Rusty Bowie Knife Restoration, No Shortcuts.

Total original condition Bowie Knife restoration! No shortcuts!
This 1960s Bowie knife was made for Sears Craftsman by Schrade-Walden . It originally had a stacked leather handle, and the heavily heat/sun damaged bolsters are made (unfortunately) from injection molded plastic.
Lots of sandblasting, sanding, brass machining, some steel machining, buffing, sanding, polishing, leather, sanding, painting, and also some sanding in this video! I think the results are pretty amazing. Proud to have this restored knife in my tool collection now.
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[@AcmeRestorations]

As always please feel free to post questions and comments. I'll try to answer all the questions. If you enjoy these videos please subscribe and click the little bell icon so you'll get notified when I post new videos. I have a ton of restorations in the queue! Thanks for watching. I try to post progress photos as often as possible here on instagram if you're interested in following restorations in process. My instagram: instagram.com/acmerestorations/

[@jeffreynerdin3522]

Just curious…what would you consider “cheating”?

[@sog4646]

I did 2 similar projects on old Pal 36 knives. I opted to not polish the parts as much as you did. Great job on your project. 👍

[@roelofbeukes9222]

I thought it was blood stains that caused the rust when I first saw this video

[@proegormain]

00

[@masonshaw4097]

Seeing those beautiful bolsters painted red will haunt my dreams for many years to come.

[@AcmeRestorations]

Apparently people LOVE brass.

[@khismet]

@@AcmeRestorations Indeed we do! Thanks for the meticulous attention to detail.. simply impressive. New Subbie👍

[@Little_Red_Riding_Hoodlum]

I know why you stayed with the Craftsman colors, but it was a little heartbreaking to see the brass go. 😕 It is still an awesome transformation! What you did with that blade is BEAUTIFUL!

[@AcmeRestorations]

LOL, I always get these comments when I do brass. It looks so good when it's new and shiny. If that paint doesn't hold up, I may strip it back down to the brass and clear coat it. Thanks for watching.

[@Little_Red_Riding_Hoodlum]

@@AcmeRestorations 😉😆😉 I was sure that was your thought process.

[@michellemcknight4185]

Yes, I thought that

[@donaldfarr8162]

Very nice. I have that very knife. It was my first hunting knife after I got out of the army 1969. Funny story. I lost it in the woods one year and found it one year later. Good luck Yes. I still have it to this day. Subscribed 👍

[@rockhound7147]

Wow, fantastic step by step with a beautiful outcome! Thank you!

[@OldThingsNeverDie-]

What a great restoration, the leather handle looks very nice with black & red contrast, a pleasure to watch 👍😉

[@AcmeRestorations]

Thanks!

[@paulroehl1099]

Great video. I wondered what "cheat" meant until I watched. No corners cut here. Keep up the fantastic content.

[@Trains-With-Shane]

Most people would have just cut leather squares and then shaped it up on the band saw and belt sander. You machined a die to cut them out almost to their final size. That kind of OCD makes me happy. Excellent restoration. I've always been a fan of stacked leather handles despite their tendency to dry out and deteriorate. I've got an old Ka-Bar hunting knife and an Estwing hatchet with stacked leather handles. I love them.

[@AcmeRestorations]

It drives me crazy to see people do stacked leather handles and glue or epoxy them together. Defeats the purpose of the stacked leather (OK not if you use light glue). I love stacked leather handles. Just have to do some leather maintenance on them once in a while. Take good care of that Ka-Bar. Nothing like them. Thanks for watching!

[@raziel3726]

Craftsman!!

[@thechumpsbeendumped.7797]

Not just a restoration, you did an upgrade as well. 👍

[@iamheretocomment9821]

I'm definitely gonna keep an open for this knife as mom n I go thru my dad's many many Craftsman belongings. Including the thingamajig used to sharpen (? with oil application), I know I saw my dad use it. Your skills are beyond impressive and totally love your use of technology to fabricate/replicate parts. Every video I view on your channel definitely brings back memories! Thank you

[@AcmeRestorations]

Dad was a Craftsman man? Mine too :)

[@gregmundo6107]

Wow work of a artist

[@stevedoggart2805]

A beautifully sympathetic restoration

[@Christackleberry]

Very beautiful result. Done the right way, not the easy way.

[@feedingmymakermonkey246]

Love this one, can't wait to see it in person!

[@franksando635]

Very nice outcome

[@CreativeDailyWorks]

Great job bro.. sand papers are amazing.. thank you very much for your educational video.

[@balbalproduction2863]

You are man of your word. No cheating there. Bravo sir.

[@HanlonRazor]

That was awesome to watch. First, because the skill it takes to complete each step including the fabrication of parts. Second, because the Schrade Walden H-15 family of knives is one of my favorite older knives. I have two H-15s that I still use from time to time. Seeing this restored to its original beauty was awesome. Thanks.

[@AcmeRestorations]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@GaryA1682]

One of the best restorations I’ve seen, so much attention to detail it’s crazy. Keep up your exquisite work my guy!

[@garymucher9590]

Very nice refurbishing project. Thumbs Up!

[@JamesLee-rd7dz]

I'm very very impressed what you did takes time to do right others would have took shortcut

[@nickjanssens]

A masterclass in mechanical engineering, these skills would not have been unusual 60 years ago.

[@einundsiebenziger5488]

Only that CNC programming and machining did not exist yet.

[@-Deena.]

Great attention to detail and a refreshing respect towards the original design. A true restoration 🧡

[@AcmeRestorations]

Thank you very much!

[@leonardcrane6689]

Wonderful restoration with great attention to fine detail

[@AcmeRestorations]

Many thanks!

[@williammurdorf7060]

Excellent work!

[@pieteri.duplessis]

A very good result indeed.

[@maryannrurup353]

Beautifully done

[@AcmeRestorations]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@digitalight6133]

Maravilhoso trabalho, parabéns

[@s10m0t10n]

Great job. Really making a silk purse from a sow's ear.

[@cathybenson5119]

Beautiful

[@74bobby]

Wow it looks amazing...

[@AcmeRestorations]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@GPDIY]

Congratulations. Excepcional job. Thanks for share.

[@rebelbelle62]

Love the video from start to finish! Beautiful job!

[@AcmeRestorations]

Thank you so much!

[@churlepatakha]

Awesome restoration, very satisfying video. Keep up the good work!

[@AcmeRestorations]

Thanks, will do!

[@abnoco]

Great work

[@samanthadean1083]

That’s not a knife! THIS is a knife!!! Lol, sorry, couldn’t resist! 😂 Fantastic job!!!

[@AcmeRestorations]

Great, now I've got to go watch that clip on KZbin. ;). Thanks for watching.

[@rabk5702]

I am impressed :-)

[@1anthonybrowning]

Well done.

[@barberfamily3367]

beautiful work

[@AcmeRestorations]

Thank you very much!

[@matthewsermons7247]

I was given a very similar knife, except it had a threaded section at the base of the tang for a ball shaped pommel..... I named this knife SGT Tetanus....

[@AcmeRestorations]

I wish this had a threaded pommel!! Thanks for watching.

[@woodybeck8966]

Super!

[@vinceianni4026]

Hello mister beautiful restoration professionally restored well done

[@AcmeRestorations]

Thank you kindly

[@johnlogan1179]

Well done buddy !

[@f.k.burnham8491]

Awesome job!

[@AcmeRestorations]

Thanks!

[@johnfletcher2445]

The lv and care you put into the restoration is wonderful the fact u made a leather punch is fantastic I take my hat off to u sir the end result is beautiful

[@AcmeRestorations]

Thank you.

[@wellybobs4403]

What is "cheating"?

[@johnfletcher2445]

@@wellybobs4403 🤡

[@tristanbarnett6271]

Marvelous job man I love that you replicated the original handle so well personally I would have left the brass pieces brass polished cuz it looks awesome but I love you painted it red the original color anyway great job now you need to do is make a knife sheath

[@charitybrown4274]

Awesome Job!!! 👍😁

[@AcmeRestorations]

Thanks! 😁

[@davidcox2264]

Very cool 👍

[@DSWL_]

interesting knife to choose

[@ralphreinhardt6020]

A job very well done sir ! 😎👍

[@AcmeRestorations]

Thanks 👍

[@geraldstamour1312]

Dope restoration of a CRAFTSMAN knife! I'm slightly biased towards anything Sears/CRAFTSMAN, having worked for Sears for nearly 10 years.

[@AcmeRestorations]

Did you check out my old Craftsman bench grinder restoration? I'm a huge Craftsman fan; at least the pre-1970s stuff. Thanks for watching.

[@giampierogemma8746]

Bravissimo complimenti

[@diyresttube]

nice restoration bro.

[@whisperzzar3321]

Its funny, but with that mirror finish on the blade, it kinda looks like one of those really cheap chrome plated knock-offs. Nice resto, but like some others, I'm sad the brass got hidden away, its so much more classy than pretend plastic :P

[@restorationconstantines7731]

Beautiful👍

[@AcmeRestorations]

Thank you 😊

[@Bludongle]

When you make custom tools like the leather die do you shelve those like most of us thinking we might need it again in 40 years or do you sell something like that as a custom piece? Your work is extremely satisfying to watch.

[@AcmeRestorations]

I'm going to stick it on the shelf. Goto to get the letter stamps out and mark it so I know what it is 10 years down the road!Thank you for the kind comment, and for watching!

[@einundsiebenziger5488]

For what it cost to make the leather-washer cutting lathe alone, one could buy a very decent hunting knife or two. But then it would not be half the fun.

[@shaynecarter-murray3127]

Nice!

[@RestorationAustralia]

Very nice job well done.

[@AcmeRestorations]

Thank you very much!

[@balaklava6420]

Nice.

[@k9six185]

I have the-same knife..got it as a Christmas gift in like 1972/1973

[@AcmeRestorations]

Very cool! Do you still have the sheath?

[@k9six185]

@@AcmeRestorations yes

[@AcmeRestorations]

@@k9six185 Sweet! My next project is to make a sheath for this one.

[@stuarts4673]

Superb👌

[@AcmeRestorations]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@laurenscobie1]

Nice job. If you don’t already have the super sapphire hone for the lansky sharpening system, its a great addition for getting a super fine mirror finish on the blade

[@AcmeRestorations]

I don't. That's news to me. Just ordered on Amazon. Thanks for the tip!

[@richardkluesek4301]

Metalic magic ! You can see in this blade the origins of Kbar and AFSK. If left natural the brass bolsters would still be awesome with brown leather handle alternative. Nothing handles with a sure grip like stacked leather.

[@AcmeRestorations]

I got the black leather, because all the photos I could find showed black. Of course they are black because they are old and used :) Just can't find an original photo sometimes. Thanks for watching.

[@anands6127]

Nice

[@AcmeRestorations]

Thanks

[@RESTORATIONOFSCRAPMETAL]

Greetings buddy, really cool job. I really liked it👍

[@AcmeRestorations]

Thanks buddy!👍

[@sterlingdavidgrasssr]

Patients, Patients, Patients... Something I don't have a lot of, Very well done? See Ya Texas

[@robinstewart6510]

I pretty sure you meant "patience," not medical or hospital "patients."

[@theholmesstead]

Thanks for not doing a whole big cleanup of the blade before sandblasting, I know it makes for good filler on other channels but It’s refreshing to see someone just get to it, nice!

[@AcmeRestorations]

LOL, thanks.

[@dalewysinger3077]

A beautiful job. I realize the red was required for an exact restoration; but, the brass looked classier.

[@AcmeRestorations]

This knife is cool, but it was never, ever, classy! :) If I had left the bolsters brass, I'd have twice as many comments complaining that I didn't match the original. Can't win.

[@JojoCrazyCat]

My dad had a knife like that when i was a kid back in the 1970s.

[@inkiron3907]

How would you have “cheated” on this restoration/rebuild? Great work and fun to watch

[@Fantafaust]

Exactly, what does that even mean?

[@paulroehl1099]

An easy cheat on this could have been a rough cut stacked handle, then contour and shape on a belt sander. Bravo on the leather die punch and attention to detail.

[@designabeej]

Beautiful work 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 Where did u get the set of very fine metal files that you used for sanding in the small holes pls? And what are they called pls?

[@AcmeRestorations]

Those are called "riffler files". Once you know that, they are easy to find online. Thanks for watching.

[@williamlee8098]

I enjoyed this restoration on this knife I have a similar k bar in bad shape was my dads I have few things that belonged to him I’m disabled unable to restore it would like to pass on to my boys can you help bill

[@Empok_Nor]

Do you have a video showing how you use the knife sharping system?

[@jaimeag2006]

It looks like the Lansky system. Devilishly simple and effective. There should be other videos out there if you are interested.

[@Empok_Nor]

@@jaimeag2006 There is, but not everyone uses it the same way

[@benjaminmoran3619]

Great video, quick question I'm new to this but I seen videos where these use glue on the layers of the handles and then compress them, is your method better? Definitely a cleaner finish! 👌

[@AcmeRestorations]

I don't think so. I've taken apart a few stacked leather handles on knives and hatchets; I've never seen any glue used by the manufacturer.

[@mikehenthorn1778]

that was a great job. from a taste standpoint i might have left the guard and pummel as sand blasted but pitted as an accent and to show what it looked like.

[@AcmeRestorations]

Thanks 👍 I thought the pommel looked cool pitted after it was blasted :) I'd get a lot of complaints though if I did that. Thanks for watching.

[@romeovidalrodriguez7754]

hola cómo estás ,espero que estés, bien bastante bien.

[@johnscamardo2145]

i have an almost identical knife but it's a different brand . it was my grandfathers and the leather of course has detoriated from time was made back in the 40's or 50's. have wondered how to restore but have never had the tools to do so or anyone i know who could

[@jaquigreenlees]

I think a pair of punches instead of the die, cut the circles then with the second punch cut the slot. The punches could easily be set so the cut piece fills in, pushes up and gets angled out the side as you cut more. Then you can make different size punches for the outer cut and have it usable more often.( local leather craft store had several punches for doing different cuts that fed the cut piece through the punch )

[@AcmeRestorations]

I considered that. I might have done that with thinner leather. With the 6mm leather, it take a LOT of force to cut all the way through.

[@jaquigreenlees]

@@AcmeRestorations Oh I know, I used a hand held boot lacing tool to cut leather boot laces out of 6 mil leather. Had to cut a hole in the center of the square to insert the lacing tool.

[@mukaiba1]

Very nice restoration. Question: It wasn't necessary to re-temper the steel? Thanks!

[@AcmeRestorations]

No. I didn't do anything to remove the temper. So no need.

[@mukaiba1]

@@AcmeRestorations Wow - thanks for replying!

[@customerservicemanager7184]

I used to have an old David Bowie knife too...

[@AcmeRestorations]

But you don't anymore? You've made some ch-ch-ch-changes?

[@customerservicemanager7184]

@@AcmeRestorations I don't get it.

[@pfadiva]

@Customer Service Manger: Jim Bowie came up with the Bowie knife. David Bowie, British rocker, had a hit song called "Changes" .

[@customerservicemanager7184]

@@pfadiva It's actually the other way around...

[@rexferal]

Excellent skills milling out the disc cutting die, but us lesser mortals would take the easy route and buy a set of pre-cut leather discs.

[@karunakaranjoseph958]

Great restoration, the steel and brass combo would have looked good too instead of the red paint...thanks for sharing , great finish..

[@AcmeRestorations]

Thanks 👍

[@pghgeo816]

i think i would have like to seen some glue between the leather pieces but wow the sanding polishing and remaking of bolsters was first rate.

[@AcmeRestorations]

There is absolutely no reason to glue the leather washers if they fit the tang properly, which was the whole point of making the die. The handle leather washers on these knives were not glued when manufactured.

[@pghgeo816]

fair enough @@AcmeRestorations

[@JerryDechant]

The cost of restoration would probably far exceed the original value/cost of the knife, but you did an excellent job. :)

[@AcmeRestorations]

It just cost a bit of time. I paid $10 for the rusty knife. The brass was just scrap. Now I've got a sweet little knife. Thanks for watching!

[@theregytor2515]

excellent job, respect. friend tell me where can i buy a small clip like yours?) thank you in advance!

[@AcmeRestorations]

That is called a "Kant Twist" clamp. They come in all sizes, and they are amazing clamps. Amazon and Grainger both sell them.

[@theregytor2515]

@@AcmeRestorations Thank you!) I'm waiting for new videos. Strength, class, knowledge, new ideas, take care of yourself!

[@derrickcordick1315]

Beautiful out come other then the red it was sad to see the brass go well done tho

[@AcmeRestorations]

Hey, I just restore 'em. I didn't design the knife. Frankly I think the red complements the leather handle.

[@Gr0s3d]

The Virgin Sandblasting vs The Chad Vinegar.

[@greavous93]

How did you go about straightening the bent tip of the blade? Once you sanded it down I never saw a top view again. The only negative I thought was using spray paint. Even with the "etching" primer its only temporary and rattle can is always going to be rattle can. I was waiting to see it bubble up when the heat gun came out. For a guy with a cnc router, you could have sourced some material and avoided the paint.

[@AcmeRestorations]

The tip isn't bent. This knife has a swage on the left side of the blade which probably makes it look that way from some angles.

[@GunMaster548]

Where do you find knives like this to restore?

[@AcmeRestorations]

This one at a flea market. Start a restoration channel; after a while people just start giving you rusty crap :).

[@tballstaedt7807]

Ted Williams Bowie knife, made by schrade Walden for Sears Craftsman.

[@AcmeRestorations]

I'm not sure if all of them were Ted Williams, or just some of them. I know the Ted Williams had a signature on the blade. I couldn't find one, but then the blade was in pretty poor shape. But yes, the exact same design. Thanks for watching.

[@CarsRestored]

Me: No way he can restore this ACME: Hold my tools

[@hueytheno-gooder9926]

Next time you have a stack leather handle, I suggest to put epoxy between each washer. Also belt sand you handle shape.

[@AcmeRestorations]

God no. Epoxy ruins the whole feel of the leather. You end up with what is basically bad micarta. Didn't belt sand the handle because it's hard to be very precise with a 4" belt sander, and I don't have a 2x72". Didn't want to scratch the bolsters.

[@hueytheno-gooder9926]

@@AcmeRestorations I guess that's why they make strawberry, chocolate, and vanilla ice cream. Everyone is different. However that's why the military stack leather washer handles through the years come apart. NO ADHESIVE TO KEEP THEM TOGETHER!!!! Regards

[@AcmeRestorations]

@@hueytheno-gooder9926 Knives with stacked leather handles that come apart are knives that were not cared for properly. Leather has to be maintained. I've got a Viet Nam era Ka-Bar that is in superb condition. But I oil the leather fairly regularly.

[@user-qf7hp5hd7r]

Хорошая работа и без пиздобольства

[@johnathondavis5208]

The hardest $8.99 ever recovered.

[@qually100]

Зачем благородную латунь красить краской???

[@qually100]

@@user-hl9jw3lv8j Это называется заставь дурня богу молиться,он и лоб расшибёт...

[@baloch9199]

👌🏻👌🏻

[@peterjohnson170]

Good job, but you forgot to glue the leather as you put it on the handle

[@AcmeRestorations]

I didn't forget to glue the leather. There is no need to glue the leather. None of the stacked leather handles I've taken apart have ever been glued by the manufacturer. That includes hatchets.

[@TylerSnyder305]

Yep, looks like a Schrade H15 or " Bowie hunter " to me.

[@AcmeRestorations]

Year. It's almost exactly like the Bowie Hunter. Depending on the year, the bolsters differed a little. So hard to know if it's different because they made it for Craftsman, or because of the year. Either way it's a very cool little knife. Thanks for watching.