diff --git a/Old_Packages/Kernel_basic/changes.txt b/Old_Packages/Kernel_basic/changes.txt
index 716f075bda0..0059d787495 100644
--- a/Old_Packages/Kernel_basic/changes.txt
+++ b/Old_Packages/Kernel_basic/changes.txt
@@ -1,3 +1,6 @@
+3.58   (3 October 2001)
+- [Simple_]Handle_for<> protection cleanup, non-const Ptr() added.
+
 3.57   (12 September 2001)
 - Fixes for SunPro.
 
diff --git a/Old_Packages/Kernel_basic/include/CGAL/Handle_for.h b/Old_Packages/Kernel_basic/include/CGAL/Handle_for.h
index b738fb64406..0ce78f8e4c1 100644
--- a/Old_Packages/Kernel_basic/include/CGAL/Handle_for.h
+++ b/Old_Packages/Kernel_basic/include/CGAL/Handle_for.h
@@ -62,8 +62,6 @@ class Handle_for
 {
   public:
 
-    typedef RefCounted element_type;
-
     Handle_for(const RefCounted& rc)
     {
       ptr = allocator.allocate(1);
@@ -105,12 +103,35 @@ class Handle_for
       return *this;
     }
 
+protected:
+    typedef RefCounted element_type;
+
     void
     initialize_with( const RefCounted& rc)
     {
       allocator.construct(ptr, rc);
     }
 
+    bool
+    identical( const Handle_for& h) const
+    { return ptr == h.ptr; }
+
+    long int
+    id() const
+    { return reinterpret_cast<long int>(&*ptr); }
+
+    typename Allocator::const_pointer
+    Ptr() const
+    { return ptr; }
+
+    typename Allocator::pointer
+    Ptr()
+    {
+	copy_on_write();
+	return ptr;
+    }
+
+// private:
     void
     copy_on_write()
     {
@@ -123,19 +144,6 @@ class Handle_for
       }
     }
 
-    bool
-    identical( const Handle_for& h) const
-    { return ptr == h.ptr; }
-
-    long int
-    id() const
-    { return reinterpret_cast<long int>( &(*ptr)); }
-
-    const typename Allocator::pointer
-    Ptr() const
-    { return ptr; }
-
-  protected:
     static Allocator allocator;
     typename Allocator::pointer      ptr;
 };
diff --git a/Old_Packages/Kernel_basic/include/CGAL/Simple_Handle_for.h b/Old_Packages/Kernel_basic/include/CGAL/Simple_Handle_for.h
index 6a9ed2df6ba..3ea60d65540 100644
--- a/Old_Packages/Kernel_basic/include/CGAL/Simple_Handle_for.h
+++ b/Old_Packages/Kernel_basic/include/CGAL/Simple_Handle_for.h
@@ -29,13 +29,14 @@ class Simple_Handle_for
 {
 public:
 
-    typedef Stored element_type;
+    Simple_Handle_for()
+    {}
 
     Simple_Handle_for(const Stored& rc)
 	: _s(rc) {}
 
-    Simple_Handle_for()
-    {}
+protected:
+    typedef Stored element_type;
 
     void
     initialize_with(const Stored& rc)
@@ -43,10 +44,6 @@ public:
       _s = rc;
     }
 
-    void
-    copy_on_write()
-    {}
-
     long int
     id() const
     { return reinterpret_cast<long int>(&_s); }
@@ -58,7 +55,14 @@ public:
     const Stored * Ptr() const
     { return &_s; }
 
+    Stored * Ptr()
+    { return &_s; }
+
 private:
+    void
+    copy_on_write()
+    {}
+
     Stored _s;
 };
 
diff --git a/Packages/Kernel_23/include/CGAL/Handle_for.h b/Packages/Kernel_23/include/CGAL/Handle_for.h
index b738fb64406..0ce78f8e4c1 100644
--- a/Packages/Kernel_23/include/CGAL/Handle_for.h
+++ b/Packages/Kernel_23/include/CGAL/Handle_for.h
@@ -62,8 +62,6 @@ class Handle_for
 {
   public:
 
-    typedef RefCounted element_type;
-
     Handle_for(const RefCounted& rc)
     {
       ptr = allocator.allocate(1);
@@ -105,12 +103,35 @@ class Handle_for
       return *this;
     }
 
+protected:
+    typedef RefCounted element_type;
+
     void
     initialize_with( const RefCounted& rc)
     {
       allocator.construct(ptr, rc);
     }
 
+    bool
+    identical( const Handle_for& h) const
+    { return ptr == h.ptr; }
+
+    long int
+    id() const
+    { return reinterpret_cast<long int>(&*ptr); }
+
+    typename Allocator::const_pointer
+    Ptr() const
+    { return ptr; }
+
+    typename Allocator::pointer
+    Ptr()
+    {
+	copy_on_write();
+	return ptr;
+    }
+
+// private:
     void
     copy_on_write()
     {
@@ -123,19 +144,6 @@ class Handle_for
       }
     }
 
-    bool
-    identical( const Handle_for& h) const
-    { return ptr == h.ptr; }
-
-    long int
-    id() const
-    { return reinterpret_cast<long int>( &(*ptr)); }
-
-    const typename Allocator::pointer
-    Ptr() const
-    { return ptr; }
-
-  protected:
     static Allocator allocator;
     typename Allocator::pointer      ptr;
 };
diff --git a/Packages/Kernel_23/include/CGAL/Simple_Handle_for.h b/Packages/Kernel_23/include/CGAL/Simple_Handle_for.h
index 6a9ed2df6ba..3ea60d65540 100644
--- a/Packages/Kernel_23/include/CGAL/Simple_Handle_for.h
+++ b/Packages/Kernel_23/include/CGAL/Simple_Handle_for.h
@@ -29,13 +29,14 @@ class Simple_Handle_for
 {
 public:
 
-    typedef Stored element_type;
+    Simple_Handle_for()
+    {}
 
     Simple_Handle_for(const Stored& rc)
 	: _s(rc) {}
 
-    Simple_Handle_for()
-    {}
+protected:
+    typedef Stored element_type;
 
     void
     initialize_with(const Stored& rc)
@@ -43,10 +44,6 @@ public:
       _s = rc;
     }
 
-    void
-    copy_on_write()
-    {}
-
     long int
     id() const
     { return reinterpret_cast<long int>(&_s); }
@@ -58,7 +55,14 @@ public:
     const Stored * Ptr() const
     { return &_s; }
 
+    Stored * Ptr()
+    { return &_s; }
+
 private:
+    void
+    copy_on_write()
+    {}
+
     Stored _s;
 };