Antler handle

[Pignut]

I am making a knife handle which is mostly Deer antler.

Dont suppose anyone knows if i need to oil/treat the antler after shaping etc, I use Linseed oil on wood, will this do on the antler?

[MartiniDave]

I asked this a while back over on Outdoors-Magazine forum and was advised to use danish oil for finishing antler handles.

Dave

[firemaker]

Hi Pignut I dont know if you have the handle on the knife yet but if you dont, antler has a bad habit of shrinking mostly cause it still has some moisture in it like wood you want to remove all the moisture somehow. I will put mine in a car in the sun for a few days with the windows rolled up, or in the oven for a few hours on like 200 hundred F, good and warm but not hot (not cooking temps). Then add the danish oil or linseed, but put the antler in a bag or jar and let it soke untill you dont see it making any bubbles, a few days or so take it out and let it dry . you will have to clean with alcohol any surface your glueing. you will need to oil it often. I added a pic of one of my knifes it has an antler handle and a moose antler scabard. ( Do we have spell check on this site)

[Pignut]

Thanks Firemaker!

Unfortunatly I have glued the handle on already!

But for the next project I will use your method!

Do you treat the inner "Marrow" with anything? I applied lots of runny glue to harden it all

[firemaker]

Hey Pignut I gess I would just keep it oiled every day for a few months. Then once or twice a week for a month or two , then once a week for life. I will drill or cut the hole for the tang before I dry it out seems to work better that way, then the oil can fill the pores from the inside aswell, The epoxie or glue is just to fill the gaps and make it solid. I trust pins, or if its a through tang (thats my favorite way to put a handle on a knife) I will add a metal but cap and peen the tang end over as the steel is peened it spreads out and pushs down to hold and compress every thing together after the glue hardens its solid, I do the peening as the epoxie is setting up I use 30 min epoxie so I have lots of time to work on it. The antler handled knife in the pic was done that way. Heres one of cocobolo and water buffalo horn with brass spacers that I peened the end.

[Pignut]

Thanks for the info Firemaker!

I will put it all into practice on the next one!

I have included a picture of how it looks and comment/criticisms would be much appreciated! (Be gentle it is only my second knife)

Sorry for the poor picture quality and huge size!

[MartiniDave]

That looks good!
What's the blade? It looks very like the blade of a small Brusletto I picked up at the weekend (but can't remember the model name!).

Dave

[Pignut]

That looks good!
What's the blade? It looks very like the blade of a small Brusletto I picked up at the weekend (but can't remember the model name!).

Dave

Yes it is a 2" BRUSLETTO TROLLUNGEN.

Quite a nice little blade (V Sharp)

Thanks also for the comments

[firemaker]

No need to be gentle!!! Thats one good looking knife!! you have a good eye for contrast! what are the spacers made out of?

[Pignut]

No need to be gentle!!! Thats one good looking knife!! you have a good eye for contrast! what are the spacers made out of?

Sorry for the delay in replying

Thanks for your kind words!

The spacers are:

The darker outer spacers are Mahogany (sp)

the inner spacer is Oak,

All rubbed down with linseed oil

The guard is stainless steel

[Bear Claw Chris Lappe]

I use plain old mineral oil, sold at most pharmacies as a laxative. I soak all my bone and horn handled knives in it for up to 24 hours and it preserves them really well.

[Pignut]

Will give this a go!

Sounds like a good idea!

[VIRULENT SALAMANDER]

Hi people, I know this not antler to steel,but is there any particular glue for glue-ing antler
to antler that is better than any other?. I just started a whistle, first time ever worked with the stuff.
will any epoxy do?

[firemaker]

I would try unflavored Knox Geliton from your grocery store or make your own hide glue. I find that this works really well for gluing any natural materials together, antler to antler, antler to wood, wood to wood, ect. I would stay away from commercial hide glues like Elmers glue because they put an agent in it that slows drying. The Knox is really just clean hide glue. It is also great glue for sinew backing a bow. It may take longer to dry than epoxy, but I feel that joint would be stronger.

[Pignut]

If you are not bothered about the natural aproach, I have (Up to now) Never had a problem with good old epoxy

[Grooveski]

Do we get Knox Gelatin in the UK?

For thick hide glue I use Liberon Pearl Glue Granules, available from Axeminster Tools and cabinet making suppliers. Add a bit of water and heat in a glue pot(a pot in a pot with water between).
Never tried it on antler but it's tough stuff for wood.

Nice knife Pignut!

[Pignut]

Do we get Knox Gelatin in the UK?

For thick hide glue I use Liberon Pearl Glue Granules, available from Axeminster Tools and cabinet making suppliers. Add a bit of water and heat in a glue pot(a pot in a pot with water between).
Never tried it on antler but it's tough stuff for wood.

Nice knife Pignut!

Thanks for the comments!!!

Do you think this Liberon Pearl Glue will stick leather to antler?

[Grooveski]

I'd imagine so. I've tried it on wood-wood, sinew binding on wood and rawhide wraps. Leather is definately compatable with it but when using it on wood you have to heat the full assembly to persuade the glue to soak in a bit.

Here's the procedure I followed, you can make it as thick or thin as you feel like for the particular application.
http://www.nativewayonline.com/glueinst.htm

Thinking about it. Hide glue was/is used to assemble asian composite bows so it works with horn. If I remember right you rough up the horn surface first.

[VIRULENT SALAMANDER]

thanks for the info. fellow's, pignut it does look like nice(the knife).
beholden......