Deer Hoove Handle.

[BennyBlade]

When I was younger, I went to a lot of pow wows throughout the northeast. I always wanted to make a deer hooved blades like some of the men carried. Would any one be able to point me in the direction of the process to affix the handle to the blade? Is it as simple as an epoxy? Thanks -Ben.

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

The tang is shaped round and placed in the bone hollow on most. Some have the bones drilled out a bit and resin fills the void and holds the blade. While they look cool, they are pretty much just decorative as knives. Also, bugs and mites often destroy them. They were popular tourist goods in Germany pre 1940's and post 1950's. You see a lot made as turkey carving sets.

A derivation of this look is called the Fawn's Foot handle and is made from wood in the shape of a deer/fawn foot. One of the chaps posting in the What's going on in your shop" thread has been showing a bunch of these. Look at page 804, post 16,078.