Hi All, Quick question… I have some hollow-handled knives that
have the blades have pushed out of the handles. How can I loosen up
the “cement” to either re-insert the blades or remove them to add
new? Is this something that can be done easily or should I have them
professionally redone? Thanks in advance, Mical
Mical, I had a job over 30 years ago at a silver repair shop in
Chicago. I removed and replaced knife blades there, and if I remember
correctly, they are easily removable with a little heat. The filler
inside the handle is a sort of resin or something, and it softens
with heat. Also, the connection was finished with a little tin solder
at the point where the blade meets the handle, so you must heat there
to about 400 F to melt that solder. You may find that this is not all
too difficult. It is not too risky, either, because of the low heat
required. Once you get the blade in place again, tin solder it to the
handle, wiping off any excess tin while it is hot, with a rag. Then
scrape off any excess that remains, until it is only in the joint and
not on the surface nearby. Then polish to remove any tool marks you
may have left in the area. Good luck! I think you can try it!
M’lou Brubaker, Jeweler
Goodland, MN