C-Forum

I want to change the t-grip on my aqua bound paddle to a wood dowel grip. How should I get the existing plastic t-grip out of the paddle? I am a college student living in the dorms so I do not have very many tools. I do have a drill and a few saws though.

Thanks,
John

I'm not sure, try
1. cold water with ice, then a rubber mallet
2. hot water, then a mallet
?

try peeling off the tape around it and go from there. there might be a pin to remove.

i tried to use the t-grip to get my aquabound break down apart and now it's all wobbly. a quick response to my email later and i'm sending mine back to aquabound for repair. lots of other threads on installing dowel handles.

Cut the grip off at the base. You're going to play hades trying to pull it off. Then drill it out using larger and larger bits. Stop when you have a hole large enough to plug your dowel grip into. If some plastic remains stuck to the shaft, bond dowel grip in with methyl methacrylate (plexus, devcon plastic weld, etc).

I removed my T-grip on my aquabound paddle using a heat gun. Just heat the shaft under the grip and it will come off very easily. If you do not have access a heat gun, try a hair dryer or put the grip over a stove.

Good luck

Marc

One of the great things about the old Norse paddles was that the plastic T-grip would come loose or come out so easily, often right when one was setting up for a roll !

I did the same thing to my aquabound.

Heat it up over the stove, or preferrably a heat gun. Turn the paddle upside down, but your feet on the either side of the grip, and pull and twist the paddle off the grip.

I used a two part epoxy similar to a jb weld to secure the new, larger wood grip