Help! How to remove drawer handles

[Journaler]

I want to paint this Hon file cabinet. I'm sure somebody in GJ land has removed the chrome handles from the drawers.
Any ideas on how?

 

[rlitman]

Why not just use blue tape?

 

[Journaler]

I'll do that as a last resort, but I'd rather just pop off the handles and spray away.

 

[Kevin54]

I'm fairly certain the top and bottom squeeze towards each other to pop it out of the sheet metal. There is a groove that locks them in. At least the one that I tore apart was like that but not sure whether it was a HON or not.

 

[Journaler]

My instinct was that I should be able to squeeze the top+bottom together, and lift the thing out, but I didn't want to break anything either.

I'll go back and try a little harder.

 

[barks]

Rubber mallet applied from the inside.