Antler Handles

[Draven]

Howdy folks!
As I mentioned in another thread, a friend gave me an antler for use as a knife handle, and I was just wonderin' a few things...
Are there any advantages or disadvantages to it?
Is it better to leave the outer layer intact, or would it be OK for me to shape it like I would do with wood?
I read in an article on the Primitive Ways site (this article to be precise) that the core of the antler can be softened slowly by soaking in water, or quickly by boiling, so that the tang of a blade can be inserted and held in place without using man-made adhesives. Are there any big disadvantages to boiling, as long as I'm careful with how long its boiled?

If this stuff checks out OK, then I'm just waiting until I can get together £30 for all the materials I'll need now (including sheath making materials!)

Thanks folks!

 

[useless]

Interesting post, as I've just been sent a set of antlers as a "surprise" swap for my 2 CD's. Perhaps in answer to Draven's post some could advise just how practical the use of this material is? Having been VERY inspired in the art of knife making this last weekend, and totaly lost as to what to do with this impressive bits of kit, I thought I might try a bigginers hand to knife making!

 

[Robbie Roberson]

Draven, I have never done the boiling or soaking, but I have done many hundreds of antler other ways.

I'm sure the way mentioned in the story would work well.

I just always used glue after drilling a hole in antler. I also make several slight cut marks in the tang before inserting into the hole so the glue will harden in and around these cut marks making it almost impossible for the tang to pull out of antler after glue hardens.

I use a dremel cut off wheel to make these marks on tang, but a hack saw for steel would work just as well.

The advantages to antler is it's very tough and very beautiful when done. It can be shaped a little but make sure you don't cut too deep or you will hit the inner porous part.

An important thing to remember is to check the curve in the antler (if there is one) and make sure your tang will go in all the way and not hit sides of curve.

And IF you drill antler, it must be locked within a vice and done very slowly and carefully to not drill out through the side of antler, (easy to do !)

Antler can be burnt to add a darker color with a torch, just keep flame moving or it will burn too much.

Any glue that hardens very hard and is water resistant is the best type glue to use inside antler. I often use super glue mixed with water proof wood glue.

Of course my way is really not the natural way and may not be what you want.

Robbie Roberson.

 

[JohnC]

I used antler for a blade and it worked (and still does) very well. I chose the piece on the antler first by holding various sections of the whole antler till I found the most satisfactory part, also holding the blade against the antler to get a rough idea of the "flow" of the blade to the handle. I pretty much did the same as Robbie Roberson says. Notching the tang is important. I used a slow setting epoxy and made a jig to hold the blade and handle at the right angles while it set.
I took some of the high points off the "bark" of the antler and made a few decorations filled with beeswax/charcoal. You do have to be careful not to shave away too much of the hard outer layer.

http://www.bushcraftuk.com/community/showthread.php?t=10093

 

[davek]

Howdy folks!
As I mentioned in another thread, a friend gave me an antler for use as a knife handle, and I was just wonderin' a few things...
Are there any advantages or disadvantages to it?
Is it better to leave the outer layer intact, or would it be OK for me to shape it like I would do with wood?
I read in an article on the Primitive Ways site (this article to be precise) that the core of the antler can be softened slowly by soaking in water, or quickly by boiling, so that the tang of a blade can be inserted and held in place without using man-made adhesives. Are there any big disadvantages to boiling, as long as I'm careful with how long its boiled?

If this stuff checks out OK, then I'm just waiting until I can get together £30 for all the materials I'll need now (including sheath making materials!)

Thanks folks!

That primitive ways article is what got me into knifemaking (well, mostly handle attaching) some years ago. I've attached many an antler handle that way. I live in Ohio and work in Kentucky so I could trade the knives for more antler, plenty of deer hunters here. I like to boil the antler since it was pointed out to me that the soaking could lead to rot which could weaken the antler too. Sure does stink to soak, so it could easilly be true. Also, boiling is one method of straightening antler. I did that a fair bit for a while also, a good way to get use from curved pieces. Here's a link on that.....

http://p222.ezboard.com/fprimalfiresfrm12.showMessage?topicID=12.topic

Primal fires is a great site.

If you boil to attach (maybe soak too) after you straighten, the antler will revert to its curved shape as you watch :>). Have to use epoxy if you straighten.