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The Newbies Arena Are you new to knife making? Here is all the help you will need.

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  #1  
Old 02-20-2014, 06:52 PM
Kevster Kevster is offline
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I need some advice on shaping horn.

This is a knife I've been working on and when it comes to shaping this axis horn I'm not real sure what's the best way to do it.

I don't want to remove to much of the texture, I realize that I can put some sort of stain on it to darken them after I shape them.

Anyhoo, help a brother out.







Thanks

Last edited by Kevster; 02-20-2014 at 06:59 PM.
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  #2  
Old 02-20-2014, 07:34 PM
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Ray Rogers Ray Rogers is offline
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Not sure what it is you want, looks like you pretty much have them shaped already. The bark is very thin, as you must know already, so when you grind down those pins you're going to have to be very careful. That's why Sambar stag is so popular - the texture is very deep on the good pieces which makes it much easier to shape the handle without losing all the texture. From where you are now, I'd think some finer sandpaper to smooth things out is about as much as you would want to do ...


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Old 02-20-2014, 07:43 PM
Kevster Kevster is offline
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Thanks Ray, the pins are nickel silver. Should I just cut the flat to the horn and sand a little? Or is there a better way?

I'll try the Sambar stag soon, this knife is for a friend that gave me the axis, I scraped the Bowie I was making for him.
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Old 02-20-2014, 08:18 PM
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Ray Rogers Ray Rogers is offline
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I don't know that there is any better way. Some guys try to grind or polish the pins a little with a Dremel but that's about the only other thing I can think of besides what you are already planning to do ...


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  #5  
Old 02-20-2014, 08:22 PM
damon damon is offline
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it does look like you have most of the work done already.
here is how ive done a lot of axis. granted this is a hidden tang, and yours is slab side, but the idea still works. ill burn the antler whole before cutting it up. usually just torch roast it to give it some good color. once handle is all assembled ill use the 2" wheel on the grinder/belt sander to blend in the contours without cutting away too much of the roasted outside color. eventually using files, and working the finish down with sand paper till its ready for a few light licks across a buffer. as for the pins... a dremel like tool, and cutting as close to natural contours as I can.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/oiseaum...ts/9889032646/

nice file work by the way. another thing im guessing you are finding out for future projects... grind down and get guard, and handle slabs fitted close as you can before doing file work. could save from sanding away too much of the nice details.

hope this is helpful
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  #6  
Old 02-21-2014, 06:54 PM
PoolQs PoolQs is offline
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I am new to the forum. Been reading for quite some time but wanted to
help if I could. I also just finished a stag skinner, full tang, and thought
you might like to see my finished product to show my shaping and colors.
I used hidden pins so not to take away from the scales as well as not wanting
to "bite" into the stag. Bolsters are 304SS and blade is 440C.







I hope these might help a little
Troy
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Old 02-21-2014, 11:05 PM
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GHEzell GHEzell is offline
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Axis antler is pretty solid, very little pith in the center.

Looking at your knife, it looks like the front pins towards the blade can be sanded flush with the handle without loosing very much of the texture, just take your time, don't let it get too hot, and it will be simple. The back pins are going to require some creative thinking to get flush to the handle material without sanding away a lot of the antler texture in the process. Three options come to mind...

1. use a dremel or similar tool to bring the surface of the pin down flush with the antler. This is not hard to do, but does require a steady and firm hand. One slip and the texture is marred. The upside is, if you do a good job of it, it will look really cool with the pins conforming to the surface texture of the antler.

2. peen (or is it pein? my spell-checker doesn't like either spelling) the pins, gently doming the ends. You will want your pins just a bit shorter than they are now, maybe the diameter of the pin longer than the width of the handle or a little less. Epoxy everything together, and do your peening before the epoxy sets. Counter-sink the holes by hand just a little. Use the lightest weight ball peen hammer you can. Start with the flat end of the hammer with the other end of the pin supported on a steel surface, and gently tap until the head begins to mushroom slightly, then flip it over and mushroom the other side. Keep working it, varying the angle of your hammer blows slightly to develop a nice 'head' like a rivet. After you have a nice head formed on each side, use the rounded end of the hammer to gently bring the edges down flush with the surface of the antler. Take your time! Gently is the key word here. You might need to use a flat ended punch in the end to get it nice and smooth, with no rough edges. I like to leave the hammered surface on the end of the pin, but it can also be polished using a head spinner tool. Clean up any excess epoxy before it sets. The nice thing about this method is you have created a mechanical rivet, and even if the epoxy fails the handle will not come apart. The bad thing is, if you compress the heads too much it places stress on the antler and it will crack sooner or later. Don't do that...

3. cut the pins just a hair bit shorter than they are now, the thickness of the handle plus the diameter of the pin is how long you want them, chuck them up in a drill press, turn on the drill and dome the ends using a file followed by sandpaper... if you have a lathe, this would be a good time to use it, but a drill press will also work. Epoxy in place as usual, making sure the same amount sticks out on each side. Clean up any excess epoxy before it sets. This may be the most foolproof method of the three, and it looks good.


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  #8  
Old 02-22-2014, 01:44 AM
damon damon is offline
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another option for rounding ends of pins...

http://www.riogrande.com/Product/LYN...2/344378?Pos=6
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  #9  
Old 02-22-2014, 06:32 AM
Kevster Kevster is offline
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Thanks guys, I took damons advice and burnt the scales to darken them. I think it looks pretty good.

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advice, antler, bee, blade, bowie, file work, files, fixed blade, flat, grind, grinder, guard, handle, hidden, hidden tang, horn, knife, making, pins, polish, sand, sander, scales, stag, tang


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