SAMBAR STAG SMELL

D

Don

Joined
Apr 26, 1999
Messages
75
I am working on a chefs knife with sambar stag handles..Hey thats what he wanted.
Will the smell of the handles ever go away? Is it normal for it ot feel oily? I would like to know before I put it all together.
I'm attaching the scales with epoxy and corbys. also do I need to put some kind of sealer on the stag?


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Don Juvet, Somerset CA




[This message has been edited by Don (edited 05 May 1999).]
 
Any type of antler stinks pretty bad, but it will eventually go away. The first time I worked with antler, I was using it for a through-tang knife. After drilling the hole, I decided to heat up the tang and fit the stag to it (like I do with wood handles). BAD IDEA!!. The burned antler smelled so bad that I was ill for 2-3 days. That was a hard lesson to learn. Now when I work with any type of antler, bone, or ivory/oosic I ventilate well and wear a mask. I put sealer on this type of material, but I'm not really sure if it helps. I'd like some input from one of the gurus on this also.

[This message has been edited by fenixforge (edited 05 May 1999).]
 
Not much that you can do about the smell except avoid creating it in the first place.

In order to flatten out the backs of the scales before fitting I use the milling machine with a fly cutter to avoid getting the antler hot thus causing the major part of the smell.

When profiling the scales on the blade use a very new and sharp 50 grit belt. The idea here is the same, reduce the heat and reduce the smell. Hand sanding before polishing produces little heat and smell.

I find that after I buff the antler to a high gloss with green stainless steel cut and colour compound the smell seems to be significantly reduced.

The waxy feel is the natural lanolin in the horn and to get the best epoxy adhesion I wipe the gluing surface with laquer thinner to dry it out before gluing.

If you like the look of stag you had better get used to the smell and work on a good answer for the better half when she comes roaring into the shop asking exactly what has just died in here.


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george
 
I think that I would certainly stabalize the stag prior to attaching it to the knife. Stag tends to shrink and swell from moisture or the lack thereof. Since this knife will be used in the kitchen and will constantly be exposed to water and the likes, stabalizing the stag will help to reduce the swelling and shrinking.
Just my 2 cents.
Mike C

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mconner@luminatorusa.com
Killing the dog wont cure the bite.

 
Smell in the shop, I do alot of my work at the kitchen table.
Thanks for the help.
smile.gif


Drop point, stabilizing... would soaking in lacquer, let it dry, soak it. work
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Don Juvet, Somerset CA




[This message has been edited by Don (edited 06 May 1999).]
 
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