first knife

[Gary]

Well I've never been a knife nut - I like a tool to do its job and not look pretty on the shelf - but I fancied having a play.

Here's my first ever attempted at a antler handle - have replaced handles on stick tangs using wood a few times but never antler.

Anyway - I'm dead chuffed with it.

:-D

 

[bushwacker bob]

nice job Gary

 

[leon-1]

That doesn't look half bad Gary, how was the antler to work with ?

 

[Gary]

A little tougher than wood - but I choose the peice to be pretty close to what I wanted. I was aiming for a viking/workman type look and I think it catches that well - next time I'm goin to try a Sami type handle (antler and birch sections).

Interestingly enough I also found that the red deer peice I used was sculpeted to the fit of my hand perfectly, it was almost as if it was meant to be. Just as the Native americans believe every peice of wood has a carving inside it that we must free I wonder if every peice of Antler has a handle!

Ask and Nature shall provide!

 

[den]

Gary
When you made the handle, did you use power tools?

I have various bits of antler from different species. I’m messing about with a few bits now. Has anybody got any tips on working Antler? Also are different species better for different things?
Thanks
Den
:-D

 

[Martyn]

Great job Gary, well done. Looks very functional.

If I were to be slightly critical, I'd say it looks like you have some epoxy on the blade just in front of the handle. I'm not sure how you attached the handle, I'm guessing you bored a hole into the spongy matrix in the middle of the antler and glued the tang into it with epoxy?

Only problem with that is it would leave an unsightly transition between the handle and blade, though this is largely a cosmetic issue. What you could do, is cut a slice of antler lengthways through the hard bony material, then fashion this into a disc a few mm thick. Then cut a rectangular hole into it that matches the tang perfectly and butts up cleanly against the blade. Then attach the antler handle behind it. It wouldn't be a guard as such, but just a sort of washer in front of the handle to cap off the cross cut. Just a thought.

Great job overall. :biggthump

next time....

Once bitten...

We'll make a knife nut out of ya yet.

 

[Gary]

Well thanks Martyn, praise indeed! (now put the microscope away)

Actually your almost right - I bore a pilot hole into the antler and then gently tapped the the tang in. As i say I used the same technique I have used with wooden handles and I find this locks the tang into place without the need for glues ect.

The epoxy (mixed with antler dust) was used to plug the pilot hole so no bugs and beasties could get in there when used for butchering.

Since the picture was taken that has been scrubbed off with Garry block and I'm just about to sharpen it!! (I was too excited to wait for the resin to dry hence the picture!!)

And your right about the bug - I'm already thinking of my next project - although I dont think Woody need worry to much!! :roll:

 

[rapidboy]

I'm dead chuffed with it.
:-D

So you should be ,nice work :-D

 

[Martyn]

Since the picture was taken that has been scrubbed off with Garry block and I'm just about to sharpen it!! (I was too excited to wait for the resin to dry hence the picture!!)

...fair dinkum cobber.

 

[Danzo]

Good work Gary, it looks very impressive.

:-D

Does the antler handle well? It looks like that piece would afford a good level of traction but not overly 'grippy' like some very rough grained antler handles are.

Danzo

 

[Gary]

Thus far the antler has proven ok - I deliberately left a fair bit of rough (brown) on it to make sure it offered good grip. Although I am not sure it was really necessary. Having said that the overal look I was going for was similar to traditional Viking type blade/handle combo's and I'm happy with the result.

Will test it to death the weekend and know more about how it handles and if antler works.
:-D

 

[bushwacker bob]

Antler is an exellent handle imho. mine is used regularly and its so good I would choose it in preference to wood :roll: ........... unless it was a really nice piece of wood! its aestetically pleasing and very functional

 

[Stuart]

Very nice Gary, Very nice

will you bring it with you to scotland??

 

[Gary]

Yep perfect place to test it!