No.8 Opinel Antler Knife

[Shambam1962]

I finally got around to making an antler handle for my opinel carbon blade knife today.

I didn’t find it difficult to modify and followed Ditchman’s  excellent previous posts.

I have a good selection of antler pieces I was kindly sent by Greenshank1 a few months ago, and found it difficult to select a suitable piece for the knife.

The end of the antler is capped with a piece of faux acrylic ivory and a spigot turned on the piece and epoxied into position.

Disassembling the knife was straightforward and I reused the pin on assembly.

The blade groove took a bit of time cutting as I was having trouble with my hand shaking and didn’t want to spoil the groove on the antler, but I eventually cut it okay and straight.

The blade groove was cut with a dremel tool and a diamond disc fitted, and the groove was made deeper using blade off a reciprocating saw , which was the perfect groove width.

The antler was given a coat of Microcrystalline wax to finish.

It’s not in the same league as the one that Dave at Kelton made a few months ago, but I’m pleased with my 1st attempt and will hopefully make the next one better 👍

 

Edited September 3, 2024 by Shambam1962
Predictive text changes names

[Old farrier]

Well done 

thanks for posting 😊👍

[ditchman]

careful .....it becomes addictive...

nicely done 

[Shambam1962]

7 hours ago, Old farrier said:

Well done 

thanks for posting 😊👍

Thanks 👍

[Shambam1962]

6 hours ago, ditchman said:

careful .....it becomes addictive...

nicely done 

Thanks Simon, I did enjoy making it, and the old knife has been abused over the years 👍

The hardest part I found was finding a piece of antler with good even wall thickness.

[TIGHTCHOKE]

Very nice, good to see these being done again so nicely like the original Ditchman versions.   

[Dave at kelton]

Well done, it looks great. Yes finding the right antler is the hardest bit.

[JohnfromUK]

Looks very good.  You are probably aware that O'Pinel themselves did some horn handled knives, but from bovine horn.  I don't think they make them any more.  From memory they were considerably more expensive than the 'standard' O'Pinel and were only available in stainless material.  At leas two blade shapes were available, standard and a much slimmer version.

[steve_b_wales]

I'm impressed. Well done.

[steve1066]

10 hours ago, Shambam1962 said:

I finally got around to making an antler handle for my opinel carbon blade knife today.

I didn’t find it difficult to modify and followed Ditchman’s  excellent previous posts.

I have a good selection of antler pieces I was kindly sent by Greenshank1 a few months ago, and found it difficult to select a suitable piece for the knife.

The end of the antler is capped with a piece of faux acrylic ivory and a spigot turned on the piece and epoxied into position.

Disassembling the knife was straightforward and I reused the pin on assembly.

The blade groove took a bit of time cutting as I was having trouble with my hand shaking and didn’t want to spoil the groove on the antler, but I eventually cut it okay and straight.

The blade groove was cut with a dremel tool and a diamond disc fitted, and the groove was made deeper using blade off a reciprocating saw , which was the perfect groove width.

The antler was given a coat of Microcrystalline wax to finish.

It’s not in the same league as the one that Dave at Kelton made a few months ago, but I’m pleased with my 1st attempt and will hopefully make the next one better 👍

 

That’s lovely Shambam, very well done, I think this may encourage others.

[Old Boggy]

2 hours ago, steve1066 said:

That’s lovely Shambam, very well done, I think this may encourage others.

That looks good. very well done.

I still use the one Ditchy very kindly made me a few years back. Perfect for breasting pigeon and with an occasional wipe on a fine wet stone, keeps a fine sharp edge.

OB

[ditchman]

1 hour ago, Old Boggy said:

That looks good. very well done.

I still use the one Ditchy very kindly made me a few years back. Perfect for breasting pigeon and with an occasional wipe on a fine wet stone, keeps a fine sharp edge.

OB

oh ..i am pleased.........the enjoyment i got making them for folk was just what i needed at that time....i reallly miss making them...but i cant anymore as i have become quite weak and useless .......still a creaking gate lasts longest they say 

[Shambam1962]

7 hours ago, TIGHTCHOKE said:

Very nice, good to see these being done again so nicely like the original Ditchman versions.   

Thanks 👍

5 hours ago, JohnfromUK said:

Looks very good.  You are probably aware that O'Pinel themselves did some horn handled knives, but from bovine horn.  I don't think they make them any more.  From memory they were considerably more expensive than the 'standard' O'Pinel and were only available in stainless material.  At leas two blade shapes were available, standard and a much slimmer version.

Thanks John, I wasn’t aware of the information, but will look into it 👍

5 hours ago, steve_b_wales said:

I'm impressed. Well done.

Thank you Steve, I was pleased how it turned out 👍

5 hours ago, steve1066 said:

That’s lovely Shambam, very well done, I think this may encourage others.

Thanks Steve, if I can do it, anyone can have can do it 👍

[oowee]

Excellent work. 👍 

[Shambam1962]

2 hours ago, Old Boggy said:

That looks good. very well done.

I still use the one Ditchy very kindly made me a few years back. Perfect for breasting pigeon and with an occasional wipe on a fine wet stone, keeps a fine sharp edge.

OB

Cheers Chris, Yes Simon’s knives are something special indeed 👍

 I followed the thread of the knife being made and was part of my research 

1 hour ago, ditchman said:

oh ..i am pleased.........the enjoyment i got making them for folk was just what i needed at that time....i reallly miss making them...but i cant anymore as i have become quite weak and useless .......still a creaking gate lasts longest they say 

Just think of the enjoyment other people will have by you passing on your skill and knowledge in past threads.

And as the resident PW chef, you don’t have time to play around with bits of antler 👍

[Shambam1962]

7 minutes ago, oowee said:

Excellent work. 👍 

Thank you oowee, I have an old no.12, which I used for gutting rabbits for many years, and once I find it in my shed, I will do a similar refurb 👍

[ditchman]

the non-stainless opinels you can get a truly wicked edge on them

[J.R.]

8 hours ago, JohnfromUK said:

Looks very good.  You are probably aware that O'Pinel themselves did some horn handled knives, but from bovine horn.  I don't think they make them any more.  From memory they were considerably more expensive than the 'standard' O'Pinel and were only available in stainless material.  At leas two blade shapes were available, standard and a much slimmer version.

Look at the prices of these Opinel with moose ivory handles

https://www.ivoryjacks.com/products/opinel-moose-antler-pocket-knife?srsltid=AfmBOor5RfCFmeddMHGgx6JuMcdaCW-pRYQy01vC1pm2coi3dbcH1x_m

[TIGHTCHOKE]

2 minutes ago, J.R. said:

Look at the prices of these Opinel with moose ivory handles

https://www.ivoryjacks.com/products/opinel-moose-antler-pocket-knife?srsltid=AfmBOor5RfCFmeddMHGgx6JuMcdaCW-pRYQy01vC1pm2coi3dbcH1x_m

 

Not as nice as a Ditchman Limited Edition................

[JohnfromUK]

38 minutes ago, J.R. said:

Look at the prices of these Opinel with moose ivory handles

https://www.ivoryjacks.com/products/opinel-moose-antler-pocket-knife?srsltid=AfmBOor5RfCFmeddMHGgx6JuMcdaCW-pRYQy01vC1pm2coi3dbcH1x_m

The bovine horn ones used to come from O'Pinel themselves.  From vague memory they were around £50, but they were never widely available.

[steve1066]

37 minutes ago, TIGHTCHOKE said:

 

Not as nice as a Ditchman Limited Edition................

Your quite right Tightchoke just had a look, no comparison at all.

[steve1066]

6 hours ago, Old Boggy said:

That looks good. very well done.

I still use the one Ditchy very kindly made me a few years back. Perfect for breasting pigeon and with an occasional wipe on a fine wet stone, keeps a fine sharp edge.

OB

Totally agree Old Boggy, that does look nice.

[Shambam1962]

1 hour ago, TIGHTCHOKE said:

 

Not as nice as a Ditchman Limited Edition................

I agree with you Dave, Simon’s are definitely better than those advertised.

[ditchman]

26 minutes ago, Shambam1962 said:

I agree with you Dave, Simon’s are definitely better than those advertised.

if that knife of yours is your first effort.....you ...in a while will totally surpass my efforts....i bet your mind is buzzing with ideas what you can now do..........

one piece of advice.....leave the cutting off of the pommel till last.....then you can balance the lengthhttps://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/375383292400?var=0&mkevt=1&mkcid=1&mkrid=710-53481-19255-0&campid=5339055775&toolid=20006&_ul=gb&gad_source=1&customid=1b5a3ab760d55e2c9235dbcbec591ce11b116018

get yourself one of these...

 

Edited September 3, 2024 by ditchman

[Shambam1962]

15 minutes ago, ditchman said:

if that knife of yours is your first effort.....you ...in a while will totally surpass my efforts....i bet your mind is buzzing with ideas what you can now do..........

one piece of advice.....leave the cutting off of the pommel till last.....then you can balance the lengthhttps://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/375383292400?var=0&mkevt=1&mkcid=1&mkrid=710-53481-19255-0&campid=5339055775&toolid=20006&_ul=gb&gad_source=1&customid=1b5a3ab760d55e2c9235dbcbec591ce11b116018

get yourself one of these...

 

Cheers thanks Simon for the advice 👍

This is the sanding machine I currently use and find it very good.

I also have an 8” disc sander I made from a face plate for the lathe.

I placed an order yesterday for 2 stainless steel Opinel No.8 knives and they have just been delivered this evening.

I definitely have a few ideas I want to try out.

11 hours ago, Dave at kelton said:

Well done, it looks great. Yes finding the right antler is the hardest bit.

Thank you Dave, how many have you made to date, and did you do anything different from the 1st one you made ?