Antler is becoming a more desirable handle material for knives, despite its rarity compared to bone. Antler is a great material for making a knife handle, but there are a few things to keep in mind before you learn how to make a knife handle from an antler.
Beautiful knife handles made from deer antlers can last for generations. There are many creative uses for the antlers from deer that would otherwise be wasted. Each deer antler knife is a one-of-a-kind piece of art, and they make excellent handmade gifts.
Let’s learn how to make a knife handle from an antler that’s uniquely yours!
Easiest Way to Make a Knife Handle from Antler
How to Make a Knife Handle from Antler
Knife handles are an excellent method to give your knife a personal touch and make it stand out from the crowd. Antler isn’t as common as a bone when it comes to making knife handles, but it’s becoming more common.
Here are some pointers on how to work with antler and how to construct your own knife handle out of it.
Things In order to complete this project, you’ll want the following tools and materials:
- Knife blade
- 4.5-5.5-inch antler with burr attached
- Band saw or hack saw
- Drill and bit
- 5-minute epoxy with two-ton strength
- Belt sander
- Dremel or rasp set
- Sandpaper
- Steel Wool
It’s up to you whether you want to buy a new blade for the antler handle or use an old one. The first step is to find an antler twig the right size for your knife’s blade. Pour brook or rainwater into a bucket and submerge the antlers. The waiting period has begun. Soak the antlers until they lose their pithy texture.
So, Let’s begin!
- Push your fingernails into the pithy core from time to time to see if it’s still there. If the pith core deforms as a result of the pressure, the antler spike is qualified to proceed to the next phase. The pithy core of the antler should be softened by soaking the antler further than necessary.
- It is possible to tell when the antler’s core is ripe by smelling it. With so much time spent submerged, germs have begun to attack the antlers. There is still a lot of antler left. Some people may find the fragrance unpleasant.
- Use a well-ventilated space if it disturbs you. The odor can be eliminated by drying the antler once you’ve finished your task.
- Using a hacksaw, trim the blade’s tang into a wedged pattern to make the antler tine easier to install. The diameter of the tang should also be shortened to fit within the pithy section. To avoid getting cut by the razor-sharp blade, cover it with a generous amount of duct tape.
Then,
- Put it in a steel vice with its tang protruding upward. Before the tang begins, the clamps should come up to the edge of the blade. This will prevent your knife from bending or shattering as you enter it. A soft substance, such as cloth, placed between the straps and the knife might also assist prevent the blade from being scratched. To be extra safe, put on a pair of leather gloves.
- In order to proceed, the blade must be held in place by the vise. When you place the antler tine on the tang’s tip, Squeeze the antler into it. Do not move the antlers in any direction. Once you push the antler deeper, it will either deepen the opening in the pithy center or rupture your tang.
- Squeeze the antler further into tang using your body composition as leverage. You’ll eventually be able to drive the antler spike all the way down to the blade’s hilt with a little elbow grease and patience. Keep an eye out for any movement or looseness in the vise. Get it right the first time, and don’t rush it.
Things to Keep in Mind When Making an Antler Knife Handle
Remember that the antler tine’s end is rigid and therefore does not contain pith. You’ll have to make up for the missing time. A narrowing of the pithy section occurs as it approaches solid tine. You need to make sure you have adequate space in the pithy area to fit your tang.
In no event may the technique be restarted after you have begun by extracting the tang from the antler. It’s not rubber-like in the core. Pulling the tang out will not close the hole. Attempting to start anew will simply widen the rift and weaken your relationship. Make a plan beforehand of time so that you don’t make an error during the operation.
It’s important to be careful when you’ve finished working the antler into its final position on the tang. The tang should not be bent in any direction. It is inevitable that it will break.
Conclusion:
In the end, customizing your knife’s handle is a terrific way to make it your own. Antler is a popular choice for a handle as it’s great to maintain, long-lasting, and visually appealing. We sincerely hope that this information was useful to you and that you now understand how to construct an antler knife handle.