How to repair knife handle

[crmdgn]

I'm a knife novice. I have a cheap Wusthof knife whose rivets corroded and fell apart, so that the scales came off. I bought some cutler's rivets, watched a YouTube video, and tried to repair the knife. The results are in the photos below. I've tried and tried to hammer those rivets together more tightly, but they're still not holding the scales together the way they should.

What's going on here? I can think of only three possibilities:

1. I need a press or something instead of just a hammer and a workbench.
2. The rivets are too long, and they're already together as far as they'll go.
3. The scales are warped somehow, and irreparable.

Any guidance or hints would be welcome.

 

[SS369]

Looks like a combination of things to me.

Scales could use flattening.
The rivets are too long, but, you can grind both parts down. You'll need new ones of course.

 

[crmdgn]

What's the best way to flatten the scales?

 

[tkroenlein]

Flat, hard surface with a piece of sandpaper on it, something from 120-220 grit depending on how much needs to come off. Put the scale on it and do alternating circles or figure 8's with light pressure.

 

[Gliden07]

Flat, hard surface with a piece of sandpaper on it, something from 120-220 grit depending on how much needs to come off. Put the scale on it and do alternating circles or figure 8's with light pressure.

Sounds like good advise to me! Flat hard surface for flattening if you dont have a surface plate use a pane of glass. I got a off cut piece from a local glass place for free. Still using it 3 years later.