Antler question...

[penhead]

A friend of mine called and was telling me that he and his wife were cleaning out their granddads shop. While cleaning they found several racks of deer antler that he had kept from his hunting days..twenty plus years ago.

Wanted to know if I could make a pen for him out of the antler.

My question is will that be doable? I don't know enough about antler to even guess. I was thinking that after all those years the antler would be so dry it would just shatter? If that's so, could I just saturate it with CA and be good?

Open and appreciate any/all advice

 

[Stevej72]

I can't say for sure, but I don't think it would be a problem. I bought a rack at an antique store a few weeks ago and it turned out to be some of the nicest antler I've ever used. I have no idea how old it was.

 

[Rifleman1776]

I know you have been on this forum for some time. There are many posts about making pens from deer antler. Why even ask the question?

 

[Tanner]

I had an old American Buffalo horn I got off Ebay a year ago with some other antler. The buffalo horn was old and gray with some deep cracks on the outside. I was afraid the marrow was old and would fall apart when turning it if I turned it that far down. So, after I cut it, I dripped in some thin CA into the marrow. I think I counted to 50 drops twice. I did drip in some medium CA into the other end as to act as a cap for the thin stuff being dripped into the other end. Maybe I went a little overboard, however it came out real nice looking with no cracking and the marrow held together real nice. I just finished it and maybe I’ll post it. Just my 1 ½ cents.

 

[turned_for_good]

I had some antler that was quite old and it had deteriorated too much to use, but I have a feeling that the person that gave it too me had kept it outside.

 

[jeff]

Originally posted by Rifleman1776

I know you have been on this forum for some time. There are many posts about making pens from deer antler. Why even ask the question?

I think he was specifically asking if the AGE of that antler would be a problem, not whether or not a pen could be made from antler.

 

[loglugger]

I have been reading this forum for a long time and have been wating for a answer to this question to come along, if it did I missed it. I have some horn from 1938 and 1941 and don't want to cut them if I can't use them.
Bob

 

[penhead]

Thank you Jeff. I just couldn't think how to respond nicely to such a post.

And yes, that was the question..how brittle does antler get and is it still usable after 20+ years...

Originally posted by jeff

Originally posted by Rifleman1776

I know you have been on this forum for some time. There are many posts about making pens from deer antler. Why even ask the question?

I think he was specifically asking if the AGE of that antler would be a problem, not whether or not a pen could be made from antler.

 

[Monty]

Originally posted by loglugger

I have been reading this forum for a long time and have been wating for a answer to this question to come along, if it did I missed it. I have some horn from 1938 and 1941 and don't want to cut them if I can't use them.
Bob

Bob, You say "horn" but did you mean antler? There is a difference.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Originally posted by jeff

Originally posted by Rifleman1776

I know you have been on this forum for some time. There are many posts about making pens from deer antler. Why even ask the question?

I think he was specifically asking if the AGE of that antler would be a problem, not whether or not a pen could be made from antler.

OK, it would have helped if he had asked that question instead of making this a guessing game. Age is not a factor, in my experience. However, antler stored outdoors does lose material and will crumble, not good.

 

[penhead]

Which part do you not understand Frank??
....found several racks of deer antler that he had kept from his hunting days..twenty plus years ago...

Originally posted by Rifleman1776

Originally posted by jeff

Originally posted by Rifleman1776

I know you have been on this forum for some time. There are many posts about making pens from deer antler. Why even ask the question?

I think he was specifically asking if the AGE of that antler would be a problem, not whether or not a pen could be made from antler.

OK, it would have helped if he had asked that question instead of making this a guessing game. Age is not a factor, in my experience. However, antler stored outdoors does lose material and will crumble, not good.

 

[Stevej72]

I think he asked the question quite well, I understood it just fine.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Originally posted by Stevej72

I think he asked the question quite well, I understood it just fine.

I compliment you on your mind reading talents.

 

[Palmetto_Dave]

Hey, I'm new around here, but I thought the purpose of such forums were to "HELP" each other by offering various pieces of information to one another. This thread has turned from a logical question, to individuals walking off paces with pistols in hand...

"Can't we all just get along?"

 

[Tanner]

I guess I understood it right away when he said in his first post "from his hunting days..twenty plus years ago". That's why my answer talked about how I delt with an old American Buffalo horn.

Steve, I compliment you on your reading skills!

 

[alamocdc]

John, et al, I have turned antler that has been laying in the field for at least a decade, and I've turned antler that was harvested 15 (or more) years ago. The most difficult was the antler left in the field. It has a tendency to "look" cracked and brittle, and can actually be as it looks. I first tried soaking it in water for a week, but that did not "rehydrate" the antler sufficently. I then tried soaking a piece in mineral oil for a week and then letting it dry for another. This solution proved profitable. You may not have to do this with your friend's antler, but not having seen it I cannot say for sure. It really depends on the conditions inside the shop it was stored in. I did not have the treat the 15 year old harvest at all. It was from a large buck my dad shot and had taxidermied, so it had been kept in the house in a more consistent environment. Make sense?

FWIW, the only reason I got my hands on it was b/c it fell of the wall last year and broke. But dad got three niece pens from it, so he at least gets to keep part of his Boone & Crocket trophy.

 

[penhead]

Thanks alamocdc, yes, makes sense. I haven't seen the antler yet either. Waiting for pics that should be here soon. I didn't know if it was so brittle if I could re-hydrate it or what, just looking for my best options. The antler as I said is from his wifes dads hunting days. The antler is twenty+ years old, and her dad passed away 10 years ago. It is to be sort of a surprise gift for his wife, and I really would like to do anything I can to not mess it up.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Originally posted by Tanner

I guess I understood it right away when he said in his first post "from his hunting days..twenty plus years ago". That's why my answer talked about how I delt with an old American Buffalo horn.

Steve, I compliment you on your reading skills!

That was historical background information. That's all. It had nothing to do with turning.

 

[Tanner]

Let's see, from...the...first...post.

"found several racks of deer antler that he had kept from his hunting days..twenty plus years ago"

"Wanted to know if I could make a pen for him out of the antler"

"My question is will that be doable? I don't know enough about antler to even guess. I was thinking that after all those years the antler would be so dry it would just shatter? If that's so, could I just saturate it with CA and be good?"

"appreciate any/all advice"

Looks to me like he's asking if, since the antler is so old do we have advice in turning the old antler in case it may want to shatter. It appears it has everything to do with turning. Isn't that what this forum is about?

 

[Stevej72]

Originally posted by Rifleman1776

Originally posted by Stevej72

I think he asked the question quite well, I understood it just fine.

I compliment you on your mind reading talents.

Thank you!

 

[DCBluesman]

“Reality is the leading cause of stress amongst those in touch with it.†- Jane Wagner

 

[penhead]

Thanks Lou, that was helpful, but I don't think that deer died of stress twenty years ago...but I could be wrong..

Originally posted by DCBluesman

“Reality is the leading cause of stress amongst those in touch with it.†- Jane Wagner

 

[nwcatman]

Originally posted by Palmetto_Dave

Hey, I'm new around here, but I thought the purpose of such forums were to "HELP" each other by offering various pieces of information to one another. This thread has turned from a logical question, to individuals walking off paces with pistols in hand...

"Can't we all just get along?"

actually, theres only ONE individual that consistently turns perfectly good questions into insults. i think he just does it to get attention. guess its like my dad once said, " even negative attention is better than no attention at all".
the help we get and give on this forum is invaluable to us all. guess putting up with frank is just part of the price we pay for it.

 

[MichaelS]

Turn the Antler down to round, take it off the lathe and stabilize it with ca, resin, or the brew of your choice in a pressure pot. Put it back on and have fun!!!! THAT IS WHAT WE ARE ALL HERE FOR.

 

[mdburn_em]

I think if it hasn't been outside for those twenty years, it will be ok. If it looks like a good antler(not a bunch of cracks, chunks falling off, etc.), it probably is.

 

[alamocdc]

Originally posted by nwcatman

Originally posted by Palmetto_Dave

Hey, I'm new around here, but I thought the purpose of such forums were to "HELP" each other by offering various pieces of information to one another. This thread has turned from a logical question, to individuals walking off paces with pistols in hand...

"Can't we all just get along?"

actually, theres only ONE individual that consistently turns perfectly good questions into insults. i think he just does it to get attention. guess its like my dad once said, " even negative attention is better than no attention at all".
the help we get and give on this forum is invaluable to us all. guess putting up with frank is just part of the price we pay for it.

And responses like this do nothing to help. It simply adds more fuel to the fire. I was hoping my answer to John would put this thread back on track. Temperance, people, please... temperance. And FWIW, I had to read John's post twice before I caught what he was asking. But that happens when I try to read fast.

 

[JohnU]

If the antler was kept inside a building, more than likely it will be fine. If its bleached out from the sun, the inside of the antler will probabaly be yellow and possibly more brittle, cracked or hollow marrow. As long as the outside is smooth and not cracked, it should be fine. Ive turned old antler kept inside and had no problems. Good Luck!

 

[DocStram]

I've also turned old antler . . . from a White Tail Deer. One piece I had was close to 15 years old and had been kept inside. It turned just fine.

 

[beck3906]

I've turned a lot of antler that's very old, found both inside and outside. I've used it where it was taken off outside walls of garages to what was found in boxes inside the garage. Some was 15 years or older.

Be cautious of antler that is starting to look like chalk. That's where it's getting to be too old. Antler is organic material and will deteriorate over time. Critters like to eat it, so be careful about touching it until you know what may have been in contact with it. Antlers can also pose serious health risks, so wear a good dust mask when turning. The dark colors within antler is blood that has settled into the antler. Turners that soak antkler in Hydrogen peroxide to remove the dark areas are actually dissolving the blood from the antler.

Remember this is organic material (the fastest growing organic material known to man) and should be handled appropriatly. I also believe there is some type of disease that can be carried within antler that can be transmitted to man, but I cannot remember the disease name.

Antlers will crack when left exposed to the elements. This cracking often makes it unusable in the thicker portions of the antler. You could still turn it and see if the cracks invade the piece you want to make a pen from. If a crack is present, use crushed turquoise to fill the crack. Makes for interesting questions from buyers.

I'm often asked what the color is when I fill with turquoise. I tell the customer with as straight a face I can that the deer had a problem with minerals in his diet and ate some colored rocks. Since the antler is organic, the nutrients settled in to the antler. I then offer beach front property...


Oh, by the way.

When you have a customer ask about Dymondwood, tell them its from the tutti frutti tree. This tree has the unique characteristic of adding annual rings each year that are different colors based on the weather conditions, soil, etc. You'll get another strange look.

Rick

 

[loglugger]

Thank you Billy and everyone else that had informative answers. Some of these horn (antler) have been out side for many year but don't seem to be cracked, they were on a north faceing wall and in the shade.
Bob

 

[Daniel]

A friend bave me an antler that was left in a flower garden for years. although the outside sad very dried, cracked and crumbling the inside was still solid. So in my experience the more you turn away the better condition the antler will be in. On one pen I ended up with the cracked porous part still showing, I kept pouring on the CA, tons of it, and it turned out fine, With some interesting pattern to it. sold that pen last month. And Frank, did you fall out of bed, bang you sour spot, trip over the cat or just forget your second cup of coffee? the question was easy to understand for everyone else. And even if it wasn't your response was rude, who are you to determin if a question is worth asking? I apologize to the new folks as well as John, and yes this place is ment to help others, and No questions should never be treated in that way. I hope it does not cause anyone to be apprehensive about asking questions in the future. I will say this has me wondering if there is not more than meets the eye here as it is largly out of style for Frank, who generaly has some of the best, most informative posts on these forums.