angboy
Member
This is a caribou antler pen, made with a satin nickel pen kit. I haven't decided yet if I'll do another antler pen, but the chances are probably pretty slim, so this is likely my first, last and only one!
Caribou antler Baron
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challagan
Member
Nice one Anjboy! That looks great!
Corey
Corey
Tanner
Member
It looks great. Why no more antler? The satin nickel looks awesome on your antler.
wood-of-1kind
Member
Very nice execution and wonderful colour contrast. It looks great, sure wish that I could score some of the antler material.[
]
-Peter-
]-Peter-
fritzmccorkle
Member
super looking pen. i don't care for the satin myself, but i don't think it takes away from the look of the pen.
Rifleman1776
Member
Reminds me of reindeer antler. [] Nice work and the satin complements the color of the natural material. Antler is a love/hate thing with turners. I like it.
] Nice work and the satin complements the color of the natural material. Antler is a love/hate thing with turners. I like it.Penmonkey
Member
Nice!!! Where did you get the kit from? Does a baron use the same tubes as a Jr. gent?
Jim15
Member
Very nice pen.
bonefish
Member
Angboy:
The workmanship is outstanding. You say you might not make another. If you do, and have more antler, try this:
Using a piece of antler about 5/8 of an inch in diameter (if you have it) fit and shape it to leave as much of the outer texture of the antler on the blank.
I am not familiar with cariboo antler, but it appears that you might have gotten down into the marrow, which, in my opinion, is to porous to work all that good.
For years, I made knives, using stag and antler for the handle material.
I, along with other knifemakers, left as much of the outside texture on as possible.
On another post, I posted a picture of a knife I made, using stag. Do a search and you will see what I mean by leaving the outside on.
Another opinion of mine is, the only reason to use antler is to leave enough of the original texture on it to identify it as antler. If the outside is removed, all you have left is a piece of porous and varied colored and very unatractive material that could be anything.
There is one exception, though. If you have a piece of antler that is white and large enough that you can turn the outside off without getting into the marrow, it makes a beautiful pen. It looks almost like ivory.
The above is not intended to be a slight on your work. What I wrote is based on many years of personal experience with antler, and the intention was to be helpful.
Bonefish
The workmanship is outstanding. You say you might not make another. If you do, and have more antler, try this:
Using a piece of antler about 5/8 of an inch in diameter (if you have it) fit and shape it to leave as much of the outer texture of the antler on the blank.
I am not familiar with cariboo antler, but it appears that you might have gotten down into the marrow, which, in my opinion, is to porous to work all that good.
For years, I made knives, using stag and antler for the handle material.
I, along with other knifemakers, left as much of the outside texture on as possible.
On another post, I posted a picture of a knife I made, using stag. Do a search and you will see what I mean by leaving the outside on.
Another opinion of mine is, the only reason to use antler is to leave enough of the original texture on it to identify it as antler. If the outside is removed, all you have left is a piece of porous and varied colored and very unatractive material that could be anything.
There is one exception, though. If you have a piece of antler that is white and large enough that you can turn the outside off without getting into the marrow, it makes a beautiful pen. It looks almost like ivory.
The above is not intended to be a slight on your work. What I wrote is based on many years of personal experience with antler, and the intention was to be helpful.
Bonefish
huntersilver
Member
I really like the combo!
Rifleman1776
Member
Must disagree with Bonefish. He expressed his opinion. Mine is that antler is versitile. The end result of turning to a very small size (e.g. a pen) is that you get what you get. Nature is full of surprises. To many the marrow is an attractive, albiet masculine, look. Leaving the outside 'bark' is nice if you are able to do that. Bonefish (I believe) is looking at this from a knifemakers perspective. To get a pen with a lot of bark presents problems. One must start with a small diameter tine. Drilling that straight is very-very difficult and results in a lot of failed trys. Tines are usually not perfectly round and turning to round removes much of the bark. My take on your caribou is a big thumbs up.
gerryr
Member
I agree with Frank about the marrow. I'm working on an order of 65 antler Sierras. The sample the buyer saw and purchased was largely marrow. I have 35 of them completed and most have at least some marrow, only a few have any bark at all. As soon as I start cutting into the marrow and I start using CA to prevent tear-outs and finish with CA. You did an excellent job on this. Let people see it and I think you'll need to make more.
johncrane
Member
well done mate. dont give in you done a great job on it. I haven't done antler yet. I would think the first one would be hard.then you learn from your mistakes.
angboy
Member
Thanks for the feedback everyone, and the positive feedback. In regards to what part of the antler to show, I do have to report that I showed this pen to a friend who's a big outdoorsman type, although I'm not sure he does a lot of hunting. I started with telling him what it was, and he said he'd never have guessed that, but seemed to be saying that was partly because it was so smoothe. Also, I've read people's comments on other antler pens where the marrow and bark are referred to, and to be honest, I don't even know what those parts are! So I just kind of went with what I thought would be interesting and provide some differences throughout is I guess the best way to describe it, and I think that means I ended up with a lot of marrow showing?
As for why I don't think I want to do another, it's partly because of the smell[xx(][xx(]. Although I do have to say that I actually didn't smell much when I was turning, with the DC on and a mask. That was a pleasant surprise, b/c after milling it, where it smelled horrible, I thought turning would be very unpleasant. But the main reason, as I told someone in private, is because working with it just creeped me out. I had to go take a shower after I was done, because I just didn't want any remnants of it on me. I know that that response was just my own weird reaction. But if the money was right, I suppose I could feel creeped out for awhile! I'd also have to see if between Peter and I, we could find somewhere to get some more!
As for why I don't think I want to do another, it's partly because of the smell[xx(][xx(]. Although I do have to say that I actually didn't smell much when I was turning, with the DC on and a mask. That was a pleasant surprise, b/c after milling it, where it smelled horrible, I thought turning would be very unpleasant. But the main reason, as I told someone in private, is because working with it just creeped me out. I had to go take a shower after I was done, because I just didn't want any remnants of it on me. I know that that response was just my own weird reaction. But if the money was right, I suppose I could feel creeped out for awhile! I'd also have to see if between Peter and I, we could find somewhere to get some more!
Originally posted by wood-of-1kind
<br />Very nice execution and wonderful colour contrast. It looks great, sure wish that I could score some of the antler material.[
-Peter-
gerryr
Member
Angela,
Unless you specifically wanted Caribou/Reindeer(domesticated Caribou), I have a source for deer, white tail and mule, as well as elk antler. The guy charges a reasonable price and has enough to fill a one car garage.
Unless you specifically wanted Caribou/Reindeer(domesticated Caribou), I have a source for deer, white tail and mule, as well as elk antler. The guy charges a reasonable price and has enough to fill a one car garage.
bonefish
Member
The 'bark' is the outside texture of the antler in it's natural state. The marrow is the porous part in and near the center.
Usually, just under the 'bark' is some non-porous and white antler texture. There was a picture of a pen on another thread a few days ago that showed a pen made with just the bark turned off, but not down into the morrow.
To me, it was a beautiful pen, almost like genuine ivory, but much more stable.
It's all a matter of preference.
Oosic (sp?) is porous, too, and I wouldn't want either a knife handle or pen made from it. If there are any questions, someone else is going to have to explain what Oosic is and where it comes from.
Bonefish
Usually, just under the 'bark' is some non-porous and white antler texture. There was a picture of a pen on another thread a few days ago that showed a pen made with just the bark turned off, but not down into the morrow.
To me, it was a beautiful pen, almost like genuine ivory, but much more stable.
It's all a matter of preference.
Oosic (sp?) is porous, too, and I wouldn't want either a knife handle or pen made from it. If there are any questions, someone else is going to have to explain what Oosic is and where it comes from.
Bonefish
Ligget
Member
That is a fantastic pen, the satin nickel really compliments the antler.[]
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