replacing CS tanto handle

fishface5

fishface5

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Joined
Feb 3, 2001
Messages
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I think this question may be too basic for the shop talk forum: has anyone ever tried to replace the starts-wih-a-K-basically-its-rubber handles of a Cold Steel tanto with a micarta handle? I would like to but I don't know if the pommel can safely be removed for this purpose, without destroying the knife. Anyone have any thoughts or suggestions? Thanks - FF

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[previously incarnated as fishface, since 10/98]

the beatings will continue until morale improves
 
Someone (don't remember who) posted some pics about a month ago, of a custom grip they put on a Recon Trailmaster. It was an impressive job of turning a fairly plain knife into a very pretty bowie.
Search back through the General forum and you may be able to find it.
I don't know how similar the construction is between the two, but it's a very interesting question. I'll be checking back to find out what you learn as I'm growing more tired of Krubber grips every day.


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Desenfundeme no sin la razón, envaineme no sin honor
Usual Suspect
MOLON LABE!
 
I replaced the Kraton on my CS Mini-Tanto with 550 cord. Essentially, I tied a tight knot at the hilt, turned the knife over, tied another, turned it over again, and so on. The cord met at the pommel and I fused the two ends together very carefully with a lighter for an almost seamless effect. Very nice.

Doing it with Micarta's gonna require some routing out of the Micarta since you're dealing with a thick, stick-like tang. You'll likely have to epoxy the routed halves together since there are no pre-existing holes drilled in the tang to receive through-screws or pins.

Professor.
 
Cut the rubber off and see how the pommel is installed. If its threaded or soldered you have it whipped, if not, improvise.
 
Professor,
What does the tang look like? Is it a fat rat tail, or what?

Is the Pommel just screwed on, or is there some other form of fastener?

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Desenfundeme no sin la razón, envaineme no sin honor
Usual Suspect
MOLON LABE!
 
Howdy!

On the two CS tanto's that i've had that i removed the pommel from they were just screwed on, maybe it'd go easier if you heated it up some? (if they are loc-tited) I did it very easily on my examples.

Good luck
smile.gif


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Be well!/Jonas aka 2Sharp

"Who want fulfillment? -denial lasts forever"
Usual Suspect-got the t-shirt to prove it...
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My knives!
 
Am curious about the desire to get rid of Krubber handles. Never had a knife with any form of rubber handles, until last week, broke down and finally bought a couple of the Frost's Mora blades, one with plastic handle that's too slick, and the other with a rubber handle that feels unbelievably good to me, particularly since we're talking a $7 knife here. (SMKW)

Now granted, I've only played with this knife a little bit. Can I expect to reach a point where I shudder at ever touching rubber again? Will this change my sex life? No -- will it change my ideas on knife handles?

Forgot to say that I've read of CS Krubber handles coming loose, but not of folks wanting to be rid of that tacky stuff.

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Asi es la vida

Bugs

[This message has been edited by Bugs3x (edited 06-15-2001).]
 
Kraton may not stand up as well as harder stuff for chores like chopping, but I've rarely used a belt knife for that application. It's hard to beat when it comes to grippiness under severe conditions, such as when your hands are cold and you're doing something messy inside a large game animal. Thermorun, which Fallkniven uses, is similar, but harder and still gives an excellent grip. Anyone making aftermarket grips in either of these materials?
 
Ken, sorry I didn't get back sooner. I believe that the pommell is tapped and screws onto the rat tail tang. It's been a while, and it's hard to tell now that mine's cord-wrapped.

Professor.
 
Hey guys, thanks for the responses so far. 2Sharp, I'd be especially interested in a blow-by-blow of how you accomplished the task. Did you just heat the pommel on the stove, then put it in a vice & twist & it came loose? I guess that's what I'll have to try. But too much heat will melt the Kraton perhaps. Then I'll just drill the appropriate size hole in a block of micarta, profile it to meet the hilt and pommel, fill in any gaps with epoxy, screw & lock-tite the pommel back on, then voila, shape the handle and it's all good. In theory. I've mucked up these projects before, however . . . .

Ken, glad you pointed that out about replacing the handle on the trailmaster. The TM doesn't have a pommel so it should be easier to do, and I want to do that to mine.

The problem I find with "krubber" handles, especially on a chopper like the TM, is that the checkering pattern becomes VERY abrasive after a couple of minutes of hard use. The cushy rubber sticks to your hands, and PULLLLLS at the skin with each chop. Ow. Fallkniven's Thermorun is not as flexible so not as "grippy" and thus not as blister-inducing. Too much grippiness CAN be a bad thing!

Also, the TM's handle came noticeably loose after 2 days of use!! Granted, some of that use included throwing it into a tree at 15 feet, which wouldn't be a problem if it had hit the tree blade-first instead of handle-first, more than a few times . . . but after the learning curve was worked through, that sucker was throwing real nice!!

Tx - FF

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[previously incarnated as fishface, since 10/98]

the beatings will continue until morale improves
 
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