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Offline geezerbiker

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Making a knife handle
« on: August 29, 2011, 10:13:08 PM »
I picked up a second Gerber bowie knife blade from a local source and I'd like to mount it in a peice of deer antler but I don't have any on hand.  Does anyone know where I can get some?

Tony
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Offline gcrank1

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Re: Making a knife handle
« Reply #1 on: August 30, 2011, 06:04:33 AM »
Tony, FWIW, deer antler in the USA is fairly 'boring' and it takes just as much work to use it as a prettier antler, like Elk, and it takes a big Whitetail rack to get a good size main beam for a bigger knife handle. If you use antler keep in mind that the curve (L or R) needs to match if you are L or R handed so it doesnt feel 'off'.
Also, you may consider bone; I have several older knives with what I expect are beef or pig bone and they have a lovely yellow patina now. I have seen some camel bone scales recently that I really like. Sheep horn can make some handsome scales too.
Not trying to talk you out of what you really want, just offering some options  ;) .
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Offline AtlLaw

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Re: Making a knife handle
« Reply #2 on: August 30, 2011, 06:57:58 AM »
Hey Tony!
 
What Blake said!   ;D
 
So far I've done knives in Deer antler and the bone scales he mentioned.  I've got ones in the works with Stabilized spaulted burl maple, Buffalo Horn and Tru-Ivory.  I want to try stabilized camel bone and paper micarta.  There's lots of stuff out there and deer antler is way down on the list!  But heck man!  It's what you want that matters!   ;)
 
Check out some of the knife making supply houses on line to get an idea of what's available.  Most have deer antler.  I'm lucky, I have a BP supply store close by in Marietta that stocks it.
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Offline Joel

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Re: Making a knife handle
« Reply #3 on: August 30, 2011, 12:43:05 PM »
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Offline powderman

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Re: Making a knife handle
« Reply #4 on: August 30, 2011, 05:47:36 PM »
I have a knife my brother made for me but I have never made handles for it. I've never done it before and will probably just use wood, especially after looking at that link, didn't know bone was that high. Can I just use epoxy of some type, or do I need to drill?? Use rivets?? Never done that before, I could use some advice. The blade has been in my closet for years and now badly discolored, I think I coule cobble up a sheath out of something. POWDERMAN.  ;D ;D
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Offline Joel

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Re: Making a knife handle
« Reply #5 on: August 31, 2011, 02:41:25 AM »
There are dozens of tutorials available online that can help you.  Just type in making a knife handle in your Goggle or Bing search box, and choose the one that suits you.
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Offline Bigeasy

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Re: Making a knife handle
« Reply #6 on: August 31, 2011, 03:46:31 AM »
Good selection of material.
 
http://www.elenhunting.com/
 
 
Larry
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Offline DeckH

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Re: Making a knife handle
« Reply #7 on: September 02, 2011, 03:29:24 AM »
My two cents:  I've made 2 lockback folders.  By that I mean I made every thing from scratch and heat treated the blades and the springs.   Used bone for the sacles.  I "discovered" the bone at the big box pet stores--Petsmart and Petco.  The dog bones are big enough, clean enough and sterilized.  I think the last time I bought some it was five bucks.  You have to figure the lay out , etc.  Man does it buff up nice.  Good luck. :)
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Offline gcrank1

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Re: Making a knife handle
« Reply #8 on: September 02, 2011, 05:28:59 AM »
FWIW, many years ago I redid some wood scales and used HW store epoxy only, they (4 knives) never came off that I know of. Ive been thinking of doing the 'dog bone' trick, too, and kinda like the look of 'pins'. My notion has been to epoxy one side down and use the blade holes as a guide to drill through, then epoxy on the other and come back through from the first.
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Offline AtlLaw

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Re: Making a knife handle
« Reply #9 on: September 02, 2011, 07:55:07 AM »
Quote from: DeckH on September 02, 2011, 03:29:24 AM
I "discovered" the bone at the big box pet stores--Petsmart and Petco.

 :o   MAN!  What a heck ova idea!   ;D
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Richard
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Offline gcrank1

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Re: Making a knife handle
« Reply #10 on: September 02, 2011, 09:21:26 AM »
Richard, if you do, just make sure you dont leave your knife within reach of the dog.... ;) ; now I gotta go find where Fido buried that bowie.......
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Offline AtlLaw

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Re: Making a knife handle
« Reply #11 on: September 02, 2011, 09:40:45 AM »
 ;D ;D
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Richard
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Offline powderman

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Re: Making a knife handle
« Reply #12 on: September 27, 2011, 06:24:34 PM »
The dog bone sounds workable, I'll look next time out. Thanks for the links. POWDERMAN.  ;D ;D
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Offline inthebeech

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Re: Making a knife handle
« Reply #13 on: November 30, 2011, 02:25:53 AM »
I get all of my stag from Moscow Hide and fur;  great company and great selection.  Look for Elk 'Tines and quirts.'
Ed
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Offline deernhog

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Re: Making a knife handle
« Reply #14 on: December 14, 2011, 03:05:43 PM »
Go to the lumber yard and find some maple or ash and practice with that on a few blades. Deer leg bone works ok and I usually have that laying around. Unlike the others I like a good old piece of deer antler for a hidden tang knife you just have to have the right piece and the eye to see what you want from it.  Gcrank made a good point if it is the wrong curve for your hand you will not use it because it will never feel right.
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Offline smokehouserex

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Re: Making a knife handle
« Reply #15 on: January 16, 2012, 05:17:53 PM »
 
 
  Hello guncrank1:
  I have done some handles like you are talking about. I put one side on and drill it then turn it over and the opposite in the same fashon. I make sure they fit flat to the tang then I use 2 part epoxy on them. I use small brass machinine screws or stainless and screw the handles together. The screws can be cut off and polished as the grips are finished. It is probably unnecessary but they hold and the wood dont split if it gets wet because the rivits are pressed to tightly, also a lot cheaper than rivits.
  HM
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Offline Bugflipper

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Re: Making a knife handle
« Reply #16 on: January 16, 2012, 07:48:53 PM »
It's been awhile, I don't know if you worked on that knife yet or not. As for the rivets, it just depends on your intended use. If it is just going to be for light work like skinning a deer, just epoxy would be fine. If you ever think you would chop with it or make tent pegs or something similar that would be hard use, you may want to rivet and epoxy.
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