There's a sight somewhere on the internet, if you google, 'how to make an antler knife' you probably can find it. Anyway, you take a main beam near the end, cut it into a respectable length, soak it for like 6 weeks in water, and then push the tang of a knife into it and bingo, you have an antler knife. Just finished mine and even made a handmade leather sheath. For the sheath find http://www.piragis.com/cliffjacobson...fJacobson.html

I'll try to post a pic later on. It's a fun way to spend your winter and spring and summer dreamin about big bucks!!

DeerDad

So how do I boil these things? Do I just put them in boiling water or what? I've soaked it in water for a bit to loosen up the hair and got some of it off. However, now they smell pretty bad and I couldn't get all the hair off. I want to boil them I guess or do something. What do I need to do?

Just send to me, I use them all the time for craft projects!!

If you're going to boil the head, skin it first, and then only boil for a couple of hours. The longer you boil the head, the softer the bone gets and the nose parts will fall off. After boiling, take it to the car wash and clean it up real good then hang it up and let it dry. You might have to do a little picking to get it completely cleaned up.

I used to boil, but now I wrap aluminum foil around the antlers and bury the head with the antlers sticking out. If you bury it now, you can dig it up in late spring or early summer. The bones stay together better. Usually you can just clean it up with a pressure nozzle on a garden hose. The hair, hide and all will come right off. Again, hang it up somewhere to dry. The skull will have some coloration, but you can paint it or leave it like it is. That is the easy way to do it.

most are capped and skinned and hanging along the rafters in the basement w/ my turkey beards...