Changing a knife handle

[Billy Shears]

I just acquired a custom knife, of unknown make, with a five inch, clip point, damascus blade, and the best stag handle I've ever seen on any knife, anywhere. It has just the exact amount of curve to fit into the hand perfectly, and a nice flare toward the end that also makes it fit the hand perfectly, as well as look really good. It's also almost perfectly symmetrical, which a lot of stag handles aren't. The problem is, it doesn't really fit the blade, if you ask me. It's too large for a blade only five inches long. Not only does such a large stag grip shift the balance back toward the hilt a but too much, it just doesn't look right.

This particular piece of stag antler looks to me like it just cries out to be mounted on about an eight inch Bowie knife blade. Part of me balks at having what is, admittedly, a pretty nice piece of craftsmanship disassembled, and essentially destroying a good knife maker's work. But I really think this blade needs a smaller grip, and this stag grip needs a larger blade. The other problem is, I don't really know who could and would carry out such a piece of work. Does anyone here?

 

[Valkman]

If it's epoxied on you will destroy the stag before getting it off. I would not mess with it, unless you have a knifemaker take the existing handle down to what you'd like.

 

[hso]

Yep

Epoxied on stag won't come off easily enough to not put the very thing you desire at risk.