Question on rivets in the handles

[DeaconKC]

Okay, got a question for you guys who make handles/grips/panels/scales...whatever. I have a faithful old Cold Steel knife that I carried daily for many years as my "Get off me knife". It is a Skean Dhu, the Scottish boot knife/dirk. It has a synthetic, rubberized handle on it now that appears to be held on by rivets in addition to being molded on. I would like to put more traditional grips on it now. What is the best way to remove the grips and then replace them?

[1961MJS]

Hi Deacon
I've put them on, but never taken them off.  For one thing, I have no clue how to get the rivets off without pretty much Dremeling them off.  While I understand keeping the old knife going, you might be better off building or making a new one.  You can put handes on a new blade with clamps, epoxy, and a belt sander.
Hope this helps a little.
Later

[Cap'n Redneck]

If You want to keep the rubber handle intact, I'd set the knife up in a wise under a drill press and drill out the brass rivet from both sides. The trick being to keep the drill bit from running out and ruining the rubber grip.
I'd then try to squirt some WD40 or silicone-spray between the tang and the rubber, also using the holes left by the brass rivet.  Then clamp the blade in a padded wise and pull & wiggle on the rubber handle in the hope that it will come loose...
(Holding the rubber handle under a running hot-water tap, or dipping it into a pot of boiling water to make the rubber more pliable might also help.)

If You are prepared to sacrifice the rubber-handle I'd just whittle it off with an exacto-knife...

[St. George]

Pretty much every supplier of knife blades makes a couple of the Skean Dhu blade - I'd go that route.

Scouts Out!

[Coffinmaker]

  Oh Heck Deacon 

Thisun is so simple.  Actually.  An Exumer (small, sharp pry bar) and a Ball Peen Hammer.  Take that Rubber Baby Buggy Bumper thingie off Toot Sweet I bet.

Actually, I don't have a Clue.  Up to my knees in fluffy white goodness (Barf) and am bored out of my thick skull.  But, I wished to contribute and so provided my learned guidance.  Those nifty small pry bars are just perfect for removing Base Boards, Door Moldings, Window surrounds, and properly sharpened will remove those pesky Nose Hairs.

Play Safe Out There.  Avoid People.  They are Hazardous to Yer Health.

[KenH]

I know nothing about that knife, nor much about Cold Steel knives in general.  To me, that looks like a hidden tang?  If so, you can drill the rivet out without too much trouble, but the handle stands a good chance of being molded to the tang.  If so, this would require grinding, cutting, sawing, in general anything to demolish the existing handle.  Once you've got it off, you can clean the tang up and make a new handle. 

BEFORE you do all that work, you might wish to make a new handle from a chunk of cheap wood for a hidden tang, fit it up to a small tang.  Once you feel like you've got the practice made with tang slot cleaned out, then and only then decide if it's really worth all the hassle.

Good luck, and be sure to keep us posted on the progress.

Ken H>