Post by: Gdpolk on November 12, 2022, 08:18:07 PM
This Brow Tine model below with fully optioned build is handled in a hunter’s personal elk taken by bow with a custom fit sheath retailed for less than the elk would have cost to be mounted and retailed for similar money to the deer mount. My knife included: Magnacut steel upgrade, tapered tang, liners, the hunter’s elk, carved lanyard bead, an EDM pin upgrade that was also carved, elkskin lined sheath, and full coverage tooling on the sheath.
One day you may be in a home where the mount doesn’t fit anymore and it may be given away or sold at a significant loss as most taxidermy is. My knife will maintain utilitarian value for multiple generations as a family heirloom piece, never be too big to take along as you move, can join you on more hunts, and will likely continue to grow in market value as my work becomes more refined and in higher demand.
I’ll never encourage anyone to not do taxidermy if that’s what motivates them but I would encourage hunters to think about other uses for their animals. I can turn your memories into heirlooms at Polk Knives and do so in an artistic way that honors the animals harvested and allows you to continue to enjoy the hunt well after the time in the field and the meat has run out. I’ve used horn, antler, and bone from hunters as well as sentimental woods and other structural materials for handles on many custom knives. If you harvest a special animal and would like to preserve part of it for a custom knife just let me know. I hope you all have a blessed and fruitful season in the field this year.
Post by: tippit on November 13, 2022, 12:23:22 AM
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Post by: Gdpolk on November 13, 2022, 05:47:57 AM
Just to ad to what you are saying, I've found one of my most popular knifes is a Turkey Bone knife. A nice way to remember a bow shot wild turkey. Here is a picture of a Wild Turkey femur knife donated to an auction for the NWTF...tippit
Absolutely is exactly what I am talking about! We have many vendors here who are artists and craftsmen who can help up-cycle things from the field for us! I would encourage all of our other sponsors to jump in on this thread as well!
Also, this post for me is not about marketing at all. This is about valuing the animals that we are blessed to harvest and utilizing them to their fullest potential as man has done for thousands of years until very recently in human history where most hunters are meat only harvesters unless they want taxidermy services too. I have game calls made by Jeremy Holden and bows with parts from my animals and other gear as well.
This is a buck I harvested on public land from the ground at 7 paces with my bow on opening day of muzzleloader season several years ago. His right antler is now on my two piece longbow as padding for the limb tips for use with fast flight string materials.
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This is a sketch of how I intend to use his other antler base as the butt cap/pommel for a field knife for myself along with stacked leather and some vintage rag Micarta from a friend in the handle of my next personal build.
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Post by: Terry Green on November 14, 2022, 01:09:33 PM
Interesting thread. Thanks.
Post by: LC on November 14, 2022, 05:26:24 PM
FB trad hunters, Black Widow followers, Instagram, tik tok the list could go on and on. A post here can stay for DAYs on the list. They other options change in minutes or SECONDS!
Post by: Gdpolk on November 14, 2022, 06:26:36 PM
Years ago knife building posts over whelmed the regular Pow Wow posts. So the administrators specifically made a forum for knife building after that. Now that that Trad Gang is desperate for posts they now allow commercial posts specifically for knife sales on Pow Wow. Sad. Expected though.. Trad Gang is a dying forum sadly. Always enjoyed coming here but can you see the buzzards flying over.
FB trad hunters, Black Widow followers, Instagram, tik tok the list could go on and on. A post here can stay for DAYs on the list. They other options change in minutes or SECONDS!
I'm sorry you see it that way, Larry. If you look a little deeper and read the second reply you might also see that I have both encouraged other vendors to chime in AND given examples of some of the things that I've commissioned other vendors to do for me with parts from my own hunt. I merely used my own product line as a talking point because it's something that I'm familiar with.
The point of this thread wasn't to drum up business for myself but rather to encourage folks to think about utilizing their harvests completely and in some ways that pre-dates TradGang, FaceBook, or even the internet in totality. Modern hunters often under utilize the resources they are given and frankly I think many of our users would find value in preserving more of their hunts in some creative non-taxidermy pursuits.
As for the TradGang is dying stuff, This is a screenshot of the users and guests currently logged into the PowWow. It's ~1k users on the main forum. I get emails multiple times a day with new members joining as admin. Post numbers aren't as high as they once were because society is more spread out across multiple platforms now as you pointed out. But, the buzzards aren't circling either.
Post by: Terry Green on November 14, 2022, 06:49:56 PM
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Post by: Terry Green on November 14, 2022, 07:07:11 PM
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Post by: Gdpolk on November 14, 2022, 07:49:29 PM
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Post by: Sam Spade on November 15, 2022, 12:38:17 PM
Post by: Terry Green on November 15, 2022, 01:17:27 PM
Post by: Gun on November 15, 2022, 08:20:15 PM
Post by: Keefer on November 16, 2022, 12:05:50 PM
The ideas are endless and you can save money if you can’t afford a Mount.
I can say this “If” I ever shot another Big game animal and can afford the Mount I would but now Mr. Polk just gave us some outstanding ideas and I Thank you sir .
Good post by the way .
Post by: Gdpolk on November 16, 2022, 02:35:59 PM
I actually glad this post was made with letting everyone know there is other ways to keep a memory of a deer,Turkey or whatever you harvest and don’t want to put so much in a Mount or display a bucks antlers.Rather it be a knife (which is a Great idea) a deer call, key chain,ring,necklace,box call,bow tips,overlays,ink pens or walking stick handles .
The ideas are endless and you can save money if you can’t afford a Mount.
I can say this “If” I ever shot another Big game animal and can afford the Mount I would but now Mr. Polk just gave us some outstanding ideas and I Thank you sir .
Good post by the way .
Another simple one is to turn your first set of antlers into rattling antlers for the pre-rut and rut. Just saw and sand/smooth off the brow tines to save your fingers then add a length of shock cord between them. It’s basically free and allows you to carry your first buck with you into the woods every single fall!
Post by: Terry Green on November 16, 2022, 06:26:20 PM
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Post by: 2wfstlhunting on November 20, 2022, 07:15:34 AM
Post by: Gdpolk on November 20, 2022, 07:19:41 AM
My zebra taken in 2019 in Botswana became a wall mount, but that left the beautiful back skin which I just had made into a quiver and companion armguard. I have now done this for the third time, previously using a nyala backskin and the entire pelt from a black backed jackel
(https://media.tenor.com/J5A9wZzn3ZYAAAAd/robert-redford-jeremiah-johnson.gif)
Post by: 2wfstlhunting on November 20, 2022, 07:20:57 AM
Post by: Terry Green on November 20, 2022, 09:54:01 AM
As far as the Bison Paddle, I was thinking about a Dean Torges faceting approach with an osage stave, but not rounded off at the end but left with the facets for a sure grip. And a handle made out of some type of antler beam.
Post by: Gdpolk on November 20, 2022, 10:12:47 AM
NICE GUYS!!!!! Thanks for sharing.....
As far as the Bison Paddle, I was thinking about a Dean Torges faceting approach out of an osage stave, but not rounded off at the end but left with the facets for a sure grip. And a handle made out of some type of antler beam.
Ohhhh. That would be incredible!
Post by: Gdpolk on November 20, 2022, 10:15:06 AM
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Post by: Terry Green on November 20, 2022, 02:00:44 PM
When I get home, I'll post something else from the Bison. :campfire:
Post by: Terry Green on November 20, 2022, 06:56:19 PM
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Post by: tippit on November 20, 2022, 08:27:46 PM
Post by: Gdpolk on November 21, 2022, 09:38:42 PM
The steel used is legendary CPM Magnacut. Triple red liners symbolizes the Holy Trinity. The green in the handle is vintage Westinghouse rag micarta that was given to me by a friend. This was made with the scraps and cut offs of US soldiers uniforms during WW2. The leather stack is from a-grade Herman Oak bovine tooling leather which is sourced from US beef farms and is tanned right here in the US. The antler base on the pommel is from a mature 8-point buck that I harvested by bow on opening day of muzzleloader on public land a few years ago with my father in law. His right antler resides on my take down longbow limb tips and now I’m putting some of his left antler to use in my knife. The blade length on this is 5.5” long and it has a nice THIN grind and distal taper to feel very responsive and sharp in hand.
The sheath is constructed of a-grade Herman Oak tooling leather and was hand tooled and dyed by me. It is fully lined with black tanned deerskin, which was also used to make the fringe. It features a drain hole under the tooling on the front and the cross ornament was handmade by me from the same brass as I made the guard of the knife on. It was riveted into place with a solid copper rivet from the inside before lining the sheath with deer tan leather so that metal will never touch the blade. I have the same copper rivets at the top corners and bottom of the sheath and the rest of the body is hand sewn together with a saddle stitch. The beads on it are from a deer antler from a previously harvested deer, which I also made in house.
I hope you enjoy seeing this build and my inspiration for it as I turned memories into heirlooms in my shop.
(https://www.gpolkknives.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Garretts-Buck-Mountain-Man-In-Sheath-scaled.jpg)
(https://www.gpolkknives.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Garretts-Buck-Mountain-Man-Right-Side-Detail-scaled.jpg)
(https://www.gpolkknives.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Garretts-Buck-Mountain-Man-Left-Side-Detail-scaled.jpg)
(https://www.gpolkknives.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Garretts-Buck-Mountain-Man-In-Hand-scaled.jpg)
(https://www.gpolkknives.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Garretts-Buck-Mountain-Man-Sheath-Detail-scaled.jpg)
Post by: Terry Green on November 22, 2022, 07:50:53 AM
WELL DONE SIR! That is FABULOUS!!!!!!!!!!
Post by: Gdpolk on November 22, 2022, 08:22:37 AM
:o :o :o :o :o
WELL DONE SIR! That is FABULOUS!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you. This is the other side of him and is the work of Bob Sarrells from TX…
Post by: trad_bowhunter1965 on November 22, 2022, 11:43:18 AM
Any other thoughts than a Bison Blade Boat Paddle?If my Uncle was alive he would paint Western seen on deer shoulder blades like C. M. Russell, maybe some one could do that for you or scrimshaw.
Post by: Terry Green on November 22, 2022, 02:01:37 PM
Post by: Russell Southerland on November 22, 2022, 03:40:31 PM
Post by: Bowguy67 on December 03, 2022, 05:29:04 AM
I hear what you’re saying about price though, you’ve got to weigh it out. But the new bow you paid 1000 bucks for and sold for 500 depreciated as well. How bout your truck? Guaranteed giant loss and very limited timeframe for that. Like the first minute you leave the lot.
Anyhow one great alternative is eating game and just saving horns, beards, etc as easy momentos
Post by: mjh on December 04, 2022, 10:42:52 AM
Post by: J. Cook on December 05, 2022, 07:03:39 AM
Post by: Gdpolk on December 05, 2022, 09:14:05 AM
My cousin weaves them into baskets. She uses the rack to sort of be the frame work and shape of the basket but they stick out on the outside of the weave so as to be visible, or the handle, etc. Lots of options. I don't have a pic of one so hopefully that description makes sense. The size of the antler is irrelevant so you can use any antler you have.
Oh wow. That’s creative and awesome! I’d love to see some examples of their craft. That sounds really cool!
Post by: J. Cook on December 05, 2022, 09:20:37 PM
My cousin weaves them into baskets. She uses the rack to sort of be the frame work and shape of the basket but they stick out on the outside of the weave so as to be visible, or the handle, etc. Lots of options. I don't have a pic of one so hopefully that description makes sense. The size of the antler is irrelevant so you can use any antler you have.
Oh wow. That’s creative and awesome! I’d love to see some examples of their craft. That sounds really cool!
Okay, she sent me pics - these are ones she's done recently. Some cool options.
Post by: Gdpolk on December 06, 2022, 08:37:13 AM
Post by: tippit on December 06, 2022, 11:13:29 AM
Post by: Gdpolk on December 06, 2022, 11:58:51 AM
Beautiful work!
Right? I now want to get a really SMALL set of elk antlers and have it woven up into a basket for all the blankets in our living room
Post by: tippit on December 16, 2022, 11:59:48 PM
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Post by: rustyspike on December 17, 2022, 07:23:42 AM
I don't post that much. But I come to the boards at least several times a week.
Rich K.
Post by: Maclean on December 17, 2022, 09:21:54 AM
Years ago knife building posts over whelmed the regular Pow Wow posts. So the administrators specifically made a forum for knife building after that. Now that that Trad Gang is desperate for posts they now allow commercial posts specifically for knife sales on Pow Wow. Sad. Expected though.. Trad Gang is a dying forum sadly. Always enjoyed coming here but can you see the buzzards flying over.
FB trad hunters, Black Widow followers, Instagram, tik tok the list could go on and on. A post here can stay for DAYs on the list. They other options change in minutes or SECONDS!
Black Widow followers ... really? So just because I own a Black Widow longbow and really like the company that built it, I'm not welcome here on this forum?
Seems a bit judgmental to me, and contradictory being that this is a forum for and about traditional archery and bowhunting.
Post by: Gdpolk on December 17, 2022, 08:48:02 PM
Years ago knife building posts over whelmed the regular Pow Wow posts. So the administrators specifically made a forum for knife building after that. Now that that Trad Gang is desperate for posts they now allow commercial posts specifically for knife sales on Pow Wow. Sad. Expected though.. Trad Gang is a dying forum sadly. Always enjoyed coming here but can you see the buzzards flying over.
FB trad hunters, Black Widow followers, Instagram, tik tok the list could go on and on. A post here can stay for DAYs on the list. They other options change in minutes or SECONDS!
Black Widow followers ... really? So just because I own a Black Widow longbow and really like the company that built it, I'm not welcome here on this forum?
Seems a bit judgmental to me, and contradictory being that this is a forum for and about traditional archery and bowhunting.
I believe LC may have just been having an off day.
We'd love to see you chime in a bit more over time. Black Widow does make a really nice bow and offers an impressive variety of grip designs and options for customization for a single company.
Post by: Trenton G. on December 18, 2022, 11:09:37 AM
Post by: Mark R on December 18, 2022, 01:28:47 PM
Post by: Gdpolk on December 18, 2022, 09:02:38 PM
Has anyone tried mounting their own deer? I've always wanted to try it and got a buck this year during gun season that I think would be a good candidate. Small enough that if I screw it up it's not a big deal haha.
I have not but if you do, I'd love to follow along with a work in progress thread from you. That sounds quite interesting and I'm certain several others would enjoy watching it progress.
Post by: Gun on December 19, 2022, 01:11:47 PM
Post by: Terry Green on March 09, 2023, 09:37:17 AM
Quiver....
Back, back legs and tail.
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Head and front legs...
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Post by: Gdpolk on March 09, 2023, 11:58:07 AM
Post by: Gdpolk on March 09, 2023, 12:22:00 PM
Documentation of the build can be read about here:
https://www.gpolkknives.com/ivory-bear-knife/
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