How To antler knife handle

J

Johnny Diamond

Joined
Sep 16, 2014
Messages
16
I was watching a you tube video and the knife maker said she uses "wood stabilizer" to protect the handle made from antler.

1. Is it necessary to stabilize antler to use as a handle?

2. How does one do this? She just mentioned it in passing.
at marker 6:14 if you are curious.

3. Are there alternative ways to protect antler from deterating?
 
I have read of people who pour "wood stabilizer" down the tang hole to make the pith harder. Seems like it would work. Probably unnecessary in most cases.
 
Johnny Diamond said:
I was watching a you tube video and the knife maker said she uses "wood stabilizer" to protect the handle made from antler.

1. Is it necessary to stabilize antler to use as a handle?

2. How does one do this? She just mentioned it in passing.
at marker 6:14 if you are curious.

3. Are there alternative ways to protect antler from deterating?
Click to expand...


1. Absolutely not. I have made thousands of knives handled in antler of different types and have never stabilized a one. Also should be noted of those thousands I can't recall a single one being returned for a handle repair. Most of my knives go to working cowboys/ranchers etc and they are out getting used and abused.

2) Why? In fact why don't you treat antler material like antler material has been treated for centuries in cutlery use. See reply to 3 below.

3) This is the process I follow from shed to handle. It works:

https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/processing-elk-sheds-a-wip.1467821/#post-16893905

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I don't stabilize antler. I do use thin super glue as a finish. Use a vynil glove finger tip and rub the super glue in vigorously. don't leave thick coats. If it's to shiny a little scotch brite pad will dull it down.
Take care
TJ Smith
 
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