- Joined
- Jan 13, 2010
- Messages
- 71
Hello folks- Hoping the weekend and holiday was kind to all and your families!
Looking for some "Materials" help- I have been asked to incorporate a couple of Bear Claws into a handle... Never worked with it... reading on the Dept of Game and Inland Fisheries (DGIF) for my state (VA) website and trying to decipher the proper codes to even take possession of these little guys is a bit of a quagmire...
I have reached out to the DGIF and spoken to the local warden- who is contemplating my request for info and although sounds nice... well- we have all heard the thought "Im from the Government, and Im here to help" song and dance. That being said I figured I would document it here in case anyone else had this issue.
Forum searches only brought a few hits for "Bear Claws" as a material- but I may not be as savvy enough in the search engine function to weed/filter through my ignorance there... I hit on 3 postings for Bear claws as a fetish for a sword, replacement items for an African sword, and a reference from earlier than 2008 so the laws and codes and attitudes have shifted significantly since then.
In the meantime- I want to research how to preserve these guys and possibly use them. Youtubby has a plethora of vids but in the case of a knife- I think Im in new territory.
My thoughts are to have a G-10 scale with a "pocket" or oval milled out and sink a claw 1/2 way in on each side and anchor with Poly Resin (fairly shock resistant and the pocket would be milled w a slight undercut to secure resin)
The Claw itself seems to be nothing more than "Nail material" over a bone plug- fairly thin so a bit fragile post cleaning I am assuming without some stabilization.
So my questions for the collective are:
1- Anyone ever use or had dealings with Bear Claws as materials?
2- Ideas on stabilizing this?
3- How would you set it in the handle? Pommel? Scale setting? In the guard?
4- Any Virginia makers out there who have encountered "Trophy" materials? (I would love to chat as these laws/codes vary state to state!)
Any thoughts are appreciated- and in advance- to answer some common ?s- The bear was harvested and tagged legally... I am not making profit on this knife as it is for a friend and a first (for him as well as me)... No, I do not have possession of the paws yet... I will be treating the leather as well as the claws for the sheath and knife... and yes- I plan a WIP so you guys can follow along and at least get a chuckle at my efforts and (hopefully) nudge me in the right direction(s)...
Thanks Folks- May the weeks ahead be full of crisp air and all the joys of the season!
Kerri
Looking for some "Materials" help- I have been asked to incorporate a couple of Bear Claws into a handle... Never worked with it... reading on the Dept of Game and Inland Fisheries (DGIF) for my state (VA) website and trying to decipher the proper codes to even take possession of these little guys is a bit of a quagmire...
I have reached out to the DGIF and spoken to the local warden- who is contemplating my request for info and although sounds nice... well- we have all heard the thought "Im from the Government, and Im here to help" song and dance. That being said I figured I would document it here in case anyone else had this issue.
Forum searches only brought a few hits for "Bear Claws" as a material- but I may not be as savvy enough in the search engine function to weed/filter through my ignorance there... I hit on 3 postings for Bear claws as a fetish for a sword, replacement items for an African sword, and a reference from earlier than 2008 so the laws and codes and attitudes have shifted significantly since then.
In the meantime- I want to research how to preserve these guys and possibly use them. Youtubby has a plethora of vids but in the case of a knife- I think Im in new territory.
My thoughts are to have a G-10 scale with a "pocket" or oval milled out and sink a claw 1/2 way in on each side and anchor with Poly Resin (fairly shock resistant and the pocket would be milled w a slight undercut to secure resin)
The Claw itself seems to be nothing more than "Nail material" over a bone plug- fairly thin so a bit fragile post cleaning I am assuming without some stabilization.
So my questions for the collective are:
1- Anyone ever use or had dealings with Bear Claws as materials?
2- Ideas on stabilizing this?
3- How would you set it in the handle? Pommel? Scale setting? In the guard?
4- Any Virginia makers out there who have encountered "Trophy" materials? (I would love to chat as these laws/codes vary state to state!)
Any thoughts are appreciated- and in advance- to answer some common ?s- The bear was harvested and tagged legally... I am not making profit on this knife as it is for a friend and a first (for him as well as me)... No, I do not have possession of the paws yet... I will be treating the leather as well as the claws for the sheath and knife... and yes- I plan a WIP so you guys can follow along and at least get a chuckle at my efforts and (hopefully) nudge me in the right direction(s)...
Thanks Folks- May the weeks ahead be full of crisp air and all the joys of the season!
Kerri