My latest hobby has been to restore/rejuvenate old high carbon blade knives. Mainly the cheaper knives like Old Hickory, or even some old HC Sheffields, Fosters etc. This old steel can be re-edged to razor-sharpness. I clean the steel, remove the old Handles/scales, epoxy on new exotic wood scales and pin them with solid brass rod. Then shape the handles to the tangs and finish them with tongue oil. A friend of mine makes exotic woods boxes and I get the scrapes to use for handles. They make great gifts and are welcome to practical kitchen use, though you must keep the blade dry-and never run through a dishwasher. I think I have done about two dozen so far. It is something I can do partly away on jobs, and do the final work at home. I have several dozen shallow cuts on hands and fingers until I learned to use painters tape on blade until ready to re-edge. After wearing out my arms using my Arkansas Stones to re-edge and sharpen-I must admit I bought a work-sharp machine to do the heavy lifting. These knives run from 6 inch paring to 8 inch boning to 18 inch butchers of all fashions.
Here is a sampling of what I have been doing. I feel its my way of being green, taking old abandoned knives and putting them back in service, while making a pretty tool in the kitchen.
Brad