All About Pocket Knives

My first attempt at rehandling a solid bolstered knife. Chosen subject was this tiny Colonial. It once had risqué picture celluloid scales. Those were cracked and gassing. The antler used is local wild shed white tail. I didn't do scale pins, only the pivot. The action is compromised because I reamed the pivot pin hole out slightly on accident and now it's out of round with not enough backspring material to fix it. The scales are fatter than intended. As I shaped them, at a certain point, I couldn't make them thinner without losing width, so I leaned into the fat boy look. Just hand tools used. That hacksaw blade was new when I started. Learned alot about shaping antler. There's a slight gap next to bolster on the mark side by the bail. I mixed the antler powder from sanding into the epoxy to color it. Mediocre results on that.

Here's the before. This is a pic from the bay listing.

Nice work!

Very nice!
I have found Whitetail antler to be one of the more difficult antler to work with, and usually yielding poorer results.
They are full of curves. Most of mine have had a decided grey inner color.
Elk and Moose are brighter colored inside, usually daeker contrasting outside, and being larger are usually easier to get a flat piece out of it.
The fact that you made Whitetail antler look that great is a testament to your skills, sir!

Nice work. And great photography!

Bob

1967redrider wrote: ↑Thu Jan 16, 2025 5:53 pm Nice work!

Thanks dude

Gtrclktr-351 wrote: ↑Thu Jan 16, 2025 9:29 pm

Appreciate it friend

Reverand wrote: ↑Fri Jan 17, 2025 1:05 am Very nice!
I have found Whitetail antler to be one of the more difficult antler to work with, and usually yielding poorer results.
They are full of curves. Most of mine have had a decided grey inner color.
Elk and Moose are brighter colored inside, usually daeker contrasting outside, and being larger are usually easier to get a flat piece out of it.
The fact that you made Whitetail antler look that great is a testament to your skills, sir!

I appreciate the feedback Rev

rea1eye wrote: ↑Fri Jan 17, 2025 4:12 pm Nice work. And great photography!

Bob

Thank you kind sir

Will be doing a slightly larger tipped bolster next. Hoping to improve my skills to the point where I'll feel good putting new pants on an Ariel coke bottle midlock hunter I was gifted. It's an awesome knife, I want to do it justice. Need lots of practice

Oh and i misspoke on my first post. I redid the rocker pin, not the pivot. The pivot pin was left alone, the rocker pin hole on the backspring is what's now out of round.

Knice Zach!!!!

Looks nice from here!

Good Job