Antler

[Moyadroga]

Plan on buying a stag handle knife soon. Its made from red stag. Got me thinking, which deer has the best/strongest most durable etc etc antlers? I know i saw a knife maker years ago that swore by only black tail for his knives. I live in an area with only white tail, but what about moose, elk?

 

[jc57]

Sambar deer from India.

 

[Hickory n steel]

I'm not sure strength of the particular stag would likely ever come into play, so I would just go with whatever looks the best to you.

 

[David Martin]

Sambar deer from India.

Yep, Sambar antler is the strongest. You'll pay for it. It's strength may come wanted if you ever drop your
knife at the grocery store parking lot. (on concrete) Choose that against antler with color, texture and bark. As they
are graded w/ this too. DM

 

[tltt]

Sambar Stag is the best as mentioned. Red Deer isn't that shabby either. Elk and Moose is good also, but you usually don's see it on production knives. Some folks don't care for the color though.

Whitetail, etc.... is usually too pithy, and small.

 

[Moyadroga]

Thanks guys

 

[Horsewright]

The difference between the different type of antlers is the amount of solid material. If cross sectioned most antlers have quite a bit more pith than sambar. Sambar stag built its reputation on the fact that it had very little pith and so more solid material. This just isn't the case anymore. Most sambar now has lots more pith than it use to. Supposedly they've been interbreeding with other deer species and losing this trait. The difference in strength between the solid material from species to species is negligible. The color in stag comes from potassium pomegrate, not from being sambar. PP is used as a disinfectant, the color is a by product. This pic shows a cross sectioned piece of elk that I'm preparing as handle scales. You can see the large amount of pith.

Here I've sawn four scales, one from each side, off of this piece. The pith is the square piece at the top.

A group of elk scales after being treated with PP.

Stick em on their knives.

Finish em off.

 

[Sonnydaze]

It's entirely possible that we've just been overshadowed by the voice of reason, knowledge and first-hand experience.
The finest knife-maker, leather-goods craftsman of my experience.
Howdy, Dave.

 

[willard0341]

I do believe that is where the term “pith of ****” derives from. The guy who told me that had a lisp, so I may of misunderstood him

 

[David Martin]

Horsewright, are you sure you got that spelling correct? Because I'm not finding that. DM

 

[Horsewright]

Yep I got the spelling wrong. Its permanganate. Never can remember the spelling on it.

Thanks for the kind words sir. Sonnydaze

 

[David Martin]

Ok, 'permanganate'. That's what I was getting. It's mostly salt. DM