ONTARIO Bagwell Bowie question (hells belle + gambler)

bigbore.45

bigbore.45

Joined
Sep 23, 2000
Messages
736
Hi all
who knows how the handle of this knives is
fitted to the tang?
I maybe(?) want to replace the grip with stag,
but i dont have a idea about the construction
of the tang and handle.
Thanks for any advice :)
 
I don't know either, but since a Hell's Belle is next on my list of "knives I gotta have" I'd be interested in hearing the answer myself.

BTTT!
 
Never having handled one,or seen one in person,from the looks of photos it appears to be a mortised tang.
 
It's your basic stick tang. The handle is one solid piece of paccawood, very long for balance and makes for the feel of the piece. I've played with one for about a year - is a good tough production fighter.
 
I have rehandled at least 5 of the Ontario Bagwells.

Keep the blade in the sheath and use a hammer to crack the pakkawod grip. It will explode right off. I also take the guard and ferrule off so I can silver solder the guard to the blade. The best way to do this after removing the handle is to heat the guard/ferrule with a torch lightly to soften the epoxy that holds it there and then tap it off lightly with a hammer. If all you want to do is rehandle...just leave the ferrule and guard in place.

The blade has a relatively narrow stick tang and it is easy to fit up stag, wood, etc to these models.

I also remove the ONTARIO markings and buff the blade to look like a real Bagwell. :D

Greg Covington
 
Greg has sent me several pictures of his work on rehandling the Ontario Bagwells and it is definitely first rate. I was going to post his particulars, but he already answered the question.
 
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