Sticks with antler handles

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Click on any image for further details and pictures.		Price (in pounds sterling)	Click below
135	A sturdy carved antler t-handle walking stick with an ash shank. The base of the antler was carved in the form of a German Shepherd dog's head by Stan Randle.	SOLD
120	An antler thumbstick/monopod. The head is removable, enabling the ash shank to be used as a camera support.	SOLD
117	A thumbstick with antler head on a very attractive cherry wood shank.	SOLD
113	A sturdy antler and knobbly pearwood hiking staff with resin-embedded wren farthing decoration.	SOLD
091	An antler and blackthorn hiking stick to my own design, with resin-embedded decoration.	SOLD
089	An antler and golden hazel thumbstick.	SOLD
079	Antler walker stick with embedded decoration. Red-brown hazel shank.	SOLD
068	A thumbstick. Antler head on a rugged silver/gold hazel shank.	SOLD
021	Freestyle thumbstick: a single-tined antler head on a long hazel shank.	SOLD
016	Walker: Antler coronet/karanda head with resin-embedded decoration, partially-stripped ash shank.	SOLD
005	Walker: Antler coronet/burr elm/cast resin head, hawthorn shank.	SOLD
003	Staff/Wading Pole: Antler coronet/burr elm head, ash shank.	SOLD
002	Walker/Market Stick: Antler/mahogany head, ash shank.	SOLD
062	Another unusual thumbstick: the head consists of two antler tines mounted on a black buffalo horn base. Silver/gold hazel shank.	SOLD
001	Walker: Antler/burr elm head, ash shank	SOLD
063	Large-handled walker stick. Stripped silver birch shank, yew wood spacer and capping, decorated with brass rifle cartridges.	SOLD
061	Prize-winning walker/market stick: Antler coronet, buffalo horn spacer & capping, resin-embedded wren farthing, stripped chestnut shank.	SOLD
051	A most unusual thumbstick: muntjac deer antlers on a burr elm base, mounted on a long, slim stripped willow shank.	SOLD
046	Prize-winning walker: Antler head with resin-embedded decoration, on a sturdy dark hazel shank.	SOLD
020	Thumbstick: 3-tined antler head on a very long partially-stripped ash shank.	SOLD
018	Thumbstick: Antler and Karanda head on a long twisty hazel shank.	SOLD
004	Walker: Antler/beech head, hazel shank.	SOLD
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About antler...

Antlers are the deciduous horns of male deer (stags). They consist essentially of bone, growing from protuberances on the top of the skull. Antler is quite unlike the stuff we refer to as "horn" (from sheep, buffalo, oxen, goats, etc), which is a natural plastic material based on keratin, the main ingredient of toe and finger nails, hoofs and hair. Antler cannot be bent into shape and applying heat to it only makes it brittle and crumbly. We therefore have to take it very much "as it comes", apart from selecting the most suitable natural shape, cutting accordingly and smoothing it down.

In addition, because antlers grow afresh every year and are then shed, their growth has to be extremely rapid, requiring a plentiful blood supply. This is provided via the core of the antler, sometimes known as the "pith". This is a sponge-like structure, which often occupies most of the diameter of the material. It has no inherent strength, so must be reinforced with synthetic resin or drilled out and replaced with epoxy filler and/or a wooden dowel before we can fit it to the shank.

When the stag sheds its antlers, the natural process produces what is known as a "coronet" at the base of the antler. The coronet provides a round, flattish, top to a stick handle and may be embellished with resin-embedded items or intricately carved. Sometimes it is possible to obtain antler from a dead stag. In this case, the coronet will not have separated from the skull and there will be a solid nodule of bone at the base, giving an opportunity for more substantial carving.

The nature of the material varies considerably between different species. Most of our work is done with red deer antler because this is fairly plentiful, reasonably round in section, and provides an adequate number of "tines", the pointy bits that stick out and around which we mostly shape our stick handles. The tip normally carries a pair of tines suitable for making a thumbstick. The wall is relatively thin, so one has to be careful not to take off too much material and break through into the pith below. Where cut surfaces reveal the pith, they need to be capped off with wood, horn or synthetic resin. The surface colour varies enormously - from near black to white - partly dependent on the amount of wear and tear caused by the original owner. The surface can be deeply ridged and working the material is often a compromise between smoothing this down, and retaining some of the original colour, which is literally "skin-deep". I have experimented with coating the surface with epoxy resin filled with powdered brass or copper, then cutting it back to leave the channels apparently filled with bright metal. It's quite effective.

Because the opportunity for shaping antler is limited, it is usually necessary to insert a thick spacer of horn or wood between the shank and the antler to provide a smooth transition between the different diameters of the two parts.

Roe deer have stubby little antlers which provide a thumbstick "V" with the coronet attached. Unfortunately they are also covered in little bony "bobbles" which do not make for a comfortable grip.

Fallow deer have decent-sized, spreading antlers. However, the "palmate" shape means that most of the material is in the form of flat slabs which are not conducive to making a well-balanced stick or one that is comfortable to hold.

Antler from sika deer is usually of rather smaller diameter, and naturally smoother but is otherwise similar to red deer without the surface pigmentation.

Sambar antler is strong and heavy, having very little pith, and can be worked more extensively than most others. The surface is fairly smooth and there is none of the red deer's surface pigmentation.

Muntjac deer have tiny little stubs for antlers; just a single, curved point with a vestigial tine at the base. Conventionally, they are of no use to the stickmaker...but then I don't just make conventional sticks!

Occasionally one can get hold of reindeer antler, but I've had no experience of this as yet. It's large and heavy and the shape can be very variable.

Deer antler is strong and hard-wearing, so is traditionally used for knife handles and other applications where these properties are required. It can even be used to make highly unusual light fittings and furniture - click here to see the amazing work of Cervus Design in Belgium.

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This page last updated Tuesday, 10 October 2006