Antler project idea

[CWC]

Last week-end my buddy shot a small 4-point. I kept the antlers, but I can't decide what to do with them. Any ideas? How about some pics of your favorite antler projects?

 

[paulvallandigham]

Buttons for shirts and pants, knife handles, powder measures, handles for awls, or turnscrews( screwdrivers) and other tools, a handle for your ramrod, etc.

 

[Matt B]

Yep all those are great suggestions. All you need is a scroll saw, drill, and drill bits.

The upper points would probably be the best for the handles. Have fun.

 

[Birdman]

Get yerself a nice board with some nice grain in it n mount the antlers on it so you can put your gun n other do-dads on it. YMHS Birdman

 

[freetrapper20]

Something different: Wind chimes.
When you get a few saved up, hang em' and attach feathers to catch the wind. These have been up awhile as the feathers are wore out
[url] http://home.earthlink.net/~fr...content/sitebuilderpictures/hpim0166.jpg[/url]

 

[CWC]

I had originaly thought that this set would be too small for a knife handle. After reading this suggestion I took a second look, and think it might be about right for a patch knife size. How do you attach the blade to the handle? Where is a good place to buy the blade?

 

[shmrck1]

CWC,
I have about 15 powder measures made from
small deer antlers, ranging in size from
25grns to 85grns.
snake-eyes :hmm:

 

[blacksmithshoppe]

I had originaly thought that this set would be too small for a knife handle. After reading this suggestion I took a second look, and think it might be about right for a patch knife size. How do you attach the blade to the handle? Where is a good place to buy the blade?

Get a knife edge file and a grinder and make your own blade then attach it with pins, you can drill the tang of a file most times. if not there are a number of good glues that would hold it in place. if you want to buy a ready made blade Track of the Wolf sells them but if you want to make one and your near South West Michigan you can come over to my shop and I will help you forge your own.
Jeff

 

[paulvallandigham]

Blades can be purchased from a number of suppliers. Check the links above, under Member services. Dixie GunWorks, Track of the Wolf, Log Cabin Shoppe, are three that come to mind that sell patch knife blades.

Antler hands are general held on by using epoxy, after drilling the antler to fit the tang. I added a cross pin, using some 1/16" dia. brass or nickel rod. If you are going to pin the tang, some of those blades, which are advertised as " Laminated steel ", are very hard to drill. Heat the tang up with a propane torch to red hot, and then drill the hole, while the tang is red hot. A standard drill bit will cut them like you are cutting wood instead of steel. Clamp the knife blade in a vise, and the jaws of the vise will act as a heat sink to protect the blade.

If you have access to a bandsaw, you could cut a slit in the antler the thickness of the tang, but then you also have to fill in that space after mounting the tang, around the tang to the outsides of the antler. I prefer drilling a hole for the tang and using epoxy.

I saw another way of doing antlers, and that was to soak them for a long time to soften them, and then heat the tang up so you burn your way into the antler. When the antler dried, a little horsehide glue was all that was needed to keep the blade in the antler handle. This process STINKS, and you obviously have to be able to drive that red hot tang into the antler straight while putting up with the smell of burning bone.

 

[leatherjunkie]

Last week-end my buddy shot a small 4-point. I kept the antlers, but I can't decide what to do with them. Any ideas? How about some pics of your favorite antler projects?

Depending on the size of the antler you can have it turned into a ink pen.
I turned a ink pen on my lathe using a mule deer antler that my unckle shot. I can email pics if you wanna see it as i have not been able to take time to learn how to post pics here yet.

 

[CWC]

if you want to make one and your near South West Michigan you can come over to my shop and I will help you forge your own.
Jeff

Thanks for the offer, but I'm in Texas. I'd love to learn to forge a knife, so I might take you up on that offer if I'm ever in your area!
My antlers just came off the deer less than a week ago. Do I need to let them sit around for a while before I start making something, or are they good while fresh off the deer?

 

[paulvallandigham]

The antlers will shrink a little after they are removed from the carcass, but not that much. If you are going to use if for knife handles, I can't think of any reason to delay the project.

 

[DrTimboone]

I have made several knives by soaking/boiling the antler and then pushing the tang into the soft center. Once it has dried for a few days you can't get it out with a bulldozer!! I did not heat the tang and there was no smell! :v The wife said it was one of the only things I have done that didn't stink!! :rotf: :rotf:

 

[dodgecity]

I made a nice little priming antler and touch hole pick, both of which I wear on a neck cord and tucked into my shirt when I hunt. There is also an interesting project in this month's Backwoodsman Magazine for making a folding knife with an antler handle. I plan on trying this one myself this winter.

 

[Riley/MN]

I made a nice little priming antler and touch hole pick, both of which I wear on a neck cord and tucked into my shirt when I hunt. There is also an interesting project in this month's Backwoodsman Magazine for making a folding knife with an antler handle. I plan on trying this one myself this winter.

One could also take the tip and drill a hole in the middle, then cement in a tuft of horsetail for a pan brush. As far as a folder, I am thinking of trying to re-handle an opinel folder with a piece of antler.

~Riley

ps-someday-in my spare time-man look at the clock-I gotta go

 

[DrTimboone]

I have a pan brush made from an antler tip with a turkey beard for bristles. Once trimmed the brish works great.

 

[Dale A. Cathell]

I have been getting my blanks for Log Cabin. For attaching the horn, I drill it out and grind some off of the blank. I then use DEVCON epoxy. You might find that you have shorten the haft some. Do this by putting in a vise at desired length and hit firmly with a hammer. Watch eyes!!!!

 

[bob1961]

fer the hell of it i made a pipe out of a brow tine :v ...........bob

 

[Grinnydog]

[/img] A few things I made from antler.

 

[bramble]

Grinnydog,

I haven't got the picture thing going yet (have to turn it over to my daughter, the expert), but I just finished a nipple pick, a little different from yours. I used a 3" tine, and drilled it from the flat end with a tiny numbered bit. I then cut 1/2" off the flat end (cut at an angle). I epoxied the brass wire in the flat part. With a slight bend in the wire, it fits nicely in its "sheath", the remainder of the tine. The angled cut for the handle is to make it easy to line up
bramble