Been kicking around the idea of building a knife to go with a bow I'm building for my youngest boy as a present for earning Eagle Scout rank. Didn't figure I'd have the time or the right resources to knap something that I was happy with. Last week someone gave me the most ugly, beat up white tail shed. Not sure what I saw in it but the voices in my head thought it was the perfect handle material for what I wanted. Figured I had one shot to get it done in time and figured I'd take some photos along the way as some extra motivation to not screw it up. So here we go.
Had to dig down in a bucket of Nethers flint ridge material to find a piece I thought would work.
IMG_4569 by
Mike Allridge, on Flickr
I wanted to do my best to conserve as much lenght as I could. Of course the end I didn't check when I dug it had some crumbly stuff in it so lost some from that but was able to get a preform out of it.
IMG_4570 by
Mike Allridge, on Flickr
Not the most pretty preform but things were still going well for me. In fact I took this photo because I figured in the next few thinning flakes it would snap. But was bale to get it close to what I wanted.
IMG_4571 by
Mike Allridge, on Flickr
Still needed to even things up a bit, but started getting real nice pressure flakes overall and figured it was good enough to haft up. But first I had to work on the handle.
IMG_4572 by
Mike Allridge, on Flickr
This is what happens when meets the plow, disk, then the culti-packers. Like I said it was pretty beat up. I cut it to length and took a soft wire brush to it to try and remove some scale, from weathering, on the outside of the antler. I thought it was looking real good so figured I'd haft it up with pitch glue.
IMG_4573 by
Mike Allridge, on Flickr
After looking at this picture I was not happy with the antler. Still too much of a weathered look. Figured I'd try some walnut hull stain to see if it improved the look of things.
IMG_4582 by
Mike Allridge, on Flickr
That worked well. Started to feel pretty good about the project at this point. Never doubt that voice in the back of your head
Had some sinew and pitch varnish from Don Burchett to use to finish up the haft. I got to say nothing smells better than that pitch varnish. It has thickened up a bit but was perfect for covering/waterproofing the sinew. Plus the amber color gives things a good look.
Was going to try and add some more to it, even twisted up some cordage. But adding anything else would just not look right IMO. I did burn in the date he passed his boards on the scar left from removing the brow tine. So here's the finished project.
IMG_4584 by
Mike Allridge, on Flickr
IMG_4585 by
Mike Allridge, on Flickr
IMG_4586 by
Mike Allridge, on Flickr
Because the walnut stain is water soluble I did give the handle a light coat of rattle can lacquer to lock in the stain. Had been considering making and Otzi style sheath for it but think I'm going to call it good at this point.
Thanks for following along. Too late to proof read. So hope it all makes sense. Just wish I could figure out how to get the lightning right in my shop to show the flake scars a bit better. When I dont try you can see them and when I try and get the light just right they all wash out.
Mike
