Vanguard Handles

L

Longstrider

Joined
May 18, 2005
Messages
230
Having decided to go with the wood when I bought my Vanguards, I've now decided that I would perhaps like to personalise one of them a little by re-handling it.
Can any of you guys please tell me how to remove the pommel and handle from a Vanguard without doing any damage to the knife? Ideally I'd like to remove the present wooden handle and make my own, with the option of replacing the original handle if I foul up my own attempt. I can't see a screw, a bolt, or a rivet anywhere on the handle, and I've tried to simply unscrew the pommel without effect. Don't want to "over-torque" the pommel and damge something if thats not the way to remove it. Thanks.
 
I think there is a pin in the butt cap. However, i believe the handle is also glued on. Thus NO replacement posibility. I do know this is how the phenolic handles are put on.
 
So far so good Guy. Thanks for that. Now that I look closely I can see the lateral brass pin throught the brass pommel (butt cap)
The question now is... How hard is it to strip off the rest of the wooden handle once the pin is removed with a punch ?
 
You will probably have to destroy the wood to get it off.
 
THe Vanguard handle is glue on.. It will need to be destroyed to take it off. The Butt is not pinned, but rather is threaded and glued onto the tang. You can wrap a cloth around it, put a wrench on it and gently twist it off. Sometimes they do break.



Jeff
 
Thanks for the info Jeff. After I posted my last I realised that what I could see was not a pin, but a freak of the way the light caught the small scratches in the brass (The knife has seen much use). The real giveaway was the fact that it only appeared to be on one side of the butt.
I'm now in two minds as to whether I want to risk busting the knife. When you say they sometimes break, do you mean the brass butt or the tang, and would heating the butt prior to twisting loosen the glue and help prevent breakage ?
 
In removing the cap since its screwed on, you may also be fighting red Loctite and sounds like you may damage the cap. How about buying a rubber handled Vangard and that handle may be easier to get off.
 
What do you say, Jeff ? Is the Kraton handle any easier to strip from the knife so I can have fun making my own to fit? I like the Vanguards a lot, and don't relish the thought of ruining one, but a little "personal touch" is nice to have on a knife that does the miles with you.
 
The Tang on both models is threaded and annealed, but I have seen the tang break when we try to dis-assemble them. The rubber or the wood handles are glued on with a 2 part epoxy, tough stuff.


Jeff
 
it's starting to sound like a custom knife may be in your future to compliment the Vangard. Or look around for a Master Series or MS overrun in BG42.
 
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