Grandpa's Traditional "First Buck" Folder

Start a New Family Tradition

I remember it like it was yesterday. I must have been around 10 years old when Grandpa woke me up early one morning, the chill of dawn still on my face as we quietly made our way up the hill behind his house.

We set up in a blind Grandpa had made from old wooden planks and brush. We sat there in silence, waiting for what felt like forever. Then, as the first light of day broke through the fog, I saw him—an eight-point buck, standing still, his broadside exposed to us. Grandpa nodded toward the rifle beside me. I slowly picked it up, careful not to make a sound, and took aim. The buck sensed us, but couldn't pinpoint where we were. I squeezed the trigger, and that was it—my first buck.

A month later, on my birthday, Grandpa handed me a gift. "Here’s something to remember it by," he said. Inside was a pocket knife. The handle was made from my buck’s antler, and inlaid in the back was the casing from the round I had used.

Now that I'm a Grandpa myself, I carry on this tradition with each of my grandkids, just like Grandpa did for me.

Dust Bowl Knives—Where Traditions Are Made

Bring us your antler and spent casing, and we’ll craft a custom hillbilly folder for you—a keepsake to remember your first hunt, your family tradition, and the moment it all started.