Custom Hunting Skinning Knife Damascus Steel Atypical Deer Antler Elephant Ivory Scrimshaw Artwork

This Custom Made Antler Handled Damascus Steel Knife was a bit of a challenge for me. The Atypical Antler set had a right handed, mostly normal looking deer antler, while the left side had a mostly straight tall “spike” antler. The customer on this shot the deer in Ohio in 2010, and found me on the internet, and asked that I convert the antler set into a custom made Damascus Steel knife with a display stand.

I built a small, yet similar knife one time before, and had photos of that project posted on Lumberjocks. That photo was discovered by Google, and many others have sought me out about custom hunting knives to be made from their unique or special-memory antlers.

To do this type of mounting, I have to make an angled synthetic ivory mounting so that the blade has something to sit into. The blade tang goes down deep into the antler, and the synthetic ivory is used to give it a mounting location that makes the atypical Spike a relatively good handle. The customer’s name and the deer harvest date was added in hand lettering, scrimshaw style, on the synthetic ivory section.

The customer also asked that I inlay a piece of legal, pre-ban, Elephant Ivory into the display stand antler Crown end with a picture of a deer. I do this work with a sharp pointed knife and scribe and darken the scratches with black ink. I’ve written many times before on Scrimshaw Artwork here on Lumberjocks, so if you would more information about the art form, or how it is done, a quick “search” of the site will give you quite a few links to review.

I took a couple of the “hunt” photos that the customer took from the day the deer was harvested, and converted that into an original art image of what I thought the deer might have looked like with his atypical Spike showing on the left side.

The Display Stand was made from the right side Antler, a four pointer, and set on the figured burl walnut board with brass rods. All together, I hope it is an attractive Mantle Display piece that the customer will enjoy for many years as he reflects back on the hunting day.

If you have a special Antler that you’d like to have made into a knife, let me know by emailing me. The waiting list is pretty long, but if you can be patient, I will do the best work I can on your project.

Thanks for reading,
Mark DeCou
decoustudio.com
email: mark@decoustudio.com

MORE PHOTOS?
Here is a link to more photos in my flickr.com album sets

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If you like knives, here are some other LJ project postings of knives I have built:

Damascus Steel Hunting Knives:

1. Elk Antler with Turquoise Nugget Custom Knife
2. Large Damascus Steel Blade Custom Knife with Antler, Turquoise and Brass
3. Custom Hunting Knife with Elk Shed Antler Handle, Ivory, Scrimshaw, and Hand-forged Damascus Blade
4. Custom Knife with Damascus Steel Blade & Whitetail Deer Shed Antler
5. Custom Art Knives, set of three with Damascus Steel Blades and Scrimshaw artwork

Damascus Stainless Steak Knife Sets:

1. Elk Antler & Fossilized Walrus Six (6) Piece Steak Knife set in a box
2. Elk Antler & Scrimshaw Steak Knives for the Gold Bar Dining Room in Las Vegas
3. Deer Crown Antler Steak Knife Set and Box with Turquoise Inlay

Folding Knives:

1. Custom Folding Knife with Zebra Wood, Abalone, and Scrimshaw Ready
2. Custom Folding Knife: Elk Antler Handle, Turquoise Stone, Abalone, Nautical Scrimshaw Artwork
3. Custom Folding Knife with Elk Naturally Shed Antler Handle

Stainless Steel Hunting Knives:

1. Commemorative Bowie Knife with Whitetail Deer Shed Antler Handle for a Retiring Navy Seal Veteran
2. A Young Soldier's Commemorative Hunting Knife, with Elk Antler Handle and Scrimshaw Artwork
3. Custom Hunting Knife with Elk Naturally Shed Antler Handle
4. Custom Deep Cut Skinner Hunting Knife with Elk Naturally Shed Antler Handle
5. Skinning Knife, with Gut Hook, Elk Natural Shed Antler Handle
6. Custom Knife; Frontier Bowie with Elk Naturally Shed Antler Handle

Here is my website page with knives:
Mark DeCou Studio Knife Page Website

(Note: All photos, project design, and text is protected by copyright 2007-2012 by the author M.A. DeCou, all rights reserved, no unauthorized use of this material in whole, or part is allowed without expressed written permission.)

-- Mark DeCou - American Contemporary Craft Artisan - www.decoustudio.com

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