I think I am in over my head... ANTLER!

[brownsfn2]

I have never turned antler. I really like acrylics much better. After having a slow month I agreed to do a set of pens. One in Antler and one in Buffalo Horn. I placed an order with a vendor and received the antler and buffalo horn. I ordered extra as I am sure to screw up.

The antler I got was a much larger diameter than I thought it would be. I am turning a Jr Gent II so I hoped to have a piece that was not much larger. The pieces I have are 1-1.5" in diameter. So there is a pretty big "pith" running down the center and just about 2mm of hard outer shell. I decided that the soft part could be turned so I drilled down the center and glued in a tube.

Once I got close to final dimensions I noticed a lot of pitting due to the softness of the material so I added CA to it to harden it all up. I turned it a little more but had to walk away because I was so frustrated with the look.

I thought it looked terrible. It did not have that nice off-white look to it. I read the article in the library that talks about antler and it said that I should not let the pith show through to the outside. With these pieces of antler I have I just cant see how that is possible to do though.

Anyone have any advice? Is antler just that way and I am not familiar with it?

ANy help is appreciated. Thanks so much!

 

[mdl7070]

i am no expert at pen turning. but when i did an antler pen the pith showed and i thought i had ruined the entire thing. I kept putting coats of med ca on until it stopped sucking it into the blank. then i was able to turn that down and do a ca finnish on it that turned out looking good.

 

[Akula]

I do a lot of antler. I pick my size to match the hardware. I like the color and not so much the insides if it's old or in bad condition. I can tell right away when drilling if it will be good. If your having to add CA, it's not really good imo.

My only advise is to get more. We are usually our hardest critics, so might ask the person your making the pens for what they expect.

 

[mdl7070]

the problem i had may have been the antler i used i found in the top of the shed no telling how old it was

 

[Tim'sTurnings]

I ordered some deer antler from a vendor and it was from a larger type deer with way too much center area. I didn't even try to make a pen with it. I got some smaller White tail deer antler locally and it works great. You need to get smaller sized antlers to work with and you should have no problems.
YMMV.......Tim.

 

[mvande21]

I have turned several antler pens and the great thing about antler is that the designs of the inner core of the bone marrow are endless. Sometimes even if you unintentionally do it, you leave some of the outer horn on which adds character to the final result. I never really dealt that much with the pith issue. I did however, once sanded to 1500 grit, do 10-15 coats of CA and use a plastic polish when I was done with that.
Keep the patience with antler and you will not be disappointed.

Also try to turn some of the antler true first before drilling. This will save you lots of headaches and material from being used as garbage weight!!

 

[Ambidex]

antler

Out of the 60 or so antler bullet pens I've sold, there's only one customer out of all those that didn't want a bit of pith or outer antler showing. They all thought it looked more authentic as antler and I tend to agree. Like previous posts say, be patient..several coat of medium ca soaked in for stability and I've used a fairly light ca finish..2-3 coats usually works for me. Good luck!!:biggrin:

 

[its_virgil]

Personally I don't like the bone marrow to show. My solution has been to only use antler rn with very little bone marrow. My favorite antler is axis deer antler.
Do a good turn daily!
Don

 

[keithbyrd]

I have made several antler pens - on the big pieces of antler I always drill as close to one side as I can - that way you get some variation in the outside white and then inevitably some pith exposed. I have had very positive comments about the look this way. Sometimes it takes a lot of CA to fill it in totally though - as someone else said - be patient. I think you will like the look.

 

[randyrls]

Here are some tips on how to get a good looking antler pen. Potassium Permanganate (sp?) solution will darken the antler. Turn down the antler until it is round and about 1/8" or so larger than the finished size. Use a dremel tool with a small round cutter to mill "random" grooves in the blank on one side. You want the grooves just smaller than the finished size. A pen with a lot of meat on the barrel will help. Don't let the brass tube show. Treat the area with the solution until it is dark enough. Seal with CA and turn the pen. The grooves will remain and look like bark.

 

[edstreet]

what/how are you planning on working the buffalo horn

 

[brownsfn2]

From reading all your advice it sounds like I got the larger antler that has a lot of pith. I need to look for some antler with very little pith. It looks like Exotics carries Axis deer antler but the are out at the moment. Does anyone know of anywhere else that sells them? I am worried I am running out of time here.

The guy originally stated he wanted a pen made out of bone. When I asked him what kind of bone he said deer antler. So he really wants that off white or ivory look.

Thanks again for the help!

 

[edstreet]

LA0405 "Old Bones" Horn & Bone Antique Formula. Dixie Gun Works muzzleloading, blackpowder and rare antique gun supplies.

 

[brownsfn2]

Thanks for bringing that up. The buffalo horn came already turned round and really solid. It feels like a very hard acrylic. I think I should be ok drilling it on the lathe and turning it. Should I be more worried?

what/how are you planning on working the buffalo horn

 

[edstreet]

Many here have horror stories about up buffalo horn with many refusing to use it. I still maintain the problems that was encountered was how it was used etc. Also most have likely little concept of what horn is and how it works.

 

[brownsfn2]

Include me in that category at the moment. I thought if I took it really slow and turned it really slow without heat build up I would be ok. Any other advice?

I think I am more worried about getting a good piece of antler at the moment to suit a Jr Gent.

Thanks Ed.

 

[edstreet]

horn is used to regulate temperature, i.e. radiator effect. it is the same type material as fingernails, outer layer of skin and hair.

Being a temperature regulator show throw up warning flags that the material does like to bend and move with the weather conditions. i.e. humidity change, barometric pressure, hot/cold changes.

Not all 'horn' is equal mind you. Those species where only the male has them and is used almost purely for defense it tends to be very solid. With buffalo both sexes have them.

With that in mind and how horn is produced should lead greatly into how to work with it. Since it is a reactive material, and it does move, you must take this into account.

 

[edstreet]

Horn (anatomy) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Water buffalo - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Keratin - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

worth note is this in the footnotes.

Tombolato L, Novitskaya EE, Chen PY, Sheppard FA, McKittrick J (February 2010). "Microstructure, elastic properties and deformation mechanisms of horn keratin"

 

[Bean_Counter]

I have a few pieces of antler you can use. Shoot me a pm if interested

 

[Jim Burr]

And please remember that any horn or antler particulates will...not may...will cause pulmonary fibrosis with only moderate exposure. Cover up and wash everything right after any exposure. Your family deserves it!

 

[ed4copies]

Axis antler is definitely the "easiest" of the antlers. The deer grow straight antlers and they are small diameter.

Whitetail is more prevalent (at least in Wisconsin), but the antler is usually not straight, so cutting for pens is more difficult. But, a good piece of antler can be turned to allow the exterior (bark) to show in some places. Pen-turners like this. In my selling experience, customers favored the exterior being off-white, very few looked for "bark".

hope this helps,
Ed

 

[brownsfn2]

Just sent you a PM about it Ed. Thanks!