1954 Compass & Compass-Less Kodiaks

[Wade Phillips]

I want to remove the compasses from this 64” Maple and 68” Walnut Kodiak to send them to Grant for repair. Before I screw up a compass in my first effort to take one out, thought I’d ask if anyone has any pointers about removing a compass from a 1954 Kodiak?

When I got this 60", it looked just like it does now, completely molested. Judging from the indents in the wood, it looks like someone just pried it out with a flat screw driver. That might be a good way to bend up the brass housing. If anyone has an extra compass for sale or trade, let me know what you want for it...

   

   

   

[Wade Phillips]

This is the 64", 58# that I removed the broken lens from. The disk is out of balance and will not level out. This must be caused from the red spots of material on the underside of the disk...

 

[Wade Phillips]

The face of the disk was gray when in the compass. Fortunately, the gray turned out to be dust and it cleaned up pretty nice...

 

 

[TRAP]

Wade, now that you have it at that stage, you should be able to heat it (like a coin removal) to get it out.

An anealed bolt head with a hole drilled in the end to accommodate the pin could be used to heat the brass housing I think.

Make sense?

Trap

[Earl E. Nov...mber]

A little left of center, but possibly drill a 1/4" hole with a flat bottom drill from the other side, push it out with a heated bolt, then plug the hole.
Once covered with leather you would never see it, not sure about shooting it??

[TonyW]

Just thinking that if you gouge the wood around the compass a tad that the gouge will be covered up by the new leather wrapping - right?

Fifty years ago nobody thought that we were going to replace the compass, so anything you do is fair game now.

[TonyW]

Waltham wrist compasses
 It has an OD green cloth strap. They are not really rare, but do usually fetch a nice price in auctions. I guess that's because they are such nice gadgets. The ones I have seen for sale with their orignal carboard box are all Navy issue. The one in the picture below has the following marking on the back: R-88-C-89O.

 

Or lookout for these:
Compass, Wrist (Waltham)
During the Vietnam War yet another variation of the wrist compass was procured and issued. The one-piece band was made of OD nylon, not cotton or leather as in the older models, with blackened brass buckle. The 1 1/8 inch case was brass, painted olive drab. The letters "W.C.Co." appear on the face of the compass, the initials of Waltham Clock Company, the manufacturer. The compass points and needle are painted with luminous paint for night visibility. The case is filled with air, not liquid, and it was not waterproof. This model was ordered from Waltham in 1968 and a few thousand of these were issued late in the war. They were not satisfactory for use in the wet, damp Vietnam climate.

[Earl E. Nov...mber]

I like Tony's idea better, wood putty is a marvelous thing, as long as you don't need to match the finish.

[Gray Wolf]

I would do like Trap said for the one that was apart. Maybe use a old  1/4 inch socket (drive side down) to transfer the heat.
Mike

[Wade Phillips]

Doc - Now that we are both back to civilization for a while, I want to ask you about removing the compasses from the two bows shown above... I'd guess that you have probably popped out some of them before. What is the best way to get them out without damaging the brass housing?

[TRAP]

You don't have that thing outta there yet?

   

Trap

[Wade Phillips]

Trapp - I was busy getting ready to go hunting, from the 4th to the 9th, then gone from 3AM on the 9th to the 20th.

You have to remember that I am an old man and not only do I normally move pretty slow, my knees still haven't recovered from the trip.

I'd like to hear what Doc has to say before I learn the hard way and screw up a compass.

[d. ward]

Oh yeah the old compass removel trick.There glued in with a tiny bit of hot melt same as the coins were thats the pisser.The only way I found to save the compass was to trash the bow.However once I removed the compass I filled the hole and put on new leather hence K-2 with new leather and no compass.You may also want to try the hair drier.If you can get the compass hot enough with it the compass may pull out fairly easy.bd

[Gray Wolf]

How about the hot bolt and a pair of internal expanding snap-ring pliers. Mike

[Wade Phillips]

Doc - This one was glued in, but I don't believe it was with hot melt...

Smells like and looks like the old liquid FERR-L-TITE. In the 1950s we used the liquid before we wised up and switched to the hot melt version. I never cared for the liquid.

I believe the bass housing escaped undamaged. The dried out alligator pattern leather grip was so frail, it began to crumble just from gripping too tightly...

Trap - It is... Free at Last...

 

[TRAP]

Sooooo....How did you remove it????  Inquiring minds want/need to know.

Trap

[Wade Phillips]

Trap -

I took Doc's advise and used the hair dryer, just like he said.

I was certain he would tell me how to get it out of the bow without messing it up.

Now my only problem is finding where I put the insides of the compass. I know I put it in a very safe place so it wouldn't get damaged or lost.

Just haven't been able to remember which safe place I put it...

Yes, I've been suffering from acute CRS for the past few years...