My knife for many years to come.

[KSCATTRAPR]

Now that my summer break has started and my son is napping for a few hours every afternoon, I have been spending quite a few hours in the garage tinkering. I started this knife a few weeks ago and thought about putting elk scales on it. I wanted to use this knife this upcoming hunting season and I love antler scales so I cut a nice set of elk scales (so I thought), but after I got them glued on, there was just something about them that I didn't like and I knew I wouldn't be happy with them so I decided to pull them off. Fast forward to that evening, I was sitting at the table looking at the knife, trying to figure out what to do with it and I get a phone call from my Dad. At the end of our conversation, Dad told me he cut the horns off his elk mount and he wanted to give me one to use for knife handles and he would keep the other side to do the same. I was kind of shocked he would do this but the mount was just sitting in the shed and he figured he might as well put it to use somehow. He had only one request though, he wanted me to make a knife for myself and my son with the elk antler....I think I can probably make that happen.

I was pretty nervous splitting the antler with the table saw but they split perfect and I was pleased with the slabs.

 

Here is the finished product. This blade was made from 1084, it has a 4 3/4" blade and is 8 3/4" overall. The guard is from scrap 1095.

 

 

I'm very happy with how it turned out. It fits the hand well and I can't wait to get some blood on it!

 

Just for fun, here is my dad and the bull. He killed it in the late 80's in Colorado with his bighorn longbow. It's gonna be fun carrying the knife and being reminded every time I look at it of how it came together. Thanks for looking and following along.

 

[jpsowers]

Cool project - it came out good - your boy will be glad to have it one day.

[TrackerNy]

Nice job Todd. You did that elk antler justice.

[just_a_hunter]

That is an awesome knife!

Todd

[D.Ellis]

I like that a lot. Knives are so much cooler when there is a good story behind them    

Darcy

[Jon Kaw]

That's a fitting tribute to your Dad's hunt. I'm sure your son will treasure it one day.  
Well done.  

[NittanyRider]

Nice job, and great back story, too!

[TrackerNy]

Sorry I meant Caley. Great knife. I'm old and get confused sometimes :0(

[GRAYBEARD]

TOO Cool!!

[mahantango]

Nice job! That's a great pic of your dad - love the Treebark.

[KSCATTRAPR]

Thanks guys, appreciate the feedback.

[Thadbow]

Love it Caley, great job!

[The Gopher]

Really nice knife and a great story!

[Steve Nuckels]

Good looking knife and handy size!

Well done

Steve
------------
Potomac Forge
Member, W.F. Moran Foundation
ABS AP

[Cyclic-Rivers]

Great Looking Knife!  enjoy it and the memories.

[fmscan]

Special ....

[MCNSC]

Perfect knife.

[DGW]

Great job Caley, I still remember that hunt like it was yesterday and helping your dad carry that bull back to camp.

[Sockrsblur]

I love this knife... keep coming back to look at it     I really like that it's your father's antler... so great!

[KSCATTRAPR]

Thanks Dan and James. Dan, I'm contemplating not using the knife until I get to go on an elk hunt hopefully next year. We might need to plan something......