The Hunter's Blade
Before the start of NorthRustic.com there was one item I loved making for myself and for my friends and family, antler handle knives. When we found that first set of antlers in the woods I knew exactly what I wanted to do with them before I even got home. In my hunting pack, I always keep a hatchet and hunting survival knife. After finding two beautiful large antlers, what better than to update my current gear with a little antler style? I got home, cleaned up and refined the antler then began to take apart (not fun or easy) the knife and hatchet from their current metal handles.
Once I took apart the blades and had the redone with antler handles, I tested them. I brought down the full weight of my hatchet on a large wood stump multiple times, trying to break the antler or loosen the ax head best I could. I repeated this with my hatchet and knife for a while and when both looked the same as they did when the work was finished, I knew I had something unique and awesome.
Over the months during the hunting season, when returning to camp and unloading my gear I would get asked by the guys where I got my antler handle tools. After showing them off and feeling proud, I told them I made it. Well, a few days after camp I was called and had someone I met requesting me to make them an antler handle knife. As the weeks went on from there it slowly but surely turned from one or two guys wanting a knife to a group / following of people interested in our work and designs.
The inspiration and start of NorthRustic.com was born from this event. Something I made personally for myself lead to what we now have today, over 30 new and unique one of a kind antler handle blades available to anyone in the USA with our online shop! The first thing I ever made and listed on our shop was an antler handle knife, and to this day it is still my favorite item to craft (second is antler lamps).
- NorthRustic.com
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