# Removing a Watanabe stock handle?



## timebard (Jul 2, 2022)

Hi all - I'm trying to do my first handle swap and can't get the stock ho/horn handle off a Wat Pro gyuto. There appears to be some kind of opaque glue/epoxy around part the tang, so I tried baking it for 15 minutes at 200F and pulling it off. No luck after two attempts. I also tried the wood block/hammer method with no success. If anyone who's rehandled a Wat has some trick to getting it off that'd be much appreciated.


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## Bico Doce (Jul 2, 2022)

I had similar trouble with my Toyama. In the end I kept hammering on the block and it came off eventually but it was stubborn


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## nakiriknaifuwaifu (Jul 3, 2022)

time to make some handle soup


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## refcast (Jul 3, 2022)

If it's pva, sometimes it dissolves abit in water .... Yeah if it's glued, and you've boiled it, you gotta kill it /smash it to take it off. I've done that to 2 knives

I use a rectanglular wood stick and the floor, it's more forceful than the hammer.


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## Smcomeaux (Jul 3, 2022)

I cant offer much help but I will stay tunned for the solution. I have a few wats that I want to eventually handle change.

Post your final result once you archive a successful removal!


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## timebard (Jul 3, 2022)

Thanks y'all - will try the boil + hulk smash method and report back.


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## ew_ut (Jul 3, 2022)

Would love to see a finished pic w the new handle if you have time!


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## toddnmd (Jul 4, 2022)

I’ve removed a couple Wat handles, don’t remember them as particularly difficult. Maybe try 30 minutes in oven?
Perhaps he now uses stronger glue/epoxy?


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## timebard (Jul 4, 2022)

Update: success! I boiled the handle for 10 minutes, after which I still couldn't pull the handle off directly as shown in some videos. But hammering on it for a few minutes did the job. 















Only casualty of the effort was the handle sticker:






Next steps - rounding the choil, filing a wider slot in the new handle, and install.


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## Carl Kotte (Jul 4, 2022)

How much of the success ultimately owed to hulk smash?


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## timebard (Jul 4, 2022)

Carl Kotte said:


> How much of the success ultimately owed to hulk smash?


Hulk smash was necessary but I think not sufficient. After removing the handle the glue residue was kinda gummy not hard, so I think the boiling did soften it up.


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## tostadas (Jul 4, 2022)

Nice, can't wait to see the new handle you choose. The most annoying thing about rehandling my Wat was that the tang was really bent and uneven. Took quite a bit of effort for me to fix that before working on the handle itself


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## bsfsu (Jul 4, 2022)

The last Watanabe's I re-handled, one came off easy with the stick and bash method, the other needed the bash and chisel.


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