Home » VintageKustom.com » Repairing Kustom Amps » Replacing broken plastic handles? (How to cannibalize Bettuns Villages suitcase handle?)
Replacing broken plastic handles? [message #22274] Thu, 29 January 2015 17:57 Go to next message
bmacdo is currently offline  bmacdo
Messages: 14
Registered: January 2015
Location: Florida
Junior Member
I purchased a pedal steel guitar recently off Craigslist and the woman I got it from threw in a Kustom K150-8 circa 1971, the 4x10 model. Its been closeted for over 35 years she said it probably didn't work, she just wanted it gone. Got it home, tore it down and vaccuumed out a world class mouse colony nest from under the reverb tank, hit the pots with some contact cleaner and reassembled. When I plugged her in she fired right up, even the cool purple power lamp. Reverb, tremolo and all functions are working fine and pots are clean. One small cig burn in a corner, otherwise no damage. Casters were shot from rust but I found some hooded ball type by Shepherd that appear to be exact replacements. Even came with original Kustom cover.

The one thing it needs is the black plastic replaced on one of the handles. Somebody here posted re: cannibalizing the plastic piece from a Brettuns Village suitcase handle ($15) and doing a slick repair. I was wondering if anybody can provide a bit more info about how to do this. I assume one would use a Dremel or similar tool to behead the old rivets but then what? Can new rivets be made to work inside those plastic handle pieces or do you use screws instead? I'm pretty handy but don't know anything about working with rivets in a situation like this. Any guidance is much appreciated. The suitcase handle piece does appear to be an exact match. I'd rather restore the original handles then replace them with something that will devalue the amp. Thanks.
Re: Replacing broken plastic handles? [message #22276 is a reply to message #22274] Fri, 30 January 2015 01:12 Go to previous messageGo to next message
chicagobill
Messages: 2005
Registered: April 2003
Senior Member
Welcome to the place. Congrats on the new amp. What a great deal.

The handles that I have fixed had rivets that were more like screws, where the main shaft is twisted making it sort of like a threaded screw. If you grab the head with a pair of vice grips you can try twisting them out like backing out a screw. If the head gets messed up, you can replace them with small wood screws, like the ones that are used to mount tuning machines on guitar headstocks.

There is somebody on eBay that sells wooden inserts that replace the original plastic ones. I really don't know how much a replaced handle insert would effect the value of the amp.
Re: Replacing broken plastic handles? [message #22280 is a reply to message #22274] Fri, 30 January 2015 04:03 Go to previous messageGo to next message
riverboat is currently offline  riverboat
Messages: 49
Registered: November 2014
Location: United States
Member
I replaced a black plastic handle with a white one I found on an old tape recorder. I pulled the rivets out with a pair of end nipper cutting pliers that I ground flat for pulling guitar frets out. The trick is not to damage the chrome part. I also made a bunch of these out of wood. I've always user little screws to hold them on.You have to really look closely to see if it's original or not ... except the white one. Keith.
Re: Replacing broken plastic handles? [message #22281 is a reply to message #22274] Fri, 30 January 2015 04:26 Go to previous messageGo to next message
riverboat is currently offline  riverboat
Messages: 49
Registered: November 2014
Location: United States
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Wow! Ive been looking for those! I just looked up brettuns village trunk shop handles and I think those are exactly right. The part that mounts to the cabinet isn't right but the plastic part is the only part that breaks. I suppose if I heat the rivets with a soldering iron and glide them in it would look just like the factory. Thank you bmacdo. Keith.
Re: Replacing broken plastic handles? [message #22282 is a reply to message #22281] Fri, 30 January 2015 08:59 Go to previous messageGo to next message
bmacdo is currently offline  bmacdo
Messages: 14
Registered: January 2015
Location: Florida
Junior Member
Yeah, you can search for "brettuns village" in this forum and find a short thread from 2010 re: this. The guy claims the suitcase handle insert pops right in but I wasn't clear about the rivets va. screws. I'm going to go ahead and purchase one. Thanks for the reply.
Re: Replacing broken plastic handles? [message #22286 is a reply to message #22282] Sun, 01 February 2015 12:22 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Kustom_Bart is currently offline  Kustom_Bart
Messages: 601
Registered: October 2010
Location: Greenville, MichiGUN
Senior Member
Buy these Brettuns Village suitcase handles and drill out the rivets on the mounts and use your old mounts and you have a new strap and insert.
Use a nice stainless button head cap screw and nut to attach them together.
Re: Replacing broken plastic handles? [message #22298 is a reply to message #22286] Sun, 01 February 2015 22:43 Go to previous messageGo to next message
bmacdo is currently offline  bmacdo
Messages: 14
Registered: January 2015
Location: Florida
Junior Member
Thanks for all the responses. In my case, I have one original handle that is completely intact and the other with intact metal and a broken plastic insert. Can somebody please tell me how the plastic is held in place on the Brettuns Village suitcase handles....rivets or slotless screws? I'm most interested in trying to replace just the plastic piece on the my bad handle in order to retain overall amp integrity. My K150-8 has been covered and closeted for 35+ years so the condition is really good. A small cigarette burn in a corner is the one flaw other than the busted handle. I can see the logic of replacing the entire handle using the after market suitcase hardware but I know at least one person pulled and replaced only the plastic insert (per a 2010 post). The wooden replacement inserts the guy on eBay makes seem pretty nice too. Prolbably stronger anyway. Thanks.
Re: Replacing broken plastic handles? [message #22303 is a reply to message #22298] Mon, 02 February 2015 02:37 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Kustom_Bart is currently offline  Kustom_Bart
Messages: 601
Registered: October 2010
Location: Greenville, MichiGUN
Senior Member
Slotted screw, not rivets, you can simply unscrew them and screw them into your old handle straps.
Re: Replacing broken plastic handles? [message #22304 is a reply to message #22274] Mon, 02 February 2015 02:47 Go to previous messageGo to next message
riverboat is currently offline  riverboat
Messages: 49
Registered: November 2014
Location: United States
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I haven't received my handles from Brettuns yet but when I do I plan to heat the rivet with a soldering iron while pulling the plastic handle away from the metal part. Keith
Re: Replacing broken plastic handles? [message #22321 is a reply to message #22304] Tue, 03 February 2015 01:34 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Kustom_Bart is currently offline  Kustom_Bart
Messages: 601
Registered: October 2010
Location: Greenville, MichiGUN
Senior Member
They aren't riveted in, none of them, even the originals. The originals just have a spiral nail in them and you can get a hold of it and pull it out. I would not recommend heating any handles. The new ones have a screw that holds the plastic insert in. The new inserts are a better design too and shouldn't break.
Re: Replacing broken plastic handles? [message #22324 is a reply to message #22274] Tue, 03 February 2015 02:10 Go to previous messageGo to next message
riverboat is currently offline  riverboat
Messages: 49
Registered: November 2014
Location: United States
Member
Yes, I just got them in the mail and they use philips head screws, so you just switch them out. Keep the little 10 cent plastic part and toss out the $14.90 worth of hardware, and voila you're done.
Re: Replacing broken plastic handles? [message #22343 is a reply to message #22324] Tue, 03 February 2015 23:57 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Kustom_Bart is currently offline  Kustom_Bart
Messages: 601
Registered: October 2010
Location: Greenville, MichiGUN
Senior Member
If you are going to toss the metal pieces, I will pay shipping for them to me.
Re: Replacing broken plastic handles? [message #22347 is a reply to message #22274] Wed, 04 February 2015 04:45 Go to previous messageGo to next message
riverboat is currently offline  riverboat
Messages: 49
Registered: November 2014
Location: United States
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I will be happy to send them to you but be forewarned that the way that they attach to the cabinet/suitcase is totally different. Keith.
Re: Replacing broken plastic handles? [message #22413 is a reply to message #22347] Sun, 08 February 2015 00:59 Go to previous message
Kustom_Bart is currently offline  Kustom_Bart
Messages: 601
Registered: October 2010
Location: Greenville, MichiGUN
Senior Member
I have purchased plenty of them and I will use the straps eventually. Do you have an e-mail address that I can send you my address? You can send me an e-mail at btketner@charter.net
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