Aardvark said:
What you see sticking out of the end of the diamond-shaped keeper is the blade tang that's been peened over.
Gently grind off the end until the keeper loosens. Just did that with a Pen Knife yesterday. If it doesn't come off, gently heat the laha (Nepaese epoxy). I use a heat gun.
I've ground the peened tang off but you need to be careful and not take too much, just enough to get a small flat on the keeper.
Then use a thin screwdriver or the thin edge of a dependable knife and gently pry off the keeper and if possible the butt cap. If you can't get the butt cap off don't fret, keep reading...
Then there are different ways to go from there. Use a heat gun and heat the handle until the laha melts enough so that the handle can be pulled off, first removing the butt cap if you didn't already.
By all means don't forget to protect your hands from the heat and ESPECIALLY the HOT Laha!!!!
If you don't have a heat gun drop the handle in a pan of water and let it boil. When little flakes of laha start running out, more like dribbling, then protecting your hands from the heat take it out of the water and quickly pull the handle off.
Now the water will raise the grain on a wood handle something fierce but it won't ruin it but it does dry it out to all billy hell!!!! Leave it Alone for Now!!!!
Edit:
Never mind, I was going through how to take care of the so-called habaki bolster.
Throw the bad handle away.
After everything has cooled you can take a Ball Pein Hammer and pound the tang to get rid of the dried laha, wear eye protection as it flys all over hell and back.
Use a knife or scraper and clean the laha out of the bolster, it'll come, just keep working with it. When you get all the laha scraped and cleaned from everything you're ready to make your new handle.
If you have to buy the wood buy enough for at least three handles if this is your first time. I almost always screw up the first one, or did until I got some experience.
If your khuk has the habaki bolster and you want to shorten it just cut off the flat area and then file the end smooth and then gently squeeze it to fit the blade with a pair of pliers, you may need a variety of pliers to be able to do so.
Carve your handle and fit the ends to the bolster and the butt cap with just a little play in the bolster. It's a good idea to leave the top a little larger than the butt cap for fitting in the final assembly.
That way there's no part of the butt cap overlapping the wood.
When you get the hole drilled and fitted, a 1/4" wood chisel works miracles here, and can dry fit everything to your satisfaction then it's time for glue up.
Make damned sure there is a little bit of tang sticking out of the keeper when dry fitted!!!!
I use masking tape to hold the bolster in place. Put the bolster on with the handle in it and then tape the bolster tight to the blade leaving no openings between the bolster and blade!
The bolster shouldn't be able to be moved after it's taped.
Remove the handle and tape it neatly every place you don't want epoxy. Tape the top of the butt cap neatly as well as the keeper, use 2 or 3 layers of neatly installed tape.
Ready!!!!
Mix your epoxy well. Pour a little into the bolster, just a little as if you have it fitted properly it will push some out. Then holding your Vinyl Gloved hand, didn't mention the vinyl gloves did I? Oh well I just did.
Holding a vinyl covered finger under the new handle pour a little epoxy down it and hold it until it runs all the way down.
Then quickly put it over the tang and push it down into the bolster seating it where you want it.
If needed pour some epoxy around the tang into the hole in the handle.
Wehn it's full smear some epoxy over the end of the handle and put the butt cap on and center it, should be a close fit already. Then smear a little epoxy under the keeper and install it.
I use the Devcon 2 ton epoxy for the 30 minute drying time.
After a little while the epoxy will set up enough so that the khuk can be handled gently and the epoxy won't run anymore.
Remove the tape and using a sharp knife cut off any excess epoxy.
You should have a perfectly set handle and will have if you dry fitted everything properly. Now's where patience plays a part. Let the epoxy cure. It takes longer than 30 minutes no matter what it says. Wait until the next day and then put the point of the khuk on a good piece of solid hardwood.
Take the Ball Pein Hammer and peen over the little bit of tang sticking out the top.
You did leave a little didn't you?
Finis. and well done my friend.
I don't think I left anything out and I reread it several times but if something isn't clear just ask.
