Nice score on Elk Antler

scottickes

scottickes

Joined
Oct 27, 2005
Messages
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I usually don't take stuff in trade for one of my knives, but I couldn't help myself. A friend of mine shot a real nice 4 X 4 elk in Wyoming this past fall. He asked me to use a piece of it to make a drop point hunter for him. In exchange, he gave me the rest of the rack. I've got a couple of real nice antlers now. Now I have to use the search feature here to understand more about how to use this stuff, including finishing, preserving, etc., etc. I've never used antler before, so this will be interesting. I've already decided on a raindrop or ladder pattern damascus drop point with a through tang. I'm going to be forging my first guard on this one too. I'm going to be stretching myself for this one, so I'm eager to get to learning more about this sickness we have. I know how ya' all like pictures, so I attached a couple.

Doesn't seem like we knifemakers spend a lot of time "researching" and learning new things?
 
Nice rack! (how often does a guy get to hear THAT?!) I'd like to tag along with this thread and ask a little about elk antler, having a sizeable piece that I got from Mace along with some other antler at the NCCA show a week and a half ago. I'm curious about what sort of treating / anything needs to be done with elk before you can use it.

I'm a long ways off from wanting to actually put it into a knife, knowing that I need to focus on blades more than handles for a long while yet, but if there's anything time consuming that needs to be done to prepare the antler ahead of time, that's something that would be nice to know. I used the search function but I wasnt able to quite find what I was looking for
 
Justin.Mercier said:
Nice rack! (how often does a guy get to hear THAT?!) I'd like to tag along with this thread and ask a little about elk antler, having a sizeable piece that I got from Mace along with some other antler at the NCCA show a week and a half ago. I'm curious about what sort of treating / anything needs to be done with elk before you can use it.

I'm a long ways off from wanting to actually put it into a knife, knowing that I need to focus on blades more than handles for a long while yet, but if there's anything time consuming that needs to be done to prepare the antler ahead of time, that's something that would be nice to know. I used the search function but I wasnt able to quite find what I was looking for
Click to expand...

Justin, remind me to show you the Elk that I did up with B72 and blue pigment.;)
 
Nice rack, but I think you over counted it. That would count as a 3x3 around here, you usually don't count the brow tine (Although they do make a pretty handle).

Do you want it stabalized, natural, ??? I am doing one a lot like you are talking out of 1084, with the natural antler oiled.

--Carl
 
pricecw said:
Nice rack, but I think you over counted it. That would count as a 3x3 around here, you usually don't count the brow tine (Although they do make a pretty handle).

Do you want it stabalized, natural, ??? I am doing one a lot like you are talking out of 1084, with the natural antler oiled.

--Carl
Click to expand...

That's what I need to investigate. I don't even know if elk antler looks good stabilized. Actually, you're right about the 3X3 part. I didn't even think about that. He told me he shot a 4X4 and I didn't count them when they came in. However, I'm not going to correct someone who gave me soooo much high quality handle material.
 
Those look like real good antlers. I use a super glue finsh on mine its easy and looks great also seals. Can't post an attatchment but send me an email and I'll send some pics
Take Care
TJ Smith
 
pricecw, where are you from? elk are always counted with the brow tine. mule deer are the only ones that counting is optional.
 
724Wd is right. I've lived elk and elk hunting all my life (I'm origonaly from Idaho--elk central!). Never have I heard of anyone EVER not counting the brow tines as points. The rack in question is a 4 x 4.
If you look at the states regs you will find that they count the brow tines , as does the Boone and Crocket club and Safari International.

Oh well, just my $.02.

-Mike-
 
I'm from Idaho (North of Boise for since the late 70's (except for a few excursions for the Marine Corps and education), born in eastern Idaho), and I have never heard of someone counting the brow tines when talking about elk. Everyone I ever hunted with or talked to a 4x4 would have 4 branches and a set of brow tines. However, we mainly hunt for meat, and not the right to brag (don't even have a rack up in the house, usually cut them up on any of the deer or elk I get), so if the official position is that is a 4x4, I have no problems with it, seen in the woods though, I would have said he was a nice little 3x3 :)

I think you can pretty much pick what you want to do with the antler, I have stabalized with minwax wood hardner, just used oil, wax only, and have seen some professionally stabalized. The stabalized can get a little glossy, and will probably move less with humidity, but I think that any of the options will give you a nice handle.

You have enough there, you should try a few different methods and decide what look and feel you like best. Any of the methods should work for you.

--Carl
 
The first handle will be for a heavy use field dressing knife for deer and elk, so I want to make sure that the handle will hold up to service in the field. I'm thinking that sending to WSSI to have it stabilized will probably be best. I have a pile of nice wood (exotics, burls, spalted and the like to send to them anyhow) that I can send it in with.

If you've seen any of my knives posted in these forums, you've probably noted that I have used 'a lot' of handle pins on my scales. I make knives intended to be used, and my hope is that none of them ever come back because of handle issues. The better the handle can withstand the elements, even if abused, the happier I'll be.
 
Agreed with the scales. I would send some to WSSI, but also make yourself one with a waxed antler handle. Give it a good workout, I think you will be surprised by it, after all, antler was used on a lot of hard use knives long before stabilizing was invented.

--Carl
 
All suggestions above work great.I have tried them all myself.I like dying mine first,it gives the expensive stag look to the elk.But Elk in its natural state has been used since before the whiteman landed on American soil:D :D :D

No matter what method of sealing you choose make sure and give the green antlers at least 6 months to dry out (longer is better) or it will shrink on the knife no matter what you try (even a bunch of pins wont help)

Just my 2 cents worth.
Bruce
 
scott if you didn't see this..
this is from red deer it's just about the same..yours could be just a tad denser,, it's very easy stuff to work just make sure it's good and dry.
gray-irwin3.jpg

gray-irwin2.jpg

gray-irwin1.jpg
 
Bruce Evans said:
All suggestions above work great.I have tried them all myself.I like dying mine first,it gives the expensive stag look to the elk.But Elk in its natural state has been used since before the whiteman landed on American soil:D :D :D

No matter what method of sealing you choose make sure and give the green antlers at least 6 months to dry out (longer is better) or it will shrink on the knife no matter what you try (even a bunch of pins wont help)

Just my 2 cents worth.
Bruce
Click to expand...

Thanks Bruce. What do you dye them with? Leather dye? If that will work, I can use that so that my hand tooled sheath will somewhat match the antler.
 
Dan Gray said:
scott if you didn't see this..
this is from red deer it's just about the same..yours could be just a tad denser,, it's very easy stuff to work just make sure it's good and dry.
gray-irwin3.jpg

gray-irwin2.jpg

gray-irwin1.jpg
Click to expand...

Very nice! I was thinking of using a piece in the middle of the rack for the first knife, but now I'll have to take a closer look at the crowns to see if they would make something stunning. Thanks for the pictures.

p.s.
Gotta love pictures!
 
If you want real deep penetration then use Fiebeings leather dye.If you just want to make the grooves darker and have the white show through any grinding of the highspots then just use that cheap KIWI or what ever it is called from the local wal mart or show store.You can also melt some shoe polish and rub the hot liquid polish into the antler then buff,this lets the lows have color and the highs get shiney...

If you grind into the center pith make sure and seal it real well with super glue or something,the pith is not a wanted thing on a handle by some buyers,but others dont care either way.

I dye mine then put it in a vaccum tank with semi gloss polyurethane that is thinned down by at least half.Then when I remove the antler after stabilzing under the vaccum pressure I will try an keep as much of the poly in the pith as possiable.This make it allot denser and when ground into it will polish out allot better.

Just how I do things around my shop.Experimentation is the key to what will work best in your shop.

Bruce
 
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