KA-BAR Grass Machete: Potential project

[Street Samurai1978]

So I pulled the trigger on a grass machete and what I got was a nice looking blade that wobbled slightly in the handle. I was going to send it back to Amazon, but then I got the idea to perhaps make a project out of it. I was thinking to remove the handle and either shape some handles from wood or cord wrap it. Of course I'd destroy the handle trying to get it off. Any thoughts or other ideas?

 

[monstrum]

i think it sounds like a good idea to try and make some wood handles for it post some before and after pics of this project. if you decide to do it

 

[NB40]

Very interested in how your project turns out!

 

[CamH_16]

Hell yes to this from me, if you wanna spend some extra money get a piece of G-10 or micarta. I love customizing blades myself personally.

 

[Guyon]

So I pulled the trigger on a grass machete and what I got was a nice looking blade that wobbled slightly in the handle. I was going to send it back to Amazon, but then I got the idea to perhaps make a project out of it. I was thinking to remove the handle and either shape some handles from wood or cord wrap it. Of course I'd destroy the handle trying to get it off. Any thoughts or other ideas?

You could contact Ka-Bar and see about getting a replacement. A small number of this model got into the distribution pipeline with a bit of side-to-side play.

Sounds like you got one. So did I.

However, if you want a project, you do not have to destroy the handle to get it off and repair it. Here's what I did.

My Grass Machete had a touch of rattle, which I knew about before I got it. The play didn't bother me at first, but I eventually decided to fix it.
I tried drilling the lanyard tubing, but it started spinning. So I pressed it up enough to cut off one end with a dremel sanding disk.
Going back, I used a part for a Coleman lantern (shown below). It's brass, already flared on one end, and almost the right size.
I had to open up the lanyard tube hole in the tang just the slightest bit, and did so with a little Dremel grinding bit. After that procedure, everything went together fine.
With a healthy dose of epoxy on the blade, I slid everything together, cut off the new brass tubing with my sanding disk, and flared the other side using a hex bit.
Good as new, no more play in the handle. Below, you can see the difference in color between the two lanyard tubes.