Removing pommel

[t1mpani]

Am working on an old Navy Mk 2 (before you shout out blasphemy, the original handle was long ago replaced with tennis racket tape and the knife is in horrible shape---no fine collectible being defaced here ) and need to get the pommel off before I can straighten the tang. Basically, I'm looking for any suggestions for removing. Obviously the removal of the peened tang material holding it on is the point of attack, but I'm trying to figure a way to do it without scarring up the pommel face too much.








Am I pretty much relegated to a dremmel and careful carbide wheel work, or is there a niftier solution?

 

[richard j]

will it move around any on the tang?

 

[t1mpani]

Hey Richard,
Oddly no--it is sitting crooked on the tang, like somebody tried to make the pommel square to the blade without straightening the tang, but it's as solid as a rock, so my guess is they re-peened it.

 

[richard j]

no problem. to get it loose, clamp the tang in a vice close to the pommel and with a piece of wood drive the pommel back. the wood will give but a hole might help to let the tang slide through as you go.

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

What Richard said.
You want to file the peened metal down to close to the pomme,first. Then clamp the tang firmly in a vise with about 1/4" sticking out below the pommel. Insert a wedge of metal, like two large screwdrivers ( The best thing would be a tool called a "salad fork" used to do ball joints and such in auto mechanics) on both sides of the tang and lift it off. After straightening the tang, re-file the pommel seat so the tang sticks out enough to re-pein on final assembly. If the tang breaks off while trying to remove it, just weld a new piece of tang on about 1" back from the pommel, and file it to fit.
Stacy

 

[t1mpani]

It's actually just as you say--the tang has two tapers or notches going into the pommel, so there will be no driving the pommel forward. I'll get to filing on the peened section and see if I can't punch the tang through when I get home. Thanks again for the help.