Removing pewter bolster??

[IsaacW]

My dad has a knife that I am trying to fix.  The antler handle broke and I would like to remake the entire handle.   I am wondering, what is the best way to remove the poured pewter bolster without buggering up the blade??

IW

[bowtarist]

Can we see a pic of it?

[Pat B]

Pewter has a lower melting temperature than blade steel. 

[bowtarist]

Pewter has a lower melting temperature than blade steel. 

Yup, that's what I was thinking too. Probably get it off there w/ a regular old propane torch.

[Hillbilly]

I would be careful to protect the blade to keep from taking the temper out of it, though, unless you want to re-temper it.

[bowtarist]

A wet rag will protect the blade from the heat. I want to see a pic still.

Pewter is soft, can probably be ground and/or filed off too.

[Pat B]

My friend Alan Brown adds pewter bolsters to knives he makes. He uses a propane torch to melt it and pours it in a paper form around the handle area where he wants it.

[IsaacW]

I will get a photo later tonight.  Yes, pewter will melt quick at a lower heat than the steel but the temper was my concern.  Some friends have given the wet towel suggestion as well as then clamp it in a vise to work as a heat sink for the blade.  Another stated that sticking it in a large potato would work too.  I will try these soon.

IW

[jonathan creason]

I would wrap the blade in a wet towel, and then burry that in a bucket of wet sand.  If you want to be extra careful about screwing up the heat treatment, a few minutes with a file should take care of it too.

[IsaacW]

[Stoker]

I don't think I would use heat if it was mine... Looking at your pic.. I think I would cut along top and bottom with a demel as much without cutting into the steel and use a nut splitter should pop off...Than file clean
Thanks Leroy

[KHalverson]

awefully short tang on that sucker.
I would also think about welding on an extension.

id follow stokers advice and go at the sucker with a dremel.
Kevin

[stickbender]

     Dremel or hack saw, length wise, on both sides, then pry it off, or polish the sides, and  look for a small ring, which would be a pin, if it was pinned on, and not glued.  Is this a German import, or Indian?  Yeah a longer tang would be a definite, benefit, as that is what caused it to break in the first place.  You can do it yourself, or have a welding shop do it.  You can get a couple of vice grips, and clamp at the ricasso? or the area just below the pewter, and set the blade in a coffee can or other container of water with either ice cubes, or dry ice, and weld on an extension on to it.  You would have to prep the existing tang and all first.  But it is not a big project.  You then put the original handle on with some spacers, or put a new one on.  Just my thoughts.

                                                                          Wayne

[IsaacW]

Agreed that it is a short tang.  I have plans to remedy that issue.  Also, there is more tang that is not visible under that bolster that includes more antler handle.  Actually, I am not sure how much is pewter and how much is antler.  I did not make this one, just got it on a trade and gave it to my pa.