What is the simplest way to...

Yep, the eyeballing method always works for me. When working with antlers and stag crown sticks, you have to work with what nature provides and design the blade and tang around the stag or antler. It may take me half a day to get it just right by holding the antler/stag in my hand and getting the gripping point all figured out. Then I'll trim it close to length on both ends on the bandsaw and from there clamp it in the vice and use a file to get the flats 'close enough' to the angle I'm looking for. I cheat and use scrap leather shims to take up any slack or irregualrities during the glue-up. Mike Williams teaches a simple but brilliant method for following the curve in the stag with a hidden through-tang. It calls for making a 'wiggle' joint in the tightest part of the curve and drilling from both ends to meet at the wiggle joint area. You use all-thread and a cut down union nut for that part. Cut a slot in each end of the union nut and file the all-thread connecting pieces flat to slide inside both ends of the slotted nut. Then drill and rivet the all-thread to the union nut. Hog out the area where the wiggle joint will be so you can slide this whole mess down into the stag once you're ready to 'fit up' the blade/tang to the stag. Clear as mud? The advantage to this type of rig is that if you leave the wiggle joint sloppy enough the butt cap has some room for adjusting itself and getting the right angle and you don't have to fight so much with the flush butt cap end. Kind of hard to describe in 100 words or less. :D
 
Dave,
Hotmelt glue will just peel right off. I also use it when I surface grind Stellite and titanium cause it's water proof and I can pump coolant on it.
 
Kit is your surface grinder belt or stone?
just wondering about stone load up with titanium
I never tried it,I thought maybe it might load up like
aluminum ??
 
I usually just scrape it off. It usually comes off with my thumbnail.. must be cheap glue. If you put the glob of glue on the wood and then place the length of antler on while the glue is hot, it is more like trying to stick glue to a glass surface when it comes to the antler. Sticks well enough, but peels of easily.
 
I use a caliper to check both ends for parallel and the disk sander to do it on. If both ends are going to be at a angle I use the disk sander to make them flat and bend the all thread or tang so that the fit is right. Gib
 
Gib,
That is what I have been doing as well except one problem that may be encountered is when you have a slight radius or bend in the stag. Both ends will check OK at one specific angle but if it is twisted ever so slightly then the handle is a bit crooked or off center. Clear as mud??? This can be experienced with irregular stag (taper), oosic, or ivory. A straight "stick" piece of stag is not nearly as challenging since both ends are the same diameter.

Lighting in your shop can also give "false readings" when "eyeballing" it I have found. I have also found that doing it during daylight hours helps, at least with my shop lighting.

Just wondering what methods you other folks have used.
Craig
 
Craig, I set up a lot of stag handles that are not parallel, what I do is bend the all-thread so the pommel is parallel with the surface of the handle that it fits on. One other thing is to have some slack in the nut and all-thread, a little slack and the butt will fit it's self if you have combo right. It is a try and fit some times it goes real quick and sometimes it will take a couple of hours. Gib
 
Originally posted by Gib Guignard
It is a try and fit some times it goes real quick and sometimes it will take a couple of hours. Gib
Click to expand...

Gib,
I concur. Its the "couple of hours" I always have trouble with. :)

Just looking for "another" or "simpler" way than the way I have been doing it.

I know this seems like a very basic question but it can get complicated at times, believe it or not, especially that frustrating "couple of hour thing".

I have also used the "wiggle joint" or "turnbuckle" approach quite often and it works quite well, at least for me. I know of some folks that don't much care for it.

Craig
 
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For those that may not understand what is going on. On the stag tapers pictured above, each one is curved. It is desired to have the small end, which fits next to the guard, and the large end, that the buttcap is afixed to, to be squared so the when it is put in place, it is straight. IF the stag is twisted or askew, to the left or to the right, then it is crooked and the knife will be crooked.

I have been using the same method that Gib conveyed above. It can get quite tedious, especially depending on the shape of the stag. Just looking to see how other folks have been doing it, they may have a better idea than what I have been doing.

L6Steel has a pretty good idea that is worth looking into. The best solution is to use straight, non-tapered handle material!

Craig
 
I haven't done any actual antlers like that, but if I need to true up a funny shaped peice like that where I want the ends squared, I use a jig on my bandsaw or table saw.

First, get one end close on the platen or a disc sander. Then I have a miter gauge on the saw, with a 90 deg L shaped peice clamped to it. One leg is against the miter gauge, one leg is parallel to the cut of the saw. You need it tall enough to hold the antler up off the saw table. Either hold,clamp, glue whatever you want to do, the flat end to the jig and cut the other end.
 
Good thread, thanks Craig!

And thanks Kit and John for the hot glue removal assurance! That's definately a "clamping method" I'll take advantage of in the future! :D

Dave
 
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