Handle conversion?

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agp

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Is it possible to take off the western handle on a knife and replace it with a Japanese wa handle? Would that undermine the integrity of the handle/knife build?
 
If it's a western handle with a metal bolster it has to be ground off...
 
If it's a western handle with a metal bolster it has to be ground off...


Yeah that's the more complicated of the situations as it pretty much forces you to have re-finish the entire blade if you want it to look good.
 
If you mean there are three rivets instead of two, that is not a big deal. Sometimes people make knives with like 8 pins in them. Sometimes none.

If you mean there is an extra hole in the tang, and not a hole or pin in the scales, that's not unusual either--it's done to change the balance and/or create an "epoxy rivet".

As long as it's not an integral bolster, you can just take the scales off, grind it down to a stick and do whatever you like it it.
 
The one I have have one more bolt thing in between the two on the both ends of the handle.

Some knives have two rivets, some have three.

Is this something new/experimental?

I think at some point most people who get involved in rehandling knives attempt a conversion of this type. Mike's job is easier because there is no bolster, as has been noted.
 

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