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Antler knife handles

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Joined
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Guys, I followed Stumpy's trail and procured one of those nifty "Fort Ticonderoga" knife blades. I plan to forge a small guard from wrought iron, then mount an antler handle.
A concern is how slippery antler can be when wet. Stumpy solved this problem on his by wrapping the handle with tarred jute. I'm trying to figure out another approach. I thought of texturing the handle to vaguely resemble very coarse checkering, although knowing me I'll wreck it. Another thought was to add a band of rawhide, a la Labonte. But that would probably get slick too. Any thoughts? Chuck? Wick? Lonehunter?
 
I don't find it a serious concern to be wet. My carry knife has been used to skin and quarter deer with little problem related to being slippery, and it is polished bone. If you are concerned, look for some of the Euro red stag. It is often very rough textured, some to the point of discomfort.
 
Bill a good coat of wax will help keep a firm grip. Heck its what they use on surfboards n it don't get much wetter then that LOL if ya get it to dirty for yer liken just clean n buff it up some n yer good to go, I use it on mine n the wood handles as well-just some thoughts YMHS Birdman
 
Biggest problem I had with mine was the antler crown was piddly and didn't have much in the way of ridges or bumps. :redface: Shoot a big enough buck to get some gnarled old crenalations at the base and you'll be OK. :haha:

When it's 10°F and you're trying to lay up some kindling the larger/warmer tarred jute is a blessing to numb piddies.
 
Bill, Go ahead with the knife and use it, I bet you wont have a problem with it being slippery. If you do find it not to your liking, You could do something about it then.
A lot of folks use wood and bone handles which have no texture at all.
I cleaned a deer this past year with a antler handle knife in the pouring rain and do not recall any issues with the handle being slick. :v
 
Bill, I fiddle around with a lot of antler handles and have never found any to be too slick and many need to be polished down a ways to get rid of some of the roughness, like the one at the very bottom which could still stand to be smoothed some more.
Deadeye
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Similar to what others have said...I've used a Schrade Golden Spike as my main deer hunting knife for over a quarter of a century...it's handle isn't even real antler of course, just artificial and probably even smoother than real antler...have never had a problem with it slipping while using it and a few times I've had to field dress deer in the rain before dragging them out.

092611SchradeHuntingKnife.jpg
 
Well here is another problem. I have several antlers to choose from, both mule and blacktail deer. But they all have prominent eyeguards in the best handle positions. A lot of the handles I see show no evidence of an eyeguard having been sawn off. Where are you getting your pieces from guys? Is this a whitetail thing?

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Bill, You have to be a little more selective of the bucks you shoot.
Knife makers never shoot bucks with brow tines! :haha:
I buy mine from Sheffields Knifemakers Supply, But I live 15 minutes from there and have the luxury of hand picking.(Mostly Sambar stag)
I would venture to say that a lot of the pictures you see that show no evidence of a brow tine dont show that side of the knife.
Just cut them off and grind/File down to the profile of the rest of the handle.
It will smooth out and polish up very nice and does not look as out of place as one would think.
I look for size and straightness above all else You can make the tines go away with a saw and file.
I am liking the very bottom one in your photo. :thumbsup:
 
I have never had slickness problems with either bone or antler.

The biggest problem with antler is the "pith" section in the center. This is fragile stuffcompared to the antler's exterior. Drilling and gluing need to be done carefully.

You want a solid bed of epoxy and you want to pin, as well.

India stag has a more dense structure, with little pith in a good piece.
 
BillinOregon said:
Well here is another problem. I have several antlers to choose from, both mule and blacktail deer. But they all have prominent eyeguards in the best handle positions.
Just cut (grind) the guard off. That's what people would have done, if that's all they had. It will look fine.
 
I've use this tanto for dressing game for many years. Ever since I bought a big Buck folder back in 1973 I've used it (the Buck) even more. The carbon steel butcher knife will eventually wear an antler handle and undergo a little blade shaping.


PICT0600.jpg
 
Mike, that pair came from the skeleton of a fine Oregon blacktail buck that my son found at the bottom of a cliff. One can only speculate on the last moments of that magnificent creature. In these parts, that would be a real bragging buck.
 
hanshi,

you been in my basement? I have knife just like the old one in there, somewhere. Yardsale find.

Ronnie
 
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