The deer’s poised stance and glorious antlers make them one of the most remarkable forest animals. Their long legs allow them to run fast, and their globular eyes magnify their eyesight. These capabilities, together with their heightened sense of danger, make them one of the most challenging animals to hunt.
You don’t need to go after deer to get stag bones for knife handles, but that doesn’t mean it’s a breeze. You have to wait for antler shedding season to harvest them, but the effort will be worth it. The antler’s natural patterns create a wonderful story that will make you feel proud of owning the knife.
Here’s a quick guide about the antler knife.
If you want knives that will capture your attention, at first sight, you have them with deer horn knives.
You can choose from drop-point or clip-point blades and skinning, bowie, and hunting knives. Their blade material also varies, but pick a knife made of high-carbon stainless steel for a tough, corrosion-resistant knife.
The charm of the blade is on a par with the aesthetics of the deer antler handle. Because no antlers are the same, the knife you get is unique; you get custom antler knives from Mother Nature herself.
Test your grip on the handle before you dress or gut your game. All antler handles have stellar strength but choose wisely between a fixed blade and a folding pocket knife. Fixed blades offer better control, while pocket knives are highly portable.
The knife handle may be called “stag bone handle,” but it is not made of bones, and no stag was harmed in acquiring antlers.
Hunters acquire the stag bone without using any force and cruelty because deers shed their antlers yearly. This practice is in stark contrast to getting rhinoceros horns, which are noncompliant with anti-animal cruelty regulations. Rhino horns don’t grow back, so stag bone handles are a more eco-friendly choice.
Every knife handle tells the story of how its material was acquired. If you are an enthusiast of knifemaking and hope to bring to life your dream knife someday, you will have your own story to share.
Your journey will begin in mid-March, the spring season! The wild will be blooming with flowers and trees, as well as antlers that deers have shed in the winter. Patience is looking for stag bones will not be a problem for you as this virtue is also a must in hunting.
Once you get the antlers, cut them according to the handle size you want. Then, polish it using sandpaper. To give it a little shine, use a semigloss polyurethane and allow it to dry.
As your knowledge and passion for finding the perfect stag bone grows, you will come across the term “sambar stag.” Sambar stag antlers are among the most popularly used antlers for hunting knives because they are thicker and have more compact bone marrow than elk or moose antlers.
These characteristics of sambar stag antlers indeed make for more sturdy handles. However, make sure to familiarize yourself with sambar protection regulations so that you won’t mess up with any local laws. Go for the antlers only; do not hunt sambar stags as a game.
Isn’t it a joy carrying a hunting knife as beautiful as a deer antler hunting knife? The story of finding the deer antlers and shaping them into handles can be a compelling narrative to share around a campfire.
You won’t be disappointed with a deer knife when you use it for practical camping tasks! As long as you choose the right blade, you can cut ropes, skin game, slice meat, and chop branches to make a fire. Indeed, hunting knives with stag bone handles are both beautiful and strong.
