Straightening Stag

[William Schrade]

Hey Guys,

A customer brought a couple sheds he found in the woods. I cut a couple rounds and have been soaking them in a 50/50 water / vinegar solution for a week. I will then boil them in the same solution for 30 min. and press them in a vice. I've read about this procedure some where some time ago but can't find the thread.

What's your experience straightening stag?

Thanks

Bill

 

[S.Alexander]

I tried that method before but I did not soak it that long. When I clamped the piece, it cracked. Perhaps if I had soaked it longer it would not have cracked.

 

[jdm61]

Remember that stag (antler) is dead bone not keratin (skin, hair, fingernail) over a small hum of bone like say antelope, cow or ram horn. it behaves a bit differently.

 

[John L]

J D Ware cuts and straightens stag for himself only down in Mexico. I believe he told me that he boils it for about 4 hours before attempting to straighten with clamps. His stag comes from red stag imported into Mexcio about 40-50 years ago from New Zealand.......I think. Little hazy on the details. It is not Sambar stag but think his method would work on most stag species. You cannot flatten in section....only in length. He tried hollowing out interior and clamping to achieve flat stag....but no go.

 

[Adam Reese]

We had a demo at one of our guild meetings a while back on this very thing. What he did was heat the stag/horn/antler with a heat gun and then clamp it. He continued to heat and apply pressure until it was straight. I wouldn't have thought this would work if I hadn't seen it myself. He said he doesn't do the boiling thing. I can't for the life of me remember who did the demo though.

-Adam

 

[AVigil]

After straightening be careful using epoxy for glue up.

I have seen straighten horn and bone lift right off the handle from the heat generated from epoxy curing.