Butt Cap removal

O

oresteshellfire

Joined
Nov 1, 2012
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I am attempting to replace the leather in a stacked leather handle on a knife for a friend, the knife is about 9 inches long with about a 4.5-5 in blade, with a brass finger guard, and a chrome or stainless butt cap. The only markings I can find on the knife are stamped on the blade and they say "Western" and below that "Boulder Colorado". The butt cap itself holds everything on the knife of course, and appears pinned on by two pins that have been ground or polished down flush with the cap itself. I have tried tapping them out, and even attempted heating them, (though, I am not sure how successfully I heated the pins), I cannot get them to budge. Does anyone know how to remove them?
 
I am attempting to replace the leather in a stacked leather handle on a knife for a friend, the knife is about 9 inches long with about a 4.5-5 in blade, with a brass finger guard, and a chrome or stainless butt cap. The only markings I can find on the knife are stamped on the blade and they say "Western" and below that "Boulder Colorado". The butt cap itself holds everything on the knife of course, and appears pinned on by two pins that have been ground or polished down flush with the cap itself. I have tried tapping them out, and even attempted heating them, (though, I am not sure how successfully I heated the pins), I cannot get them to budge. Does anyone know how to remove them?
 
I have only restored two leather stacked Westerns but to get the butt cap off I had to drill them out. Good luck
 
Is the buttcap stainless or nickel silver? If stainless use stainless, If nickle silver use nickle silver pins.
 
I replaced a leather handle on an older western with wood. The pommel was aluminum and the pin drilled out very easy. The pin can be replaced with any round stock. You can go a size larger if you need to after drilling.
 
If they didn't move when you tapped them they are peened and maybe some sort of glue as well, (or you didn't tap hard enough :rolleyes: ) If that is the case you're going to have to drill them out.
 
That knife used a lot of aluminum pommels. I'd drill a divot in the pin with the knife held in a vise. Use a drill press and go slowly drilling as deep as you can. Then see if you may tap it the rest of the way out using a proper size punch. If not, flip it over and drill from the other side as well. Then she should come out. You'll probably ruin the original pommel. So, remember it's shape, then purchase another piece of round stock aluminum (over sized piece). Drill and file the end to fit the tang, leaving it larger around than the leather washers. After cutting your leather washers and fitting them on then fit the new pommel on and drill a hole for it's pin. You should have to press it on. Don't forget to use something like Mink oil on the washers while you have it disassembled. Then press the pommel on and pin it. Then tape the leather and sand the pommel to fit. When finished, remove the tape and clean. DM
 
Also, leather washers can easily be made for that by using a 1" pipe and sharpening the inside edge. Top rail of a chain link fence works great. Then lay your leather on an old board, stand your pipe on the leather and start hammering, ie. cutting. You'll probably only need 5-6 washers, then using a small point knife cut the washers center to fit the tang. They need to fit snug and with a little oil on them, push them in place. Sand to match existing washers. DM
 
oresteshellfire, if you do what david suggested and try to drill out the pins and you have access to a drill press, clamp the knife flat on a block of wood that is just thick enough to allow the pommel to rest on the drill press table. that way you can drill straight down through the pin but use a smaller drill bit so you leave a little bit of a thin wall. then you should be able to drive the pin out the other side.
 
If using new leather washers as replacements, don't forget to compress them for a few days before refitting the pommel. Other wise they'll shrink and create gaps if the leather isn't kept well conditioned.
 
I also believe their aluminum, like a lot of the Buck fixed bladed knives of that era had.
 
thanks guys, I took a little time off from the project before I got pissed, I'm going to take a whack at drilling them out Monday, I appreciate all the input.
 
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