How to Make a Deer Horn Knife

Making a deer horn knife can be simple.

Several Native American tribes have made deer horn knives for several generations. Deer horn knives are pieces of cutlery that make a great alternative to throwing deer horns away. If you are a deer hunter lucky enough to come across a deer horn in the woods, you are well on your way to transforming it into a knife. If you have not had the good fortune of coming across a deer horn, you can still purchase one from a dealer or an antique shop and make a deer horn knife yourself.

Things You'll Need

• Knife blade
• Hack saw
• Vise
• Duct tape
• 30-minute epoxy
• 1/8-inch drill bit
• Electric drill
• Permanent marker

Instructions

1. Tape the knife blade with duct tape to avoid cutting your skin while working on the blade.

2. Cut the tang of the knife blade. Using a hacksaw, cut the tank into a wedge shape approximately 1.5-cm shorter in length than the antler. The tang is the metallic piece that extends from the bottom of the blade to hold it inside of the handle.

3. Place the antler in a vise and tighten the vise firmly being careful not to damage the antler.

4. Center the tang of the knife blade on the core of the antler base. Make a mark at this spot with a permanent marker.

5. Drill a hole with an electric drill and a 1/8-inch drill bit in the antler on the mark you made.

6. Fill the hole in the antler with 30-minute epoxy and insert the tang of the knife blade in the hole.

7. Apply pressure to the blade until the tang fits completely inside the antler.

8. Place a clamp on your new knife where the tang enters the antler. Allow the knife to dry for 24 hours before using.

References

• Primitive Ways: Antler Handle Knife
• Field and Stream: How to Make a Knife Handle out of an Antler Shed