Considering the knife isn't mine, I'm probably going to just clean it up and put a good edge on it. I'd like to take it apart and put new scales on it, but I think it would lose it's integrity as a family heirloom. As the scales are a tad loose, I may have to re-peen the pins a little in order to make the knife usable again. If I had bought it off e-bay or at a swap meet or something, I wouldn't be at all hesitant about new scales, pins, etc., but as it belongs to someone else, and has their family history attached, a good clean up and sharpening is all it needs. I like the molasses and water idea.