All About Pocket Knives

I have a Remington RH251 with a slightly loose pommel. I’m not a big fixed blade guy so I don’t know if a special tool is needed to tighten the brass nut or even if it can be tightened. The knife isn’t in service but if it can be easily tightened, I’d like to do that. Thanks in advance.

Tom,

The below pic is a golf divot tool. I've used a tool similar to tighten the pommel on a knife I have. Also, if you're mechanically inclined, you can take a wide flat blade screwdriver, cut a center section out of it and get the same results. If you don't want to do that, you can buy a small nail prying tool with the center already removed. That tool may work also. (see below)

Keep in mind...the golf divot tool tips may need to be 'cut down' a bit for a more sturdy tool to tighten the pommel.

KLJ77 wrote: ↑Thu Oct 31, 2024 2:24 pm Tom,

The below pic is a golf divot tool. I've used a tool similar to tighten the pommel on a knife I have. Also, if you're mechanically inclined, you can take a wide flat blade screwdriver, cut a center section out of it and get the same results. If you don't want to do that, you can buy a small nail prying tool with the center already removed. That tool may work also. (see below)

Keep in mind...the golf divot tool tips may need to be 'cut down' a bit for a more sturdy tool to tighten the pommel.

Are the golf divot tools heat treated at all? If not won't the prongs just bend? The other tool you showed would be hardened as it is their job to pry.

OC,

I don't know the answer to your question, but I would assume that they are not heat treated, for they are not used to conduct anything stressful, only to fix a divot in the grass. I was just thinking logically that; if one trimmed down the tips on one, it 'may' make it more durable to use when tightening a pommel. Some people make custom divots tools and heat treat them. Here's a video of a guy doing just that, if interested.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4GNt398Ie5o

I drove two 1-1/2" finish nails into the side of a length of 1 x 2 side by side to fit the span of the nut. Leave them about a 1/4' showing. I filed the heads a bit to make them fit the slots. Cheap trick. Good luck. O'.

If its just a little loose you could also try just rehydrating or oiling the leather discs and the swelling tightens things up. There is a nut stop machined into the pommel tang so there is only a little-little room to tighten the nut down before you need to do some filing work too. Easy to remove as folks have shown (or google it), and if you remove the discs keep them in the same order and orientatation.

Thank you all, I knew a Google search would have helped but this community is where I go for help.

I love the idea of moisturizing the leather which I did with some improvement.

I found a small spring loaded pliers I had in my tool box that fit to the bottom of the nut slots and with firm pressure the nut moved just a tad tightening the pommel.

She’s good as new and without buggering up the brass nut too badly. Your help in solving my first world problem is greatly appreciated

Tom, I made my own pommel nut tool out of a cheapie screwdriver that I got out of a sale bin at my local auto parts store. I think it was $1.99. It has worked perfectly for many years. The thing I like about this one is you can turn it with an adjustable wrench (last picture).

KLJ77 wrote: ↑Thu Oct 31, 2024 2:24 pmif you're mechanically inclined, you can take a wide flat blade screwdriver, cut a center section out of it

herbva wrote: ↑Thu Oct 31, 2024 4:53 pm Tom, I made my own pommel nut tool out of a cheapie screwdriver that I got out of a sale bin at my local auto parts store. I think it was $1.99. It has worked perfectly for many years. The thing I like about this one is you can turn it with an adjustable wrench (last picture).

I think I’ll make such a tool, thanks Ken and Herb!

GREAT job, Tom. I didn't even think about the needle nose pliers. Glad it worked out for you.

KLJ77 wrote: ↑Thu Oct 31, 2024 5:11 pm GREAT job, Tom. I didn't even think about the needle nose pliers. Glad it worked out for you.

thank Ken - your and Herb’s idea will give me more bite than the needle nose pliers provided.

Herb has it right. You need a proper thickness screwdriver blade or grind the end down until it fits the slots perfectly. Failure to use the exact proper thickness will cause the slots to get messed up. Being a fixed blade collector I have several of these tools for different thickness of slots.

Gunsil wrote: ↑Thu Oct 31, 2024 9:07 pm Herb has it right. You need a proper thickness screwdriver blade or grind the end down until it fits the slots perfectly. Failure to use the exact proper thickness will cause the slots to get messed up. Being a fixed blade collector I have several of these tools for different thickness of slots.

thanks Gene, your input is greatly appreciated.

You're most welcome. Should have asked before using the needle nose pliers and buggering the nut. Buggered pommel nuts are frowned upon by fixed blade collectors, kind of like seeing a folding knife somebody has tightened the pivot pin with a vise leaving vise marks on the bolster. Also beware of moistening handle leather, some materials like leather soap can cause the steel to rust. The handles were originally dry and sealed with a varnish or shellac to prevent moisture from getting in. There is no "stop" for the pommel nut, most will turn a couple full turns if necessary.

Gunsil wrote: ↑Thu Oct 31, 2024 9:28 pm . There is no "stop" for the pommel nut, most will turn a couple full turns if necessary.

Not sure I agree with that, just did one of these . Here is an example.
The threads are limited and then there is a shoulder stop.

Swelling the leather of course is just a trick, originally they were dry but how many years have gone by since then now.

I can't tell for sure from your pictures, but I think there might be quite a few leather discs missing from the handle.

The SwedgeHead posted knife handle should look like the one bestgear pictured. If it doesn't, there's leather/plastic spacers missing. Which means it's loose because the previous owner was monkeying around with it.

herbva wrote: ↑Fri Nov 01, 2024 12:57 am I can't tell for sure from your pictures, but I think there might be quite a few leather discs missing from the handle.

Yea it might be a little loose here.
I knew I should have done this in advance, this is just a pic I grabbed online. What we are talking about is the shoulder stop at the pommel threads.
The little red arrow.

SwedgeHead wrote: ↑Thu Oct 31, 2024 10:11 pm

Gunsil wrote: ↑Thu Oct 31, 2024 9:28 pm . There is no "stop" for the pommel nut, most will turn a couple full turns if necessary.

Not sure I agree with that, just did one of these . Here is an example.
The threads are limited and then there is a shoulder stop.

Swelling the leather of course is just a trick, originally they were dry but how many years have gone by since then now.

Definitely leather rings missing in your picture, and I assure you that when new there were enough threads to tighten the pommel nut two full turns or so.

I was going to be a wise acre and say you wouldn't have that issue if you threaded it from tang to blade tip, but I'll refrain.

Many awesome suggestions... I've been needing similar , but the golf divot tool as pommel nut tool looks pretty slick!

bestgear wrote: ↑Thu Oct 31, 2024 1:59 pm I have a Remington RH251 with a slightly loose pommel. I’m not a big fixed blade guy so I don’t know if a special tool is needed to tighten the brass nut or even if it can be tightened. The knife isn’t in service but if it can be easily tightened, I’d like to do that. Thanks in advance.

This is what I use.
Use it with a socket and ratchet.