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How to Turn raw antler into INCREDIBLE handle material!!
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- Published on Mar 7, 2026
- In todays video I go over turning a fresh elk antler into perfectly stabilized handle material for knife making.
if this video helped you PLEASE consider subscribing to my patreon account for only 5$ per month it would help more then I can explain!
/ gentrycustomknives
Www.gentrycustomknives.com
materials used in todays video
StabilIzing kit…. amzn.to/3Pec3qL
Cactus juice…. amzn.to/3IOSu67
CA Glue….. amzn.to/3aJEwpE
Band saw blades…amzn.to/3uS1q4Q
Band saw table…amzn.to/3OddWmv
Finally a no bs guide, you earned yourself a subscriber
Thanks!
I've been stabilizing with Cactus Juice for years and agree with your method. Filling with epoxy or CA is just smart and adds to the scale material integrity. ✌
Good to know! Thank you for watching!
Yes very direct and explained thoroughly by process ect
Elk antler is especially pithy. Moose has the tightest pith. Whitetail is pretty tight as well, and mule deer is somewhere between elk and whitetail usually, but closer to whitetail.
Definitely true!
Once stabilized fully, this is probably an INSANE composite.
Wonderful! You just saved me a couple hundred buсks. Gonna go straight to CA glue. Thank you.
Thanks for watching!!
Why couldn’t you have simply filled the interior marrow portion of the antler with Superclear 2.0 epoxy? We use that in the wood industry to stabilize wood and it’s harder than the wood itself.
I have built a few knives using elk antler. After the drying process, all I do is put several "layers" of the "thin" CA, until it doesn't absorb it anymore. I will let it set for awhile between applications. The marrow is then rock hard. Having said that, the Cactus process is fine, I myself do not do it.
I truly enjoy your videos...keep up the great work! Jay
Thank you! So the way you do it seems to be how most people tackle this process. The cactus juice might be over kill.
ThAt would make one really good quality skinning knife for shooo
They look great! I’ve used that product on spalted hackberry wood and it worked great!
Very nice! 👊
The old timers used it fer many a year, i wunder if they had to stableize it?
Curtis Seeback himself gives it a years time after it is activated. If you have some that is too old he will send you more activator but you have to contact them for it. He said he doesn't make it available otherwise.
edit: I love the Starbond glue idea. I am fairly new to all of this and am just now approaching antler scales. Thank you for the good video!
Thank you for watching!
I just use CA after drying them out. Haven't had any problems yet....fingers crossed.
I think that should be just fine! Do you apply a few coats?
Stabilizing is the way to go Mat and CA glue is also great way to fill the voids..I’m glad you got some new Cactus Juice to very smart decision lol..well done
Thanks Don! I thing I avoided a catastrophic ending to this video by buying new cactus juice lol
the epoxy will fill the voids.
Thanks I'm working on whale bone for a guys knife hate the shit but looks cool l agree on stablelizing
Sounds cool!
Years past nothing was done on the antler and the scales last many many years. I just replaced a set on a customers folder that I found was originally dated 1984 underneath. Most issues that show up after many years of use were with cracks from the pin areas that were peened down. I have been using cactus juice to stabilize antler and they come out really solid (and heavy).
Very cool! 👊
If the antler needs coloring because its bleached can you color it with a tea dip after
This is the most thorough and foolproof knife making content I've seen on youtube. Thanks.
Well I really appreciate that! Content from a knife maker, not a RUclipsr…
Dude you Read my mind. I just got my cactus juice in yesterday and I'm online looking for antler now. I'm going to do some hidden tang and some scales. I've never done any before and I don't have a clue I just know everyone stabilizes it. I was told to go to the pet store and get antlers but there isn't a pet store around me with anything I want to use. I went to 8 stores today and found 1 peace. I found some on eBay but damn they are proud of it. Thanks for the video can't wait to see them on a knife 👍
Well perfect timing! Let me know how it goes!
Glad you found peace once you found a piece!
I really doubt it took 5 hours to pull the bubbles out of that stuff, more like likely you were low pressure boiling the fluid lol.
Yea
That inside might buff up well with all the CA in it. Nice surprise if they're on a take down hunter. Try dyes in the Cactus Juice, the results are cool. Great tutorial and recipe for worry free maintenance!
Thank you!
Rather than filling the antler with the CA glue you mentioned, what are your thoughts on filling it with resin? (its what I have on-hand)
I definitely think that would work
Hey Matt , I don’t know if you can get them in the states but in Australia we get Sambar deer here and there antlers are solid unlike elk no need to stabilise ..
I have seen that! Looks like great stuff!
Is your process for finishing them different from your regular scales?
I hand sand to 800 grit and buff for finish on these
Beatiful video,sir,could I stain the cactus juice,like another resina or not?
Yes they have different color dyes but I haven’t tried those yet
Great, informative video! Could I use epoxy instead of CA glue?
The CA glue just flows through the sponge parts better
Wouldn’t the voids fill if you left the pieces while when stabilizing then splitting for scales? Since the resin is replacing all air pockets if you left those exposed voids as internal pockets they should hold the resin.
Cactus juice doesn’t fill large voids unfortunately.
@gentrycustomknives8008 thanks for the reply. I was aware it’s not to fill voids but wasn’t sure how it functioned internally and how large of a void could be filled.
Love the video just subscribed i did walker antler on my schrade uncle Henry 171UH its on my channel!
Thanks!
What do you put on a antler handler after you color with tea to protect the color
I buff mine
@gentrycustomknives8008 but how do you protect the color from fading off or just getting clean off from water,soap,or whatever
I was wondering if you are still alive after cutting and grinding the antler without a face mask/respirator. That dust is very dangerous to breath in.
It’s amazing.. but I’m still here
I have been working with Antlers for a number of years. I use Antlers. for a different purpose. I hollow out antlers to put lights on the tips. When you slice the Antler in half Remove the fibrous tissues and add ( Superclear 2.0 epoxy} It will solve your problems much simpler.
It's literally a bone that 1400lb animals use to smash against each other and practice by bashing them into trees...
Literally
I was gonna ask about that portaband table, but heyo, you put it in your about section. Thank you for that.
Glad to help! Thanks for watching!