Questions about use of Elk antler?

C Craft

C Craft

Well-Known Member
So I want to do a knife handle with Elk antler! I see them on Fleabay all the time. I have done several handles in the past using Deer antler, both whitetail and muley.
All these questions go together and may seem kind of redundant. However I would like to know how much I am going to be able to use of an Elk antler before I purchase one, and since we don't have too many Elk in Florida :eek: I don't have any first hand knowledge to draw on! :bud: So any advice or information some one would like to share on this subject would be greatly appreciated.

1. Is Elk antler pithy inside and if so how much is that way?

2. Is Elk harder than say deer antler?

3. Can it be successfully slabed and end up with slabs say of 3/8” thickness?
 
I've used a bit of elk. It is very pithy, IMO. The ones I've used have only 1/8 or maybe 3/16 of hard antler on the outside. It's not any harder than deer. You can slab it, but you'll have to really watch that pith. I'd recommend axis over elk. Less cool looking bark, more like bone, but hard most of the way through with very little pith.
 
I stumbled across these while working in Alaska. Moose antler tips, not the palm, but the actual points. They are much more solid than deer antler, but they have less exterior character also.

God Bless
Mike
 
Elk is pithy but the outside is very usable if slabed for full tang knives. I have had some of it amber dyed and love the look. If there is any pith left it needs to be soaked with superglue instead of buffed or the compound will fill the pores. The antlers are generally huge and gives a wide flat scale with a very even fine bumpy texture. The brow tines are generally perfect with a fine popcorn pattern on all sides and have a nice curve. The tines are perfect for a hidden tang knife. Some of the points are nice sized but too smooth for me. We get free elk horn here in the northwest. I have never paid for one yet.
Here is some amber dyed elk although most of the pattern is gone but look at the colors.
100_4134_edited.jpg

100_4132_edited.jpg
 
Bruce, I have got to say that slip joint is SWEEEEEEEEEEEEEET! :cool: and thanks for the info.
I have been wanting to do a knife with Elk handles. I been hesitant to purchase some antlers I have seen on ebay as I didn't know how much was going to useable for my puproses!
 
Bruce, is that the "homemade knife"?:D

2thumbs cool 1 2thumbs

Sorry, wrong Knifemaker.
But still quite cool 1
 
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