UBB.threads Forums General Interest Restoration, Conservation, and Maintenance Forum Preventing cracks on RAD leader handles

It seems to me that the majority of RAD leaders have cracked handles.How can you prevent this if you have one that is not cracked ? Would loosening the screw a bit help any or could that cause any problem?If they have made it this far is there still a potential for cracking?Thanks

J,

If yours are perfect, then my best advice is to leave them alone. Don't overtighten,
undertighten or plain mess with them. Those suckers can be as fragile as butterfly wings!

A long time ago I just had to see what was underneath and opened my RAD Pandora's Box...
...dang, busticated! I barely breathed on it... You'll hate yourself for weeks if that happens!

Best!

Bill Warda

Thanks Bill,I appreciate the info,glad I came here before I did anything

quote:

Originally posted by WWII:
J,

If yours are perfect, then my best advice is to leave them alone. Don't overtighten,
undertighten or plain mess with them. Those suckers can be as fragile as butterfly wings!

A long time ago I just had to see what was underneath and opened my RAD Pandora's Box...
...dang, busticated! I barely breathed on it... You'll hate yourself for weeks if that happens!

Best!

Bill Warda

Weeks Bill? I don`t think I would get over that in a very long time. you must be one of those "laid back" fella`s. Did you manage to get it fixed up? I understand from another thread that re-fitting those plates is no easy task.

I would like to know just how these are constructed & how the blade is retained. what is under the grip plates? I just got one of these & would be very interested to see what is under there if anyone has a pic.

Vaughan

This is a Krebs but they're all about the same.

The other side.

Reinstalling the same grip plates is easy. What is difficult is to find the correct replacements. I have on several occasion received a RAD leader with a set of new grips with the request for installation. To date I have never experienced an occasion where these plates fit without modification. It makes me wonder why the designer of this handle had to go all out to make the grip plate contour as complex and difficult as possible.

Thank you for posting those pics Vern.

Mine has a small hairline fracture running across the exposed outer edge. I was aware of this imperfection when I bought it & took a chance on it, thinking that perhaps it might need some reinforcing. Actually it is very solid & believe me it needed a heck of a pull to get it out of the scabbard. From the internal pics it looks as though the spine is quite robust & as there is not the slightest movement I am going to leave it alone. Hard to imagine how it occured really because had it been subjected to any kind of force there would undoubtedy be other visible signs. Is this a known weak spot? The hairline & tiny chip on the lower grip-plate look to have been that way for a very long time.

Actually, forgiving this minor imperfection this is one of the nicest Rad leaders that I have seen & one of my best pieces, having perfect plating & a killer blade.