Kitchen knife handle replacement/repair

[rjacobs]

Got a 20+ year old JA Henkels santuko knife that the handle has finally cracked and broken off. They wont/cant repair. Still waiting to hear about a replacement knife under warranty. If they wont warranty it it wont hurt my feelings as 20+ years, the knife owe's me nothing.

Anybody on here that builds knives think they could make me something to replace this? Would need to drill rivets out, make new handle, and some way to attach it...maybe a machine screw and recessed nut type setup. I dont know how their original rivets are done. Maybe a material like G10 for the handle.

I did some google searching with no real source of somebody who readily does this, even though it seems to be a "common" problem with knives like this(not just Henkels knives).

 

[chevy_man]

Smash the rest off. Zip the rivets off with a grinder and punch them out.
Shape some G10, hammer some rivets back in, finish shape.

Rivets are just a straight piece of soft material that you smash the ends to flare out.

 

[Mike Casselton]

Stop putting your good knife in the dishwasher

 

[Buzzinga]

These guys have cool stuff if you decide to buy something new. They also put custom handles on their knives upon request, so they may be willing to rehande yours...who knows? Honestly though, you'd probably be better off just buying something else. Once you use a good carbon steel, it is hard to go back to the soft stainless steel of Wusthof/Henkels. Something like this one for $150 in Blue #2 steel would be pretty nice.

Wa Handled Santokus

Here is our selection of wa handled santoku knives. Santoku translates to three virtues and the acts of slicing, chopping, and dicing are tackled with aplomb by this classic design. Many Japanese home cooks look to the santoku as their go-to blade for most cutting tasks.

www.chefknivestogo.com

 

[fdkay]

Have no experience with them, but these guys will replace your handle:

https://oldetownecutlery.com/knife-repair-restoration-services/?srsltid=AfmBOooywCS9EBrfz-vX59xdWZXmd1SbMurabKkao0LdA7DmS6UOlUcd

 

[Inline6]

I'm sure you could find a local knife make to take care of that. They seem to have a few at gunshows, should you happen to stop by one.

Just an idea.

 

[fdkay]

Amazon.com

 

[ma smith]

International (ie made outside of germany) Henckles are not the same thing as the EU/German made ones. Pretty sure the replacement cost for the whole knive is pretty inexpensive, like <$20/each. Here is pretty similar, part of a 2pc set on amazon for $27

https://www.amazon.com/HENCKELS-Solution-Razor-Sharp-Engineered-Informed/dp/B08DJ7BS81

My advice is replace the knife if you like it. I have a stamped Henkels International (made in Spain) like 30 yrs ago, its a decent pit of kit. Keep in mind more modern ones might be made in Asia (check the coo).

 

[John?]

That is a great DIY project. Buy some G10 scales from TexasKnifeMakers or KnifeKits. Good epoxy found locally. Get to work shaping the scales as you like them. It really isn’t difficult work with common hand tools: jewelers saw, file, couple of clamps. Faster with a bench mounted belt sander, but that isn’t required.

 

[rjacobs]

Smash the rest off. Zip the rivets off with a grinder and punch them out.
Shape some G10, hammer some rivets back in, finish shape.

Rivets are just a straight piece of soft material that you smash the ends to flare out.

Getting the proper rivets is probably more challenging than anything.

Stop putting your good knife in the dishwasher

This knife, like all of my high end knives, has never been in the dishwasher... its simply 25+ years old. I think I bought it in 2000 or maybe 1999. Im not mad at the knife, it honestly owe's me nothing after 25 years.

Have no experience with them, but these guys will replace your handle:

https://oldetownecutlery.com/knife-repair-restoration-services/?srsltid=AfmBOooywCS9EBrfz-vX59xdWZXmd1SbMurabKkao0LdA7DmS6UOlUcd

I'll reach out. Thanks.

Amazon.com

Might order up a set and see what they look like. If they are junk I will just send them back.

International (ie made outside of germany) Henckles are not the same thing as the EU/German made ones. Pretty sure the replacement cost for the whole knive is pretty inexpensive, like <$20/each. Here is pretty similar, part of a 2pc set on amazon for $27

https://www.amazon.com/HENCKELS-Solution-Razor-Sharp-Engineered-Informed/dp/B08DJ7BS81

My advice is replace the knife if you like it. I have a stamped Henkels International (made in Spain) like 30 yrs ago, its a decent pit of kit. Keep in mind more modern ones might be made in Asia (check the coo).

This is not a German knife, but at the time I bought it 25 years ago it was probably 60 or 70 bucks which was quite expensive at the time. I do have at least 1 German made chef knife, its thicker than my other non-german chef knife, but otherwise the same. The logo is different on it.


I ordered a replacement Professional line which I believe is made in Germany. $150 will be here tomorrow. I just got an email back from Henkles on how to do the warranty since I dont know when I bought it and have no receipt. So we shall see if they will send me a free replacement. Regardless I would like to replace the handle on this one because otherwise its still a great knife.

 

[lash]

Getting the proper rivets is probably more challenging than anything.

These are what I would get for that knife:

Amazon.com

Yes, Chinese made, but the correct item.

 

[Taylorbok]

Stop putting your good knife in the dishwasher

I paid for it, it's my knife, I'll clean it how I want.

edit: PS I've also got 17 year old Henkel's that have gone in the dishwasher since new. Zero sadness if it busts now.

 

[Mike Casselton]

Sounds like you got your money's worth out of it. I do agree it would be worth making new scales for it.

I got an old Henkel's pairing knife recently.
It looked like hell and appeared to have been rescued from Clearwater Beach or something.
The blade was all scratched up. It was beyond dull, but somehow the handle survived whatever prior abuse happened to it.

Took about ten minutes to clean up the edge and get it sharpened.

First test was on a tomato that was about to be tossed out.
It cut through that mater like a freaking razor.
It holds an edge very well, but I still treat it like every other knife. I sharpen it right after I clean it.

I like it so well that it's become my go-to knife, even when I need something bigger.


My wife uses or Santoku blade. She prefers it. I tend to grab the standard chef style. Her knife gets sharpened about once every two weeks.


All but the Henckle's have wood inlaid into the handles, so they will never see a dishwasher.

 

[Sirshredalot]

Instead of "rivets", use the closest size copper or aluminum tubing.

Countersink the holes in the replacement handles(g10 or paper micarta) and peen the tube ends to match the countersink in the handles with a flaring tool.

Clean and easy to replace in the future.

All you need is a coping saw, files, and sandpaper....unless you have a bandsaw and belt grinder.

The paper micarta will polish very nicely after sanding to 1500gr or so.

Shred