Removing Antlers from Mounted Deer Head

[cavscout]

[quote=tyger;708718]

Great! Thanks everyone. My 5 year old has grown attached to the head .......QUOTE]

Whahappened to the quote?

The end quote bracket needs to have [/ added in front of the quote]

[tyger]

[cavscout]

Are you planning on grinding the down the handle to make a tang and then use drilling /two part epoxy or the boiling method to hold it into a solid corona handle?

Or are going to make scales and attach the tip of the corona at the end?

Cheers

Jamie

I'm not quite sure yet Jamie. I'm pretty certain I want to leave the corona at the top and I don't think I'll need to do any grinding to form a narrow tang. I'm hoping the antler will be wide enough for me to hide the existing tang inside it completely so I'll probably cut a scale off the back side then mortise out the front half to fit the tang and epoxy it back together. I will probably have to drill through antler and tang to put some stainless steel pins in also.

I'd like the antler to have a rounded bottom edge where it meets the blade for comfort. I don't think I want to mess with pouring a bolster on it.

This could all change though

[Panache]

How long is it from the hilt to the cutout at the back?

If it is at least two inches I think that would be a fine amount for a tang.

For finishing the blade end of the handle do you mean like this?



Cheers

Jamie :ootd:

[cavscout]

I'd say it's around 2". The handle that came on it was solid molded "plastic?" and fit very nicely in the hand. Carried it as a back-up blade while in the military.

Yeah, a bevel would work. Anything to avoid sharp angles. The slight curve of the antler and the jibbing on top of the blade should give good grip.

This antler also has a small single point coming off of it that I hope will fall right around where my pointer finger will meet the antler to offer a little more grip. If that works out it will be sweet.

[Panache]

CS,

I would highly suggest using a two part epoxy with a long (at least an hour) setting time.

It gives you plenty of time to adjust the blade and remove the extra epoxy that oozes out.

Cheers

Jamie :ootd:

[Panache]

...Yeah, a bevel would work. Anything to avoid sharp angles. The slight curve of the antler and the jibbing on top of the blade should give good grip.

I have thought a couple of times of going back and sanding down my antler sgian dubh to have that sort of a bevel.

Then I think that if really mattered I would just make a new one.

I learned a lot since that first sgian dubh, but I still like it even if it isn't perfect.

And for a first attempt I'm still pretty proud of it.

Cheers

Jamie :ootd:

[SingleBarrelBourbon]

Don't forget to wear breathing protection when cutting and grinding the antlers!

[kiltedsawyer]

I once shot a deer in my pajamas, how he got in my pajamas I'll never know. Then we tried to remove the antlers, but they wouldn't budge. Of course in Alabama the ...................wait a minute this doesn't work.......Nevermind.