I saw a few threads regarding moving spot-welded handles, and I was wondering if anyone ever removed the handles specifically from an Evernew 400 mug.

I understand these can be pryed-off. I also read that aggressive prying can lead to holes in the mug... I have access to a Dremel tool, so I could cut the handle off, then grind the edge smooth (leaving the spot-welded tabs in-place).

I have an old one that I got at the REI bargain bin a few years ago, so it's not big loss if I screw it up, but I'd like to avoid that.

I'm also interested in how to do this.

Grind around the spot welds to free everything up, cut off wheels work great. Then grind the spot welds down flush. Take your time and dont pry too much. The Evernew stuff is welded pretty good, some of the other brands will pry off with a little finess.

I've done this three times on titanium pots and mugs. I used a dremel tool, and tried several different bits. It is very easy to accidentally make a hole by cutting/grinding too fast or by prying (this happened on one of my attempts).

I would recommend avoiding cutting wheels and prying. Even the most gentle prying deforms the metal, so you will never get a clean result this way. I found that the slowest method, a grinding ball dremel bit, gave the cleanest result and preserved the thickness of the wall of the pot/mug.

I traced the tiny circular periphery of the weld spot with the grinding ball over and over again until a moat was formed around it. I periodically gave the handle a gentle pull to make sure I hadn't ground into the wall of the mug/pot. When the metal around the weld spot became as thin as foil, I moved on to the next one. When all of them were done, I jiggled the handle free and ground down the weld spot nubs until they were flush.

If you grind directly on the weld spot instead of around it, you're likely to create a cavity in the surface of the wall of the mug/pot due to the curvature of the ball bit. Below is the kind of bit I used.

It took me several hours, and I had to take periodic breaks to avoid getting impatient and going too fast.

If your objective is to reduce weight then I would recommend cutting the handles off with a pair of shears first (as close to the weld as possible). You can then use an abrasive cutoff blade to cut down the handle close to the spot weld . You can cut it ~3/4 to 7/8th of the way through and you can then wiggle the handle back and forth and the handle will break off. If you want to end up with a “smooth” cup then you need to grind/cut it right at the spot weld down to where it is paper thin and “carefully” flex the handle until the weld breaks. You may need to use a razor blade to pry the last bits of the welded material off. About 15% of the spot welds are somewhat weak and are easy to break. About 10% of the welds are pretty darn good and you will rip a hole in the cup. The safest bet to cut the handle off close to the weld and leave the weld alone (I have probably removed the handles on 30 or so mugs), Best wishes

Wow, thanks for all the great advice. I think on this go-round, I'll leave the spot-welds alone. I don't need the handle, and it always irked me that it didn't fold away. It'll be a nice weekend project...

Most wire handles can be removed simply by bending the ends out of the welded backet. You can then put them back in later, if you wish. The handles are relatively springy, and seem to spring back to shape okay. A lot easier, reversible, and non-destructive...

The bracket is probably lighter than the solid handles. But if you're really counting grams...