Author Topic: Antler handles (Read 2269 times)

Lon371 · « **on:** February 14, 2010, 05:13:10 AM »

Anyone make their own antler handles?

I have an old Bowie with a fake damaged slab handle. I would like to have an antler handle put on. It also has no guard. Would like a brass guard put on.

Lonny

kid_couteau · « **Reply #1 on:** February 14, 2010, 05:52:50 AM »

I have done one or two

http://www.kidcouteau.com/knife_gallery.html

If you would like help I can walk you through doing your own.

Kid

Lon371 · « **Reply #2 on:** February 15, 2010, 12:32:38 PM »

That is some really nice work! I am going to do some more studying on the handle. It has a wide tang so I am probably going to do slab handles. I really wanted to go the other way, where you have the button of the antler on top. But I would have to modify the tang, i really dont want to screw it up.

Thanks for the help offer. I will probably give you well when I get to it.

Lonny

deernhog · « **Reply #3 on:** February 21, 2010, 03:57:44 PM »

Deer antler is hard to find that will slab out for a Bowie. How thick of slabs do you want. The guard you can make from brass, aluminum, copper or iron stock. It can be drilled and then slotted with a dremell tool(Or files). Grind or file to shape. Scrap piles are treasure troves sometime. I found a bunch of brass door hardware 12" x 1" x 3/16th" in a ditch by our deer lease.

mechanic · « **Reply #4 on:** February 21, 2010, 04:16:12 PM »

If you can find some elk antler, it will serve you well. Takes a big white tail to get antler enough to slab a knife, or to make an antler handle. I found some on line once, and very reasonable.

Ben

deernhog · « **Reply #5 on:** February 22, 2010, 01:54:04 AM »

Also check the quality of the knife before you sink alot of money into it. You may be able to to buy a decent blade blank that you can put together for what you would have in getting stag slabs for your knife.

Lon371 · « **Reply #6 on:** February 24, 2010, 02:00:07 PM »

Thanks for the advice guys.
What the knife is; Says on it JIM BOWIE KNIFE, one side at the base say 78HS, other side says F.A. Bower IMR co, Solingen Germany . The blade is 8" long and 1.5" at the widest part and 1/4" thick at the middle. Handle is 4 7/8" long, 1" wide, 1/4" thick at the outer edges.
The finish on the blade is ok. It has some real light spots(little) on it. I think from looking at it, some one has scrubbed it. The handle is a stag type slab, maybe fake maybe real I dont know how to tell. But there was a piece chipped off of it and someone put what looks like JB Weld to fill that spot.

Will try to get a pict up. Ok it is a lousy pict will try to get a better pict.

Lonny

torpedoman · « **Reply #7 on:** February 24, 2010, 03:24:45 PM »

thats a real good blade, solingen steel blades have a great reputation mine are old production don't know of that one is old or new production.Elk would work better and i think track of the wolf has slabs at least they used to carry them.

deernhog · « **Reply #8 on:** February 25, 2010, 02:08:42 AM »

If you can't find antler for a decent price (Sambor Stag is expensive if you can find it) try white micarta for a Ivory look. The guard should be easy to make if you keep it on the thinner side 1/8" or less. That looks like a decent blade to refurbish.

Dusty Ed · « **Reply #9 on:** February 28, 2010, 02:38:05 PM »

Howdy Pard
How about these.
Dusty Ed

Lon371 · « **Reply #10 on:** February 28, 2010, 09:10:57 PM »

Dusty Ed

That is sweet. I am on dial up and can not see the detailing.

I think I will have to use slabs on mine. It has a wide tang (1") I thought maybe I could find a wide enough antler, I might be able to cut a slot in it and keep the button intact. But I have not found the antler piece I want $:-\$

Lonny

Lon371 · « **Reply #11 on:** April 23, 2010, 12:52:17 PM »

I knew I could find a piece somewhere. Went to Arkansas for a funeral. While there momma wanted to walk thru some antique/flea market type stores. Tadaaa, guess what I found for $10. I nice little horn.

Should be able to get slabs from this one. May try for a solid handle first. If I bugger that up, then I can still get slabs.

Lonny

Josey Walls · « **Reply #12 on:** April 24, 2010, 07:23:53 PM »

I was bored one nite and made these.

The hardest part was removing the old handles.

Lon371 · « **Reply #13 on:** April 25, 2010, 09:26:41 AM »

Those are really nice. Let me know when you get bored again

I have problems starting projects then take forever to finish.

Lonny

pslshooter · « **Reply #14 on:** July 07, 2010, 05:36:10 PM »

Here's a couple of my 1st and 2nd attempt at stag handles

The blades are hand made from files. 10" blade and the nicer 4 1/4" skinner.
Pommel on the 10" is a chunk of aluminum I scavaged from a factory I worked at a few years ago. The stag is secured to the steel by the wire wrap for now. I don't have any carbide bits to drill the file.

Lon371 · « **Reply #15 on:** July 07, 2010, 10:58:51 PM »

Very nice. I have seen files used before. How do you shape the file to a blade? as far as metal removal? Keep up the good work.

Lonny

bobg · « **Reply #16 on:** July 08, 2010, 02:04:52 AM »

A friend of mine made me a patch knife that looks like the bottom one in Kid couteaus pic. I gave this guy a bunch of old files i found in the junk at work. He had a forge and all kinds of neat stuff in his work shop. I stopped at his house one morning and he had a knife on the table with walnut slab handles. Said he made it out of one of the files i gave him. Said it was for his son. I ask him how he shaped a file. Never really got an answer. I ask what he would charge me to make me one like that? He said oh hell take that one. My son has waited years for one and i guess he can wait a little longer. Said go with it and you don't owe me anything.

pslshooter · « **Reply #17 on:** July 08, 2010, 03:17:50 AM »

Quote from: Lon371 on July 07, 2010, 10:58:51 PM

Very nice. I have seen files used before. How do you shape the file to a blade? as far as metal removal? Keep up the good work.

Lonny

I mostly use a low speed grinder and belt sander to shape the blades.

mechanic · « **Reply #18 on:** July 08, 2010, 02:41:36 PM »

To work a file, first anneal it. Heat it very hot, and cool it very slow. Then you can drill it, file it, etc. When done, heat it cherry and quench it in oil to harden, then clean it up, and leave it in the wife's oven at about 400 degrees for an hour...let it cool on it's own.

Here is a knife I made from a saw blade, with an antler handle....

Joel · « **Reply #19 on:** July 09, 2010, 01:34:30 AM »

I grind the metal "cool" to keep the original heat treat. If I have to drill pin holes in the handle, I heat the handle portion to cherry, with the blade portion immersed in water...I use a coffee can with a wire wrap to hold the blade in the water. After that, I put it into the oven at 400 degrees until the surface reaches the "straw" color. I quench in brine made by pouring salt into a can of water until an raw egg floats. I keep the brine at 170 degrees when quenching. Oil works also if heated to 140 degrees. Wash the blade off after it's cool enough to handle if you use brine.

dodd3 · « **Reply #20 on:** July 11, 2010, 12:38:18 AM »

here is an old bowie knife of mine that i fitted an antler grown to its one of my favorite knives now
Bernie

Cottonwood · « **Reply #21 on:** August 01, 2010, 09:24:26 PM »

Here is one I just bought.

Lon371 · « **Reply #22 on:** August 01, 2010, 10:18:46 PM »

You guys do some excellent work.

Cottonwood, That is a sweet one. I really like the guard on it.

Lonny