Carabou Antler...How Does it Compare?

[PeterB]

I have some available to me for a price. How does it compare to elk or Sambar?

 

[Frank Niro]

I was given a dropped tine. It can be a good handle material. The hard exterior surface is about as thich as elk horn. I think its more dense. If you can buy at a reasonable price ans horn pieces that are flat enough you should be fine. Frank

 

[A C Richards]

Caribou has little to no surface texture. The tines are normally pretty small but a few are big enough for handles. Main beams are a bit too large usually. As with Elk some are a very pithy. If you cut carefully you can get some scales out of them though. So if the price is very reasonable or you can see the antler and feel the fit in your hand, it could make good handles. The Sammi knives handles and scabbards were made using caribou and normally pieced together. They make some pretty elaborate sets. There are ways around the problems with the bou antlers. Good luck

 

[Raymond Richard]

Here's a Carabowie I made about 8 or 9 years ago: http://bladegallery.com/shopexd.asp?id=3795&photo=1&size=b Like Chuck said there is little surface texture. If I remember correctly after I sanded off the outer layer it was green underneath. As you can see in the photo's I gave it a dye job. Raindeer antler is what was used for Sammi knives and scabbards.

 

[A C Richards]

Ray, you know the difference between caribou and reindeer?
















Wait for it

















Reindeer fly


Same animal, different parts of the world. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reindeer

Also the female caribou/reindeer have antlers too, normally they are much smaller and more spindly.

 

[Hengelo_77]

Ray, you know the difference between caribou and raindeer?
Wait for it
Raindeer fly
Same animal, different parts of the world.

Never knew that!
Raindeer is used in Scandinavia. Good pieces have beautifull white under the bark.