Looking for blades to make letter openers

[looceybelle]

My husband wants to make letter openers that just have the blade to screw into the handle without a bushing. Would anyone have a good website to go to. I have searched all over the web, but haven't found just blades, especially the ones that just screw in. He wants to use deer antlers so they can't be drilled out alot for the bushings that need a cap to screw on. Hope someone can help with a suggestion. Or if you have them for sale email me.
Diana

[injury]

http://www.letter-openers.com/

from the pictures there they seem to have some that screw in, and they say the do custom jobs too.

Course being that they are located in Germany, might be rather pricey.

[Beavertail]

A source of blades could be your local dollar store or the equivalent in your area. Buy the letter openers and have your husband remove the handles which are usually plastic or wood. Depending on the type of opener purchased it is quite easy to grind a few ridges in the part that will go in the horn handle and use epoxy to hold in place in the drilled hole. Makes for a neat job and have never had any come out on me. I have made them over the years from driftwood, brass shell casings and other things around at the time. Have fun.

[Charlie]

Craft Supplies USA ( www.woodturnerscatalog.com ) sells letter opener blades. They are located in Utah and cater mostly to Woodturners.

But, an Oldtimer friend of mine taught me how to make my own letter opener with just a little work. Go to your local Goodwill or Salvation Army store and buy old stainless steel table knives. They are cheap. Also, buy some old brass ashtrays or some other item made of brass......they are cheap too. Cut the handle of the knife off to a length of about 1" or so and grind it to a size of 1/8" by 1/8" tang. Then grind the blade to the shape of a dagger (letter opener shape). Flatten out a piece of brass and cut it out for a shape for a blade guard and drill and file a hole to fit the tang snuggly. Then epoxy into the material you are using for the handle. I turn my own handles on my woodlathe.

I find a 4" side grinder makes fast work of the grinding. You don't need an expensive side grinder either. You can get a fairly decent one at Northern Hydrolics (Sp?) for about $20. Just be sure to wear eye protection!!!

[Trent]

Hi, Go to this site, www.google.com In the search box tyoe in
"letter opener knife blades" This will bring up a lot of letter opener knife material, but as you search through it you should find a supplier of letter opener blades and might even get some ideas along the way. good luck, Trent

[gapenturner]

Try these websites:

woodturnerscatalog.com
pennstateind.com
woodcraft.com

All these places have letter opener kits. No problem in drilling antler. I do it all the time to make pens. Look at my website:

www.pensforfriends.com

Look under Pens/Pencils and then Antler. Only problem is that it smells a bit!!! Antler is probably my best seller.

[Richard]

Steebar Corp. has exactly the openers you are looking for. Just go to WWW.STEEBAR.COM, page 44, item #C-OPENER ("M" in the picture).


Richard