Solingen Cutlery

This is a post-WW2 issue Solingen Cutlery hunting knife. Originally purchased in the late 1940s or early 1950s by the owner’s father, it has seen both a lot of use, and unfortunately a house fire.

Tom wanted to give this to his brother as a gift and wondered if I might be able to restore it. We talked about it and decided a lot could be done. From corrosion on the blade to a loose bone handle and smoke damage across all surfaces, there was plenty to be done. Beyond that, there was no sheath either. So, I got busy.

To start with I performed a general cleaning of all surfaces using a mild soap and a mist of water. This accomplished very little, but allowed me to get started. I used a variety of polishing techniques on the blade to remove rust and restore a polished finish, without removing the history already written into the blade. Similarly, I polished the brass finger guard and the pommel.

After considering whether or not the handle would come off the tang of the blade, I realized it would not without destroying it. Rather, I hand sanded the handle through three different stages to restore a bit of the surface originality and remove some of the surface damage in one area. Since the handle was loose, I used an epoxy to fill the interior of the handle and cement it, the pommel, and the spacers properly into place for a rock-solid fit and tightness.

For the sheath, I contacted Rolland Berry of Rollie’s Leather Shop here in Billings. Rollie and Tom connected on his wishes for the sheath, and he produced a wonderful replacement!

Finally, I was able to finish the handle with boiled linseed oil and a purified wax for the blade to help protect it. The final result is beautiful!

Have something special you’d like to have restored? Give me a call or text and let’s talk!