I have this old knife. This is a vintage WeidmannsHeil stag handle hunter. It's not in the best shape and I don't believe restoring it will destroy any value since its not worth much as a collectors piece. The stag is nice but the handle is loose and the spacers are brittle. The guard is, well ugly as you can seel. I'm going to give this old soldier new life with a beefier tang, new spaces and overall restoration. I do not plan on removing the blade patina other than cleaning and oiling it to get rid of the crude. I think it will look pretty sharp with a make over. I'll post pics of the restoration if you guys are interested.
. The story is my boss at work gave me this knife. It was his father who had passed away. I don't think he was comfortable with the knife in the shape it was in. And it was unusable and unsafe to use in the condition it was in. I sent him a picture to day and to let him know I wanted him to have it back in like new condition. Who knows - hopefully it will be a family heirloom for his family. But I was glad he accepted my offer.