I humbly enter this forum with a question re: moose antler

Mongrel

Mongrel

Joined
May 2, 2002
Messages
407
Hello all,

I have seached this forum for information regarding how to turn raw antler into those beautiful scales\handles that you magicians produce. I have not found anything specific to my question so here I am. If I missed something, kindly slap my wrist and point me in the right direction :)

OK-here goes:

I have a VERY OLD half rack from a moose. It is from a taxidermied (sp?)moose head and I estimate it dates back to the 1930's. It was tossed out after a local restaurant burned to the ground, and I was able to grab it. It appears slightly scorched but not 'burnt'.

1. Can it be used to make scales or handles? Or is it too old or possibly too heat damaged?

Second question (am I allowed to ask 2?): Can someone point me in the right direction as to how one goes about forming scales from bone? I have read the posts involving the coloring of stag, but I need some tips\instructions on cutting, sanding, and forming so I can avoid a big pile of worthless dust! So far I have cut some of it down into basic blocks with a hack saw and did some light filing just to get a feel for it (man does it always stink that bad? heheh). Even if you could just recommend a good book on knifemaking that would include info on stag\bone I'd appreciate it. I just don't want to waste money and time buying a bunch of books without knowing how good they are first.

Any help would be greatly appreciated in this area-thanks in advance,

Mongrel
 
It should make really nice handle slabs. I would experiment a little before putting it on a really nice knife though. Make sure you grind to remove as much of the porous pith from the inside as you can and flatten the scales. shape them and mount them on the knife. Grind them to shape and sand them to 600 grit at least. I like to warm the handle over the burner on the stove while rubbing Kiwi Brown shoe polish on it until the color is good. You will have to get the handle pretty hot to do this (thats why I said experiment first). Next I seal all the remaining pith with super glue. It may take quite a few coats letting it dry well between coats. Sand the excess glue off with 600-1200 grit and buff lighly with scatchless pink . Ive had good results IMHO.:)
 
Welcome to BFC. Ask all the questions you want/need to, thats what this forum is about.
Yes it always stinks that bad. :eek: Worse if you are grinding the stuff.
For your own protection, I would like to advise you to go to your local hardware store and pick up an organic vapor, cartridge respirator. It just might save your lungs. Some of that horn has nasty properties. If nothing else, it will stop the smell, at least as long as you have it on.
Moose antler makes good handle material. Between the tines makes good scales, the other can be used for stick tang knives.
Someone will be along shortly that has more experience with this stuff, and add to this.
Good luck.
 
Best advice I can give you is once you have the stuff split up, hand sand the back side to get it flat. I've tried grinding it flat with
a new 36 grit belt at slow speeds and it's just about impossible to keep it from curling up on the ends.
 
Moose is a excelent handle material..
The tines make great handles for hidden tangs..
The base can be cut into scales then the center portion can be made into blocks or scales as it is almost completely solid..
The web is another story,the skin is so thin you have to be real careful.I have seen it shrink even being old like this.If you want to use the web split it and then soak it in some thinned polyurethane for a few days then let it dry completely trying to hold as much in the pith as possiable (it will run out untill it starts drying)This will stabilize it enough to let you use it for scales...
As for coloring it,I just coat it with some Fiebings leather dye before I start working it with geat results...
Not only do you have some great handle material but you also have handle material with a past history in your local area which will mean allot to people that new the restaurant or ate there allot and people can say this knife handle was from the moose we sat under for years as wedated or as the kids grew up and things like that (don't be afraid to use that as a selling point)..
You can also use the hide from the mount for old frontier style sheaths...
Yea it stinks but you will get used to it,in my opinion micarta stinks worse than antler,infact antler doesn't bother me at all but it will run friends out of the shop sometimes..
Good luck and great find..
Ask all the questions you want...Somebody here will always have a answer for you..
Bruce
 
Thanks for all the advice gentlemen.

I have saved this page as a reference and let you know how I'm doing with this.

Thanks again...

Mongrel
 
I agree guys...Sometimes i grind antler just to get some piece and quiet..At least I used to.Now it sems all my buddies have decided that I am a total knife making nut and they aren't going to get me out of the shop to go do things like before so they don't hang around much..Just the knifemaker budies I have visit anymore,and thats a good thing..
Bruce
 
how can you identify moose from elk. i picked this up at the last knife show.

10378822-5798-028001E0-.jpg
 
Krangle1, that one is Elk or Reindeer. Moose looks a lot different than most horn. It is more spoon shaped, and the areas between the tines is filled with material, sort of like webbing.
 
Ive seen that picture before. It is still Elk. Treat it exactly the same way as moose. My favorite section is the 2 eye brow tines (near the crown.) They are the most dense and have a great curved shape. You have alot of handles in that antler by the time you section it and slice it for scales and cut the tapers and sticks. Good score.
 
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