Deer Antler Help Needed!

G

Gene

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Oct 2, 1998
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I live in extreme Northern Calif. near the Oregon border. As some of you may know, I work at the Siskiyou County landfill, (the county "dump"). I have the opportunity to get first crack at the "treasures" that come in, (lots of hunters up here). It's a real treasure trove for this sort of thing and since August I've collected many antlers and pieces.

The antlers are from "Mulies", (Mule deer), and Blacktail. I've taken some of the pieces, (crown and otherwise), and have had a great time experimenting with polishing and such. I've noticed that I can get the older, dried out and cracked pieces, (with a little work), to look just like Mastodon ivory. I use very fine wet and dry sandpaper, (wet), and then clean it with green "Scotch Brite", (also while wet). Then I just air dry them. They look great and feel so good in hand.

My question is; "What do you use to stabilize this stuff and does it make very durable scales and handles?" Also; "What do you use to dye the stuff if different effects are desired"?

Since I've accumulated so many, I'd like to use some of it to make some scales and handles for some old folders and fixed blades I have. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
 
Bruce Evans is the man to talk to about this subject. If you scroll down you'll see some of his recent posts with plenty of pics of his dyed bone pieces. I believe he uses various RIT dyes from the drugstore but I am not too sure about the details. He also stabalizes but once again I am not positive of the methods used. Hopefully he'll chime in with the lowdown.;) Sounds like you've got some good stuff!
 
Gene,I wish I could find a source like that.Typically,you don't need to stabilize stag and it is very durable.If you want to stabilize it there are a few places you can send it to,they charge about $12 a pound.If you want try it yourself try this;1/3 Minwax wood hardener,1/3 Mineral Spirits,1/3 Linseed Oil,submerge and soak for at least 24 hours and let dry.Buff afterwards.As far as dyeing,you can use leather dyes or potassium permangenate.Hope this helps and should you decide to get rid of any.Dave:)
 
To Dye it I just use various types of leather dye from Fiebings,I use Cordovan on my stag to get a deep reddish brown color..To make it have the colors of Mastodon,I have been experimenting with differnt colors of leather dye mixed together and also I have started taking artists oil paint and thinning it down some and applying it and letting it soak in as it dries,Food colors also work great but you have to let it dry in between colors and before stabilizing.I stabilize in a vacum chamber with a thinned out mixture of polyurethane,thias will bleed off some of the oil paint and discolor the polyurethane but it also drives the color into the Bone or antler..
Hope this helps some.
Bruce
 
Hey Peter, Dave and Bruce,
Thanks for the great tips! I agree with you Dave in that it seems very stable, even the older stuff after I finish with it. I'll try it your way bud because I don't have access to a vacuum chamber. I'll have to sort out all my antlers and pieces because I have them piled in my car port because we have 3 feet of snow around here from early storms!
 
If you use the liquid Fiebings Dye in one or various colors on your antler it will polish and seal out just like it does now without a vaccum chamber..
You can take some really strong boiled tea and slip the antler pieces into it while it is hot and let them soak for a long time and you will get a really cool brown with a burnt orange color in the white of the antler,the more you boil or soak the antler the deeper it will penetrate it and dye the whites of the inside..This is my favorite stain on stag,it just takes so long for it to dry back out if you don't do a big bunch at one time instead of as you want to use it.and if it is outside and wet already this would be a good time to try this as it has to dry anyway.
Bruce
 
i like to keep the white white on the antler for contrast. So when I add a little leather dye I paint it on the areas I want darker. I soaked the last one on min-wax wood hardener and it worked pretty good. Check out my "LITTLE SKINNER POST"
Also when buffing try a bristle brush after applying wax.
Take Care
TJ SMITH
 
Thanks Bruce and TJ,
Great ideas! I sealed the pieces I've done already with Renaissance Wax and buffed them out and it works pretty well. Bruce, I'm going to try a piece using your tea idea and see what I think, thank you. TJ, I too like a white contrast and thanks for the great tip! Keep 'em coming and again, thanks!
 
Gene,If you want to keep the whites just don't boil or soak the antler as longand it will make the ruff outside brown and then just a little of th underside orange and then white the rest of the way.You can experiment with different soak times to find the penetration that you like.
Bruce
 
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