Though it does not appear on their website's warranty page (click here), TOPS once told me that any alteration to the knife will void their life-time warranty. This includes replacing the handles.
Fair or not, that is the case.
Remember though, that the handles (wheather made of wood or micarta) are easily interchangable.
If you're going to buy wooden handles, please realize that TOPS probably had 3 good reasons to use the Micarta.
1- Its probably cheaper.
2- Its more durable than wood.
3- Its easier to clean.
So, if those 3 things are your top priorities... dont get wooden handles.
I still keep my original handles, just in case I know I'm going to do something extremely messy or tough on the knives, but the case has'nt come up yet (or atleast I didnt take the time to change them).
The Process:
So, if you do decide to go through with this, this is what will happen.
-You e-mail me with the details of what you want.
-I give you an estimated price once I research the wood type of your choice and find a suitable supplier. Sometimes I may have a piece of wood already in stock.
-You check that you can remove the handles from each knife you want handles for and that you can put them back on.
This is to make sure all screws are in good condition. I do not have replacement screws. Then take your handles OFF.
-You mail me the knives (with all handles and screws, including the total cost (with S&H) up front. If you have a problem with this, contact me and we'll see what we can do. I will not begin work until checks etc have cleared, and I have the wood.
I know what its like to be without the Tracker and Scout for a while, esspecialy if you work with them, so I will make every effort to get the job done quickly.
You may choose not to send me your knives, and that is understandable. However, different generations of the Tracker and Scout are slightly different in outline. You can mail me tracings of your knife's handle, and I will make handles that will match those as closely as possible, but without the actual knife I cannot guarantee a perfect fit.
-I will make the handles from the wood of your choice (or mine if you leave it up to me) and as close to your desired outcome as possible. Remember, they are hand-made.
-I prefer to coat the handles with oil (Olive Oil being my choice) to protect it from moisture and bring out the color and grain. It feels better in the hand than the various polyurathanes. However, Polyurethane varnish will make it more weather and scratch resistant, and bring out the color in the wood.
This will give the handles a somewhat glossy finish. If you prefer this, let me know.
-Expect 3-4 weeks for delivery from the time I recieve the knife and/or payment. Most times its much faster (one or two weeks) but I cant promise. I will mail the knives back to you in the shipping method of your choice. That is why you provide the shipping costs upfront, so that I can pay for whatever method you want, plus insurance etc if you want it.
-I will take cash, checks, postal money orders, or PayPal.
Prices varry mostly according to the wood used chosen for the handles.
Wood prices, especially exotic woods, vary wildly from species to species, and from supplier to supplier.
So much that I cannot know what the price will be until you tell me exactly what you want.
For example, the pitch black Ebony that made the handles in the pictures could cost $30-40 just for the wood alone!
You can expect handles for the Tracker Knife to range in price from $45-$100 and handles for the Scout Knife from $35-$60.
If you really are interested but money is a problem, contact me and we'll see what we can do.
Also, I will give a small discount to anyone ordering handles for both knives at the same time.