Antler and Eye guards

[JTknives]

Here in Washington we have a lot of white tail deer so we find a lot of sheds. I picked this one up a few years ago on a hike and just had it stashed away for a rainy day. Well that day is here. I got a rush order from a current customer. He wants a brute de forged Bowie. Antler with a nice crown fits this project but the one hitch is the eye guard found on white tail sheds. This eye guard is broken off so leaving it is not an option even if I thought that looked good (I don’t). So it has to be removed. Any tricks to this besides grinding it flush. I don’t want to expose the pith as that stuff never looks good. My other thought was to remove that section and add a spacer in that area. I have seen some where it was just ground down and it looks kinds date I say newb-ish. I normally use elk antler for these projects as the main beam is just perfect for handles. Thanks guys for any tips you got. Here is the antler in question. Also the rough forged blade (still needs finish forging).

 

[olymon]

Does it really need to be a single piece? Accent a transition from one piece to another to help straighten the handle as desired. Throw some colored spacer in there on either side of some brass, stainless, or whatever.

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

Just grind it down and sand it smooth. Looks fine that way. I have also inlaid the makers plate in a silver arrowhead shape on that spot once sanded down.

 

[argel55]

you can also grind it down then use a dremel to texture it the same way the rest of horn is.

 

[kuraki]

"Eye guard" = brow tine?

 

[Raymond Richard]

Antler has always been my favorite handle material, especially the crowns. I'd do what argel55 suggested. Either grind or cut off the brow tine and texture it. My favorite thing to do next is to dye the whole crown and then put some type of sealer on it. I'd add a photo of an example but no longer remember how to do it. The crown you are going to use looks just perfect to me.

 

[3fifty7]

I have nothing to add I just want to see what you come up with and the after pics.

 

[JTknives]

Thanks guys. I ground it down and did not expose the pith. Going to work really nicely.