Antler giving me fits...

[capcrnch]

Turned antler for the first time tonight.
I've got a good shape, so i'm onto finishing..
Which brings me to my question..
What's next?

I've sanded down to 400 grit and I can't see a difference at all. It feels better obviously, but still looks like hell..

I've done a search, but with no luck..

Suggestions? Tips?

TIA!

 

[JBCustomPens]

What specifically is causing it to look bad? Discoloration, pits? I believe you can finish it any way you want, but if you do a CA finish, it looks a little better. Hope this is of some assistance.

On second thought, I'd probably put a thin layer of CA on right now, then resand with 400. It might make it look better. YMMV

 

[OKLAHOMAN]

I finish antler a little different, I wet MM to 12000 , dry and then buff, back on the lathe and a couple of CA coats.

 

[greenmtnguy]

If the antler is solid, Micro mesh will polish it. If can also be buffed. If it is porous, fill it with thin Ca and then Micro or buff.

 

[capcrnch]

It's solid, not porous.

It's hard to describe what it looks like.. It looks almost as if its got a rough finish to it. But, by touch, its smooth.

I'll have to take a picture of it tomorrow and upload it.. I can't really put words to what i'm seeing.

 

[KD5NRH]

It's hard to describe what it looks like.. It looks almost as if its got a rough finish to it. But, by touch, its smooth.

If it feels smooth, CA and MM. That visual texture looks great with a glossy smooth texture. It looks like polished granite.

 

[Rob73]

A friend of mine brought me a small box of antlers. I just turned out my first one this past weekend. All I can say is I had to do a real sharpening job on my tools and man oh man that smell....

I micro meshed to 12,000 and it was extremely glossy. I almost left it as it was but the thought of him using it over time made me thing it would get oils from the fingers in the bone and discolor it. I ended up just putting a CA finish on it.

The antlers were all small and I only had some funline kits laying around but I think it came out pretty well. Here is a picture of the final, though the gloss did not come out in the picture very well. I still have to hone my photography skills some more

 

[jskeen]

I'm pretty sure thats pretty normal for whitetail antler as far as it looking rough or at least not a nice creamy solid white. I understand that you can bleach antler with hydrogen peroxide, but haven't tried it yet, so don't know about strength of solution or soak time. I usually end up going the other way and darkening the surface of antler with potassium permangenate solution and then sanding the high spots white for more contrast. If you want more solid smooth textured antler, try axis antler, it has much less marrow and unless you are working with really large sections or very curved pieces, you can usually keep the surface of most larger kits solid white, but that would be tough for a BtoB slimline even with that.

The smell and wear on the tools you will just have to learn to live with though.

 

[cnirenberg]

I finish antler a little different, I wet MM to 12000 , dry and then buff, back on the lathe and a couple of CA coats.

That method works for me as well.

 

[fernhills]

Your Antler looks good, in fact you get paid extra for that look. Carl

 

[keithlong]

After i finish turning my antler I sand it to 400 grit, then I polish it with using 600 grit sandpaper. Polishes up real good.

 

[ed4copies]

Surprise!!!!

Your Antler looks good, in fact you get paid extra for that look. Carl

I have not done a LOT of antler, but I was surprised. Did quite a few, trying to get the perfect white. Finally, succeeded with an axis antler. Went to a show, displayed all the "not quite right" and the PERFECT axis.

Still have the axis, several of the whitetail "failures" sold.

Ya never Know?????

 

[arkie]

I've only done a couple. All the hunters pass over the clearer color and drool all over the one with a dark streaks. It's gone now, a thank you to my antler supplier.