Removing handle from woodie

[baldpate]

Hi,

I have had a large (22") woodie with a closed handle for a few years now which, despite all my efforts, I have never been able to get to work properly; so I have decided to cannibalize it. I'd like to recover the handle intact, if possible; it is tennoned-in of course, and glued. Have you any tips on how to get it out?

So far I've been trying to loosen it by working the thin heated blade of a Stanley knife down the sides. I can get about 1cm down, and have seen some of glue being squeezed out, but the handle is still as tight as ever.

Has anybody successfully done this? Any tips for how else to approach the task?

Thanks

Chris

 

[MIGNAL]

Probably glued in with Hide/Bone glue. Steam, from an espresso coffee machine.

 

[AndyT]

Or if you don't have an espresso machine, tie some string or strips of rag around the bottom of the handle and carefully dribble boiling water onto it, from a kettle.

 

[toolsntat]

There is also a small undercut of the body at the rear of the handle to stop it lifting out without glue/screw etc
So pull it slightly backwards as you lift out :wink:

Andy

 

[baldpate]

Thank you all for the tips. I'll try using steam.