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Maintenance Questions for Ka-Bar USMC
- Thread starter Tok
- Start date
I have never put anything on the handle on my Ka-Bar and it is still fine after having it atleast ten years. Mind you I do not live in a tropical climate. I don't think I ever put anything on the sheath either and it is doing fine. As far as the blade I still have 95% of the black finish on it and I do not regularily oil it. I just wash it off like any silverware and store it clean in the sheath. Probably any 3 in 1 type oil would do for the blade but I'm sure someone here will have a more specific recomendation.
- Joined
- Apr 6, 2003
- Messages
- 1,913
Had mine issued in 70, it's been through hell and back, used it for years. Its pretty worn, takes a great edge when it's needed and the leather washers are just a little dry.
It's not been used since 82 when I dug a tire off my motorcycle on the road as the hand tool that was supposed to work was a piece of crap. Had it with me and used the tip to get under the bead on the rim, twisted it to get the edge on the rubber and after many hard minutes of prying and digging it popped the bands of steel [ I say popped as it really didn't cut through the bands as much as it stressed them enough to snap ] that were encased in the bead of the tire.
Left a small chip in the edge about 1/4" up the tip, which was sharpened away. I have stored it in the sheath, lightly wiped film of oil [ 3-1 ] and it's not gotten any worse since 82.
Another rider had gone for a new tire, when he got back the hand tool was used to put the new one on, can of air, and we were on our way.
It's a knife I've probably used the longest and hardest, actually it is the longest hardest used knife I own. Leather washers could stand a little dressing, they are still tight and no rot. The sheath is about the same as when I retired it, a few years later about 84.
Use your ka-bar Tok, if yours is as strong as mine, a little care and it will last a lifetime, it seems mine has with very little maintenance while it was used. Keep a light film of oil on the blade, just wet enough to see it's not dry, and you should be good to go.
Like hk33ka1, I washed mine under the sink faucet in hot water and soap, dried thoroughly, reoiled and ready for the next adventure.
Thanks for asking and bringing back the memories, there are many with that particular ka-bar of mine.
Brownie
It's not been used since 82 when I dug a tire off my motorcycle on the road as the hand tool that was supposed to work was a piece of crap. Had it with me and used the tip to get under the bead on the rim, twisted it to get the edge on the rubber and after many hard minutes of prying and digging it popped the bands of steel [ I say popped as it really didn't cut through the bands as much as it stressed them enough to snap ] that were encased in the bead of the tire.
Left a small chip in the edge about 1/4" up the tip, which was sharpened away. I have stored it in the sheath, lightly wiped film of oil [ 3-1 ] and it's not gotten any worse since 82.
Another rider had gone for a new tire, when he got back the hand tool was used to put the new one on, can of air, and we were on our way.
It's a knife I've probably used the longest and hardest, actually it is the longest hardest used knife I own. Leather washers could stand a little dressing, they are still tight and no rot. The sheath is about the same as when I retired it, a few years later about 84.
Use your ka-bar Tok, if yours is as strong as mine, a little care and it will last a lifetime, it seems mine has with very little maintenance while it was used. Keep a light film of oil on the blade, just wet enough to see it's not dry, and you should be good to go.
Like hk33ka1, I washed mine under the sink faucet in hot water and soap, dried thoroughly, reoiled and ready for the next adventure.
Thanks for asking and bringing back the memories, there are many with that particular ka-bar of mine.
Brownie
Thanks guys! Chosen this knife cuz I want to have a not expensive, time-proven hard user that will handle all the nasty jobs for me while I will not feel heart-broken if it happens to get a scratch on the coating or whatever.
Really wanna try to enjoy a knife through hard-use and intend to use it for the years to come. Only put some mink-oil on the handle and sheath and that's pretty much it. Got this rugged blade an extra Raine sheath, the black 6F7W, as a rotation for the leather sheath too, like both sheaths and the Raine one really looks great with the knife - gives it a simple "user" type machete look. Gonna have this sheath/knife set-up and thorw it into the trunk of my car whenever I am going into the outdoors now and using it care-free from now on, should be an enjoyable experience.
Really wanna try to enjoy a knife through hard-use and intend to use it for the years to come. Only put some mink-oil on the handle and sheath and that's pretty much it. Got this rugged blade an extra Raine sheath, the black 6F7W, as a rotation for the leather sheath too, like both sheaths and the Raine one really looks great with the knife - gives it a simple "user" type machete look. Gonna have this sheath/knife set-up and thorw it into the trunk of my car whenever I am going into the outdoors now and using it care-free from now on, should be an enjoyable experience.
- Joined
- Apr 6, 2003
- Messages
- 1,913
Everything has remained the same since they were first issued to GI's to my knowledge.
Brownie
Brownie
I don't know if I would put mink oil on the handle or the sheath for that matter. It will soften leather up quite a bit and that is not what you want in a Ka-Bar handle and probably not in a sheath. Maybe some shoe polish paste but not a softener like oil. Unless you are going swimming with this knife all the time or you are going to let it lie out in the sun for weeks on end there is no nead to do anything to the handle other than keep it clean like any other tool. Maybe Brownie or someone else can chime in but any older Ka-Bar in decent shape that I have seen had nothing done to it other than cleaning, sharpening and oil on blade.
textoothpk
BANNED
- Joined
- Sep 24, 2003
- Messages
- 2,386
food grade mineral oil keeps the leather washer handles on all my knives looking great. Mineral oil seems to 'feed' any natural handle material. I also use it on all blades.
- Joined
- Apr 6, 2003
- Messages
- 1,913
Mineral Oil [ food grade ] is a very good preservative/conditioner. I use it on Mastadon Ivory to keep it from drying out, leather, etc.
I would not soak it, per se. A clean rag moistened with the Mineral oil and rubbed lightly over the leather will suffuce fro quite some time.
Keep in mind that too much and it will attract grit and grime which will erode/abrade the leather washers. What you don't want is to use anything where you soak the leather thoroughly which can be detrimental as the leather washers can then become "loose" which is a bad thing.
Like hk33ka1 said, keep it clean, the blade oiled ligfhtly and you should be "good to go" for many years.
Brownie
I would not soak it, per se. A clean rag moistened with the Mineral oil and rubbed lightly over the leather will suffuce fro quite some time.
Keep in mind that too much and it will attract grit and grime which will erode/abrade the leather washers. What you don't want is to use anything where you soak the leather thoroughly which can be detrimental as the leather washers can then become "loose" which is a bad thing.
Like hk33ka1 said, keep it clean, the blade oiled ligfhtly and you should be "good to go" for many years.
Brownie