Removing drawknife handles

Re: Removing drawknife handles

JL

Can't address getting the handles off. Not sure how they were put on.

You probably should take the temper out of the blade and then heat treat it again.

Better to have it bend rather than break.

Personally, I would get another drawknife - such as an Arno or Timber Tuff. They have the handles on different planes. One can never have too many drawknives .

Re: Removing drawknife handles

Keith Newton

I use a 20 oz framing hammer to knock the bark off. If you have some off already, strike the bark at about a 45* angle about 2-3" over from the edge, with the blow toward the open area. The newly formed cells in the cambium will shear off. I can remove about 2 sq ft per minute, and it will be nice and clean.

Re: Removing drawknife handles

Jack Guzman from Maine

Drawknife tangs are usually untreated,bendable. As to removing the handle ,I've never done it but most I've seen are permanently attached by peening the tip of the tang to lock it on. I don't think heating is necessary though. If you want more experienced opinions ask over on the hand tool side.---Jack

Re: Removing drawknife handles-jl

Tom dunlap

I do like tools! But...I'm trying not to load up on anymore since retirement is coming up and I want to lighten up

If i do use heat I can keep it isolated to the el way beyond the blade.

Re: Removing drawknife handles-Keith

Tom dunlap

I've tried the hammer smash method already. It doesn't work on corky old bark that's closento1.75 thick. The hammer smash does work on thin, smooth barked trunks I know

Re: Removing drawknife handles-Jack

Tom dunlap

Thanks for the insight. It makes sense to keep the tangs and el portion more malleable.

I think that if I clamp the blade portion in my heavy vise and use my big jaw Vise Grips as a heat shield and heat sink I can isolate the heat for bending

I'll take pictures when I get out the torch for heating

Thanks everyone.

Tom

Re: Removing drawknife handles

john lucas

Tom I looked at mine. One set doesn't appear to have anything holding them on. The other set has a small tip of the tang bent over. I have always been able to remove tool handles by putting a large crescent wrench closed over the shaft loosely and then hitting it near the head with a dead blow hammer. On some tolls you gotta hit it pretty hard. I have not tried to remove the handles from any of my draw knives but do have a knife I purchases with no handles and the tangs on it are tapered just like most files. If the tang on yours has a slight bent over area you may be able to get a screw driver under it and bend it out just enough to get some needle nose vise grips and straighten it. It's possible it will break off even though I'm sure the tang is not hardened.

To heat the tangs near the blade to bend them just clamp some metal right before the blade to absorb any heat. I like to take scraps of aluminum or copper and clamp them on with a metal C clamp. That and hopefully a small very hot torch to heat the area you need to bend. I would try to cold bend them. Do this slowly. If it feels like it's fighting you then it probably needs to be heated but I'll bet you can bend them no further than you need without heat.

Re: Removing drawknife handles-John Lucas

Tom dunlap

I don't think that I'll risk a cold bend. If it broke I wouldn't want to

Consider the repair

I'm handy enough with a torch to meat a small area and work quickly