeswax ought to protect it just fine. This knife is just going in my "bug-out" stuff............just in case. As my Grandpaw always used to say "It ain't gotta be purdy, but it's gotta last long enough to work when the time comes to put it to task".

 

[hso]

Dip in paraffin was the old trick.

 

[Chris54326]

Would have worked, I imagine. But what I did was to use a bullet lube I make out of Crisco, Vaseline and Bees Topping Wax. I warmed the handle in the oven to 150 degrees and rubbed a block of the lube on it and it soaked right in. The leather has a "grip" to it now I bet it didn't have when it was new. I couldn't be happier. It's certainly not going to slip in my hand.