Deer Antlers - Need Help

[jtrusselle]

My daughter dropped off deer antlers today and I'm not sure what to do with them to make a pen. The antlers are about two weeks old and are from a young buck. Not too thick but may be able to make a slim line or two. How do you dry and prepare antlers for pen making? The thickest diameter is approimately 1/2 inch. What would you do?

Thanks,
Jim from Maine

 

[randywa]

For drying them, I drill a couple of holes in the skull plate and screw them to the shop wall for a year or so. They're to hang stuff on while they dry. As far as what to do with them, my wife would want a back scratcher for each hand.

 

[chris63]

i didnt dry just cut of and drill hole for tube , thats the tricky part might not get centered but try to get close , turn and seal with CA glue and friction polish...usually try skinnier pen like 7 or 8 mill but have done up to 10m with larger antlers.. the more u take off of antler the whiter they look so to get antler look dont remove much

 

[Drstrangefart]

You CAN drill those out for a Slim, but you got your work cut out for you. You could boil the antler and straighten it in a vise. You could also turn it between centers before drilling to make it perfectly round. I've just cut beams that small off and drilled and spun them a few times, but if that's the only antler you have to work with, you have my sympathy.

 

[tim self]

If it's a fresh kill, you should wait a while for the antler to age/cure. Right now if you turn it and get into the marrow, you will possibly have blood streaks in it. YMMV

 

[Old Lar]

I have turned quite a bit of deer horn and have found that if it is dried out a year it makes a different finish than if it is fresh. The marrow in fresh horns will be redder. Older horns will be more of a dark purple or black when you finish it. If you can't have a little bark left over when it is turned then the colored marrow makes some great effects as well.

I usually drill mine on a drill press. Cut the horn a little longer than the tube as when starting to drill the horn, the hole will be a little larger as you get the horn lined out. I usually hold the horn with a tape wrapped plier to keep from scratching the outside. I have also drilled on a lathe by putting the drill chuck on the head side of the lathe and while holding the horn with those wrapped plliers, push it into the bit with the a live center on the tailstock. This helps keep the drill going straight through the horn.

Deer horn makes beautiful pens and there can be quite a bit of variation from one to another even when using the same horn by varying the amount of bark and marrow in a blank.

Deer horn smells a little when working with it, but not too bad if you use a small fan to move the air. Good luck with it and have fun.

 

[jtrusselle]

Thanks for the advice everyone. Much appreciated.

Jim

 

[RosezPenZ]

Wait untill they dry on their own, at least a year, if you make it into a pen now the antler will crack after it dries out on the pen, ruining a beautiful pen. I got the proof.