Gluing deer antlers to forges steel

[markh]

Does anyone have experience gluing deer antlers on as handles for fire tools? What glue should I use? Thanks

[JAFO]

Try JB Weld. Its a two part epoxy type adhesive and I find it works well on almost anything. Not good for some plastics.

[Jerry W.]

The JB Weld that I have used is grey in color. I would get a clear two part epoxy.

[Dan Crabtree]

i would recommend tapering the tang on the firetool drilling out a hole in the antler slightly smaller than the largest part of the taper. Then put epoxy in the hole and on the tang and drive the handle on. This will create a traditional friction bond and have the epoxy to back it up.

[primtechsmith]

whatever you use make sure you rough up the piece you are inserting with chisel marks or holes....give the glue something to get around and hold onto.

Peyton

[ironrosefarms]

I have seen this done but without glue by taking a chisel at an angle to create barbs where the iron will be inserted into the antler. I'm sure that a little clear epoxy or perhaps gorilla glue (gorilla glue expands and would fill any voids that would happen to be around and dries to a slightly yellowish color) would work nicely to sure it up for the long haul.

[cal-k]

hey ironrosefarms - the expanding action of the gorilla glue is bad. it creates a sort of foam that is NONSTRUCTURAL, gorilla glue is only good if all your pieces are almost perfectly meshing. I find that 2 part epoxy works great if you have any voids.

[matt87]

If you do it right, the antler will glue itself. Making an Antler Handle Knife

[Dutchmancreek]

I grind annular grooves on the tang to be inserted so that the glue will have something to grab. JB Weld works fine and the color shouldn't matter if you wipe off the excess before it dries.

To really make it look nice, attach a plate of aluminum or brass to the end of the antler, file for a perfect fit, and put the tang through it into the antler. If the other end of the antler is sawed off put a plate or buttcap on that end too.

Here's how I do it on small meat flippers.

100_0513.jpg

[Brian C.]

I also have used the JB weld. I forged a tenon on the ends of a set of fireplace tools, then drilled the antlers, a big glob of JB around the tenon & then insert. Still holding so far after 2 years.