Question about antler knife design

J

Jrmysell

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May 18, 2014
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So my friend asked me to make him a knife using this antler. I've never used antler/bone before, so I want some expert help before I mess this up. I am thinking of doing one similar to these 2 examples. I would have to cut just proximal to where the tines start to separate. Or is there someway I could/should save them?
His antler; ignore the blade that is in the picture. He asked me to make a different blade, but doesn't care about any specific shape.

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The 2 ideas I was planning on doing something like:

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That looks like kind of a small antler to use, but if it was me, I would cut it where it bends. Seems like a good bend to it, more than I would want in a handle. If that made it too short to use, I would add leather or a piece of wood between antler and guard
 
If I were to use that antler, I would make a knife much like the two you pictured. I would saw the antler flush where the two tines split at one time and make the end of the antler where the pedicle is flat and smooth like the knife in the top picture by 'Barts' or whomever. I have made several along those lines, and that amount of curve didn't bother me or the eventual owners at all.

Good luck to you--Don
 
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In my opinion, that antler is too small and curved for anything but a small sgian dubh.

If your friend insists on using it, the only real choice is to cut off the 2" straight end at the crown and use it as the butt end of a stacked leather handle on a stick tang. That would work for a small 2.5" to 3" drop point hunter blade ... or a small boot knife. The other possibility is a necker.
 
I agree with Cory and Stacy on the stacked leather. I have done a couple of knives that way with antler crown. The antler would have been too curved to used otherwise.

IMG_3847_zpszu6pxvwq.jpg
 
I'm laying out a santoku for a chef who wants an antler handle. It will use about a 2" length of antler crown at the butt, 2" of stabilized brown dyed maple burl for the middle, and a 1" section of the antler as the bolster to even out the look. The tang will go through all these pieces. There will be thin black spacers between the sections. I will be working on it this weekend, and will shoot some photos.
 
I don't know that I agree with those that are saying that antler piece is too small or too curved, if I measure correctly, using the tape you have in the background, it looks to me like you have a straight section of about 3 1/2" and then the antler curves down to the pedicle. If you cut the antler straight right at the bottom of the curve between the two points that were points at the end of that piece you could put a guard of some type and increase this even a tad. I think you would have a good knife handle, with the curve going down toward the pedicle very similar to the knives you posted pics of. Just cut the pedicle flat oriented towards the length of the handle, and finish it smooth and I think this would make a good hidden tang knife. The knife pic with the fly fishing fly on it certainly has a lot of curve to it's antler part.
I'm certainly not disagreeing with those that suggest adding another material to lengthen that piece is a used idea, I'm just saying I don't know if it's necessary.

Good luck-show us what you come up with--Don
 
I talked with my friend some yesterday and I think what we decided is to do 2 separate knives. I'll cut the antler pretty close to the middle and do 2 small drop points with a brass guard, 1 piece of leather, brass spacer, some stacked leather, a brass spacer, 1 piece of leather and then the antler. One knife will end with the crown, the other will end with the tine split. Similar to what S. Alexander posted. The crown end will be a smaller knife. By doing the 2 and using the other material, I can also straighten the handle out more as I can cut it more in line with each piece.
 
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