Knife design for Boar Tusk...?

McClellan Made Blades

Well-Known Member
Quick question guys, I have acquired 2 EXTEMELY nice Boar Tusks, I started thinking about the best blade design to use these with which isn't easy given the curl of the tusk, they are both about the same size about 7+ inches long with good curvature. One suggestion I got was a Persian style blade with the blade tip sweeping away in the opposite direction of the tusk, which does sound like it would look good, but not much of a user, in my mind.

I would love to hear from some folks that have used this material, no matter how you used it, even if you cut it up or acquired it cut up, and used it in some manner.

Another question, I bought this from a gentleman that was getting out of knifemaking and moving, one piece looks like a piece of wood was glued to the base end, it's pretty wood and was shaped to match the ivory, has anyone heard of this? What is the purpose for doing this? Both pieces are beautiful, even thinking about using it makes me nervous, it's expensive stuff that I got at a great deal, about the only way I'll be able to work with any exotic material.

Any and ALL suggestions, ideas, would be greatly appreciated, Thanks Dogs! Rex
 
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I know that boar tusk can be straighten like any other kind.

FYI. I would add that most Persians are Muslim in faith and would never have a Unclean Pig Tusk on a knife of theirs.

Laurence

www.rhinoknives.com/
 
I have seent them sliced for lack of a better word in triangle slices then alternated up and down (make sense?) in a stacked handle design, was glued with black epoxy and looked really good, just one way of skinning the cat!

Let us see what you come up with!

God Bless
Mike
 
I know that boar tusk can be straighten like any other kind.

FYI. I would add that most Persians are Muslim in faith and would never have a Unclean Pig Tusk on a knife of theirs.

Laurence

www.rhinoknives.com/


AWWW Laurence,
Now you done gave me something to dig at the radicals with, I have a difficult time naming my designs, but this one has SO MANY possibilities!! Not to mention, it would be great to send a one of our warriors serving over there!!!!
 
I think that is the main reason it would be such a unique piece.

THAT, AND I like the idea of the sweeping lines, in opposite directions, in my mind it would look pretty wicked, sick even! If I can get my damascus working and can 'magically' forge out some turkish twist damascus, that would be awesome!! I say magically, because I'm still working on getting my first billet of damascus made (ladder pattern), other things have had to come first and I have to get back to it, but it's a heck of an idea!

Unclean pig! HA! If it weren't for pig and chicken I would have starved to death as a child!!!! Don't they know they CAN wash them? <I'm kidding>, I'm very familiar with Hallal (sp), and some of the teachings of the Muslim faith, I just HATE that they USE their faith to kill the innocent, the non-radicals are good people,...well the ones I know are. And I agree with Murph, it would make it more unique. Rex





i could buy some from Randy, or Delbert they both make a wicked Turkish Twist!
 
I have seent them sliced for lack of a better word in triangle slices then alternated up and down (make sense?) in a stacked handle design, was glued with black epoxy and looked really good, just one way of skinning the cat!

Let us see what you come up with!

God Bless
Mike

Mike,
That was an idea, BUT this stuff, to me, is gorgeous, and cutting it would seem like a crime. But, cutting it in say cubes (for lack of a better word) would make it more usable,....it hurts my tummy thinking of cutting it up though! I'll post pics tonight, yall see what I mean. Rex
 
THAT, AND I like the idea of the sweeping lines, in opposite directions, in my mind it would look pretty wicked, sick even! If I can get my Damascus working and can 'magically' forge out some turkish twist Damascus, that would be awesome!! I say magically, because I'm still working on getting my first billet of Damascus made (ladder pattern), other things have had to come first and I have to get back to it, but it's a heck of an idea!

Unclean pig! HA! If it weren't for pig and chicken I would have starved to death as a child!!!! Don't they know they CAN wash them? <I'm kidding>, I'm very familiar with Hallal (sp), and some of the teachings of the Muslim faith, I just HATE that they USE their faith to kill the innocent, the non-radicals are good people,...well the ones I know are. And I agree with Murph, it would make it more unique. Rex

Rex
Pig's were unclean to Jews first and then Muslims because they knew way back that they could carry worms. Any split hoof animal and shellfish because of Red Tide sickness are a no no. Of course many modern peoples of those faiths may eat pork these days? I myself love a Kosher Pork chop & Potato pancake dinner! My wife is cooking some tonight.
Pork worms have been eradicated in the USA. I hope?

I'm not saying to not go for a scimitar blade. I really like those and have made a few.
I just didn't know if you knew that and that would/could reduce your market.

I haven't sold any knives to the royal families yet, but I wouldn't mind getting some of that oil money back! LOL.

Laurence

www.rhinoknives.com/
 
Another vote here for the sweeping blade to mimic the curve of the tusk. :)

Brad, The idea is not to mimic the curve as the design is actually the opposite, the persian style blade has a sweeping upswept blade, while the tusk is curved downward. I'm liking the idea, just not sure how bad I want to make a blade that is impractical as that would be. I'm more of a 'user' maker, infact I love to hear stories of how my blades perform, both good and bad!

Now that I think about it, that would be a wicked Wharncliff style blade! Ya done got me thinking! And that my friend, is dangerous!!
Thanks, Rex
 
yeah, I didn't mean to imply that it would create a circular type shape. I had the persian style in mind when I said that.

Even if you didnt go as extreme on the persian-theme (as mimicking the radius of the tusk) I think that handle begs for a sweeping curved blade. Very curious to see where you go with these. :)
 
yeah, I didn't mean to imply that it would create a circular type shape. I had the persian style in mind when I said that.

Even if you didnt go as extreme on the persian-theme (as mimicking the radius of the tusk) I think that handle begs for a sweeping curved blade. Very curious to see where you go with these. :)


Brad,
Now that you mention mimicking the curvature, ( and I'm thinking about it the right way) in the opposite direction, I'm thinking you're thinking of doing it to the same scale of the tusk. Dude, that is a great idea, you are giving me more and more ideas! I was originally thinking your basic Persian(ish) style blade, which would be more of a collector type than something anyone would use. On the this hemisphere, anyway.

Building it the way you mentioned with the blade in opposition of the tusk,...to scale is very interesting. I think it will totally be dependent on the specific piece, of course making each one different in many ways and in some cases not even possible.

I am thinking more and more of cutting it in blocks, slices, I don't know what you'd call it chunks, maybe?
That's about the only way I see it in a more usable form. I can see it being used as a spacer, which would be unique and a huge pain to make it fit, I'd have to shape the tusk to to fit the knife, instead of keeping the natural shape, which is possible, just not what I wanted to do.

This is the main reason I LOVE wood! But, finding new ways to use exquisite material like this is what it's all about.

If I could find the right person that has the equipment and ability to cut it into slabs, it would be STUNNING on a slip joint!

Anyone have any idea what tusks this size would cost?

Thanks for the suggestions, this handle materials only weakness is the maker using it! But I won't attempt using it until I know I'm ready...nah! I'll put to use as soon as I find the right knife for it. Thanks for the input, Rex
 
One of the fun things about stag and other such materials is you get to design the blade around the handle, instead of the other way around. It can make things interesting...

I think these would go well with a clipped skinner type blade, with the blade curve complementing the handle curve...
 
One of the fun things about stag and other such materials is you get to design the blade around the handle, instead of the other way around. It can make things interesting...

I think these would go well with a clipped skinner type blade, with the blade curve complementing the handle curve...

Thanks George,
I recently bought several sets of Mammoth Ivory from Nini(Mother of Pearl) in Hong Kong,(btw, I highly recommend Nini, great service and I'm tickled to death with the Mammoth Ivory I got, shipping took about a week, I was a little leary about doing business with someone so far away, but it was as smooth as a transaction gets) the only way I would ever get the chance to work with material that is generally waaaay out of my price range, all of these are fairly short, bought them anyway thinking I'd figure out how to use them later on. The smallest and to me prettiest set is 2 3/4"L x 1 1/8"W, once I got them and actually put them in my hand, I was kinda bummed and really excited at the same time,(I think the call that Bipolar). The are beautiful! Good thickness, solid, while they aren't the beautiful blue that is so desirable and EXPENSIVE, they are a gorgeous milk chocolate, browns, with creamy white spots. I sat down last night with my sketch pad, laid out a 5" handle the same width of the slabs, then subtracted 2 3/4" from 5" which left me with 2 1/4, so I divided that buy 2, which gave me 1 1/8", this design will have 1 1/8" intergal bolsters. On paper it looks well balanced, and this will be my first intergal! I have some 1095 from Aldo that is 1 5/8" wide and 3/8" thick, I'll cut it to the right width, then relieve it of 1/8 on each side on the handle, and blade area, leaving me with an 1/8"thick blade. So this WON'T be my normal fighter/camper/bowie style knife that I make, looks like I'll be coming up with either a new design that is more of a dress utility(?), Fancy EDC! Yeah, that's it! I know I just said I was going to reduce the blade area by an 1/8 on each side, but I may not, I haven't drawn the knife design idea I have yet, but with the steel being so much larger than the size of handle, I don't have to reduce the blade of all 1/8", if I forge the bevels in and then file out the ricasso.....so what your saying designing a knife around the handle instead of the other way around is fun!?
YOU BET your redneck (in my neck of the woods being called a Redneck is a compliment) butt it is!!!! I'm excited about getting that one started, while I'm excited about getting the one on the bench finished!

Thanks Bud, Rex
 
Rex,
Those are warthog tusks and can be very brittle. They are mostly hollow and the wood caps are there to keep them from getting crushed. I have seen them made into patch knives for flintlock shooters and they look fine.

I wouldn't waste the time to straighten them out, as with most natural products, they will return back to their original shape eventually. Whatever you do with them, you will need to fill them solid with epoxy or casting resin that taxidermists use (Van Dykes Supply) or you will have a mess on your hands.

Sorry to be a downer but there better made into necklaces or jewelry than knife handles.

Steve
 
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