How to Take the Handles Off a Pocketknife

Many pocketknife handles are held on to the main knife housing with either strong epoxy or a series of very small set-screws. Removing the handles requires breaking down the epoxy or unscrewing the set-screw attachments. To clean the knife, or repair the blades and tools, many times the handle must be removed. Certain types of pocketknife have hard plastic cases as the handles themselves. Examples of these pocketknives include the Swiss army style of knives and tools. These knives do not have removable handles.

Things You'll Need

  • Small optical screwdriver
  • Very small flat-head screwdriver
  • Rubber mallet
  • Cloth or towel
  • Glue remover
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Instructions

    • 1

      Look over both sides of the pocketknife to see if the handles have visible set-screws. If so, use the small optic screwdriver to unscrew them. Set the screws aside. If the knife has metal tips above the handles, push the flat-head screwdriver between the metal housing and the handle. Wrap the end of the screwdriver in a rag or cloth and gently tap it with the mallet until the metal tips pop off. Unscrew the hidden screws.

    • 2

      Pull the handles off the metal housing. If the handles are stuck, push the tip of the flat-head screwdriver under one edge and gently tap it with the mallet to pop off the handles.

    • 3

      Push the flat-head screwdriver under the lip between the metal housing and the handles. Make a very small gap and insert glue remover between the handle and metal housing. Let the glue remover dissolve the epoxy and gently tap the handle off the knife.

    • 4

      Wipe down the handles and metal housing with the glue remover to clean any excess epoxy form the handles and blades. When putting the knife back together, use fresh epoxy to secure and set the handles.