Making a Hunting Knife with Antler Handle and Brass Bolsters

Today we're making a hunting knife with antler as the handle and brass bolsters. Using antler can have its own challenges but I was able to work through and everything turned out great. If you enjoyed, make sure to hit that subscribe button for future projects.

[@themadrat7185]

Holy crap man best video of a knife making that I have seen on youtube yet for using things most people might have 👍🏻

[@ForgingFish]

Thanks! I don't have a lot of tools but you don't need them to make a good knife. It might just take a little bit longer.

[@johnrizzato9192]

I have watched hundreds and hundreds if not 1000 knife making videos. But I have to say this is the best shaped, perfect dimension, knife, I’ve ever seen! All the materials you chose to build it with are absolutely perfect one blended together, I think. Thanks for the video.

[@scottthorning3963]

That's all the knife you need, 4 inches of blade is plenty

[@gean.knives]

Nicely done. I have some information I'd like to share, and hopefully it isn't unwelcome. I'd just like to pass along what I've found so far. I use a squared table and have a glass platen on my grinder for making sure the seams are even. If you want to flatten your scales for a better fit, you can get a piece of glass or granite from a local glass or granite shop. They might give it to you for free if you ask nicely :) Black or Grey glue such as JB weld can hide gaps very well to a certain extent, but fit up is important. I'm still working on it, myself. Another tip is to try 8670 steel, as it will heat treat much easier than 1095, and without temperature control will be much more likely to harden completely. 1095 is very finicky in that regard.

[@raymondoreilly7569]

Just a quick tip, I fill my antler scales with resin, then sand down to shape

[@cjcall3757]

Wow really great turnout!

[@matthewnazaroff9537]

Wow this is a great build and your channel is amazing! Just earned yourself another subscriber 👍

[@456flknife]

Hi , I admire your work, I did a simiilar knife. I solved a problem with the rivits in the brass part. They are always visible if you go for high gloss finish. I can see them on your knife. I used blind holes in the brass parts so when assembled, the rivits don't come out at the surface. The still locate the parts together and the epoxy glue will keep everything together. The result, nice high gloss finish without visible rivets. My material thickness was 5mm of the brass part and the holes were 3.5 mm in depth. Regards. Frans

[@ForgingFish]

Thanks I'll have to try that.

[@reddogknives]

You should never have to rely on epoxy alone to hold you handle scales on, especially metal to metal. With natural materials temp and humidity change causes expansion and contraction, making the bond break loose from the knife steel. You should always use some kind of mechanical fastener like corby bolts or pin peening to control most of the natural materials movement. My wifes boss had elk antler scales bow warp and fall off a custom knife he bought just a year ago. I installed four 1/8" brass pins in a conically reamed hole and peened them, after epoxying. Just my thoughts from a guy in Tucson

[@randyames992]

Excellent

[@WinterXI]

also after heattreat i would be careful hitting anything with the knife until its been tempered, you can easily snap a blade with the amount of stress its been through with HT and how brittle it is, good job though looks good. ive never made a bone handled knife before and doing bolsters is also a pain in the ass!

[@duaneholcomb8408]

Nice looking knife,,

[@ForgingFish]

Thanks

[@dunamisjc]

Bit hard to explain but I flatten the antler then clamp a flat bar with a hole in it on my drill press table and then clamp the antler underneath the bar. And drill through the bar and antler. That ensures straight pin holes.

[@kurtbraisch9572]

Gute Arbei, der Horngriff schaut gut aus und past zu deinem Messer,wünsche fiel Spas damit.

[@WinterXI]

looks like your sander needs a lil tidy up of the customization you gave it, few burrs and steel bits popping out

[@Project_2501]

Hey man, great job and very nice video! Say, what lubrication do you use for hand sanding and which sand paper grid do you use for it? Thanks in advance!

[@ForgingFish]

Most of the time I use WD40, occasionally Windex.

[@larrysimmons6082]

Nice work . Just came across ur video

[@ForgingFish]

Thanks

[@mikediedrich8786]

would like a knife like the one you made on this video, cost with sheath and how far out would it be ? i didn't see it on your sight just two other ones, would like to order, mike

[@christinenorriss9675]

Hi there, greetings from Aotearoa, New Zealand, really enjoyed your video, very proffessional! I have been making knives for a couple of years, it is very addictive! Lately been having trouble drilling the pin holes in tang, would you mind telling me what type of drill bit you are using, thanks, look foward to more content..

[@ForgingFish]

Getting the right drill bits for steel is important. Also if the steel has been hardened it becomes extremely difficult to drill the pin holes. Hope that helps.

[@ForgingFish]

I use titanium or carbide bits.

[@diygeneration5566]

*GREAT work! I watched your video from start to finish. Great! I recently posted a video and would like your opinion on it and the method of attaching the knife handle.*

[@JesusLopez-fc7bd]

Very nice job. How can I get a custum knife like that?

[@abdollahmehdizadeh3900]

بسیار عالی

[@robbybettcher8316]

did you stabilize your antler?

[@ForgingFish]

I did not.

[@ljbellinger]

I made a knife like that years ago and hated it The fit of the scales to the bolster is uneven and sticks out like a sore thumb I would cut a line in the left scale and fill it with black epoxy to match the right

[@ForgingFish]

Thanks I'll have to try that and keep in mind for the future.

[@ljbellinger]

Using a coping saw would probably work. I have also used thin micarta as accent s

[@daleficklin]

Where did you buy the brass and rivets?

[@ForgingFish]

Most of it I get at ace hardware. I've just check local hardware stores, some will have stuff you can use others won't.

[@daleficklin]

@@ForgingFish Thank you. Great job on the video.

[@michaelrobertson8795]

🔥🛠🔪👍✌

[@alexcall6850]

How can I get myself one of these?

[@ForgingFish]

I'm selling, maybe the next one.

[@radarsonwheels1]

No tempering?

[@ForgingFish]

It's tempered, just didn't show it.

[@user-xy7vt3qs2d]

طريقة الحصول على هيك سكين

[@ligiachaunce1149]

Do you sell these?

[@ForgingFish]

I have sold a few. I did sell that one. Every once in awhile I sell them. That might become more frequent down the road.

[@bigchungus920]

Where can we buy one

[@ForgingFish]

I'm working on making that possible but it might still be a little ways out.

[@bigchungus920]

@@ForgingFish they're really nice, you should sell on Facebook or Etsy while you get a website going. They'll sell like hot cakes. I would buy one

[@madswellejus]

What!! No cutting paper or shaving your arms 🤨

[@twylathompson2850]

Do you sell thim

[@alexcox6162]

Make me a sword for my birthday

[@ForgingFish]

There's not enough time.

[@nathanadrian7797]

stock removal method, you lost me at the 14 second mark

[@waynecurie71]

Just some advice but you really dont need the background music, it really doesn't fit with what your doing just the narrative wiuld do

[@steinman1746]

Good video, but do you really have to have that annoying dance music?

[@cjcall3757]

Do you sell these?

[@ForgingFish]

Yes this one is sold