antler readiness?

[sorcerertd]

Hi all! A friend gave me an antler shed he found yesterday. I don't know how long it was sitting, but it's in good shape. I've read up on drilling, turning, and safety, but wasn't sure if I could just dive right in or if it needed to be "seasoned" somehow. Also, I'm thinking I should glue up with epoxy vs Gorilla poly glue due to the foam filling in any pores and potentially showing through on the final product. What's your experience been with it?

 

[PenCasso]

Very nice find! Wear a mask due to the smell when you cut into it.

It's ready for you to turn, you'll be able to use the bottom part upto where it Y's to make a pen blank.

I've made several antler pens and they turn out very nice. You'll be happy, I'll post some pics of some that I've made if your okay to post them on your thread.

Regards,

 

[sorcerertd]

I'll post some pics of some that I've made if your okay to post them on your thread.

Post away, I'll be glad to see any antler pens (or other creations) that anyone wants to show.

 

[JohnU]

That's a good size. You stand a good chance to keep some of that natural character on the outside of your pen if you drill off center. I would suggest using epoxy to glue up. It's more flexible and antler is hard. I like to saturate the drilled hole with thin CA before I glue in my tubes to help the antler from cracking. As you get to the curved area, I find it easier to drill if I turn it round first, or somewhat round. It will make drilling easier with less chance of blowing out the side with the drill bit. Wear a mask. You don't want to breath in that debri. Also, don't get it too hot sanding, to cut down the risk if it cracking.

 

[PenCasso]

These are a few I have made.

 

[JohnU]

Here's a few more recent…. Resin and segmenting will help you use smaller pieces that aren't big enough by themselves.

 

[sorcerertd]

These are a few I have made.

These look great! I like that you don't use the center bands. I always thought they didn't look right on pens with the more bulbous shaped barrels.

Here's a few more recent…. Resin and segmenting will help you use smaller pieces that aren't big enough by themselves.

Nice! That Statesman (?) got the same treatment as abalone chunk blanks that I've seen. The last one looks interesting. I take it you stabilized and cross cut the round pieces? I keep saying that I'm going to get into casting one of these days, but I don't have enough time to spend in the shop lately as it is.

You stand a good chance to keep some of that natural character on the outside of your pen if you drill off center.

As you get to the curved area, I find it easier to drill if I turn it round first, or somewhat round. It will make drilling easier with less chance of blowing out the side with the drill bit.

I'll have to cut it open to see how to mount it if I do that, if there is enough there to use a spur drive. I would think that the curves would allow some of the outer character to show through where it is closer to the hole/tube. I found this video regarding drilling in another thread, but wondered about turning it round first to avoid damage. I wonder if I can find a way to keep it steady in some pen jaws without cracking it?

 

[JohnU]

This is how I cast the last one, just cut and stagger there direction in the mold. I haven't officially stabilized any yet. I just use thin CA in the hole after I drill them, so it soak in.

The curved area is a nice way to leave natural surface without off center drilling. I round them to about 1" dia and then use my jaws to hold them while I drill on the lathe. It's easier than a drill press and won't move on you. The curved area is still in the middle of the blank but the outer ends are more equal to hold in the jaws.

 

[jrista]

Here's a few more recent…. Resin and segmenting will help you use smaller pieces that aren't big enough by themselves.

Are some of those finished in GB ultra thin?

 

[JohnU]

Are some of those finished in GB ultra thin?

All of the Sierra sized blanks are. I didn't have it when I made the rollerballs.

 

[leehljp]

I don't know if I can find it now but I will look for a method of straightening curved antlers enough for pens. It involves boiling for a while and then straightening while still hot and wet. In a manner similar to bending wood.

Here is one link:

Antler Straightening

I did a search and saw that there was a topic and even same method for straightening, but it didn't include much information on that method. The method I'm referring to is a vinegar soak. I'm wondering how many others have tried this and with what results? What antler? Not horn. I've soaked white...

www.bladesmithsforum.com

 

[keithlong]

You can also use the tines to make slimline per if they are straight enough. I have made several of them. Also if the base pieces are large enough, them make nice bottle stoppers and handles for ice cream scoops and pizza cutter handles. Nice pens.

 

[JohnU]

I don't know if I can find it now but I will look for a method of straightening curved antlers enough for pens. It involves boiling for a while and then straightening while still hot and wet. In a manner similar to bending wood.

Here is one link:

Antler Straightening

I did a search and saw that there was a topic and even same method for straightening, but it didn't include much information on that method. The method I'm referring to is a vinegar soak. I'm wondering how many others have tried this and with what results? What antler? Not horn. I've soaked white...

www.bladesmithsforum.com

I've tried the bending antler process with not real good results. I found it was easier to just get more antler.

 

[keithlong]

I don't bend them either, I just use a center punch and put a dimple on each end and hold the antler with a pair of vice grips and use the tail stock to push the antler into the drill bit and when I get near the end of the antler I put a small piece of wood against the antler to finish drilling the hole, this keeps the antler from splitting. It may not be the safest way but it is the way I do it and don't have any blowouts this way.

 

[sorcerertd]

I made out OK with the drilling, going low and slow with a freshly sharpened bit. This was mostly held by hand and well under 200 rpm. It was really solid inside. I need to somehow true my drill chuck, but got a clean hole anyway. So far, it's just drilled and glued. The end with the super thin wall has about 3/16 to trim off, so I should have enough material to work with.

 

[kbzogg09]

These look great! I like that you don't use the center bands. I always thought they didn't look right on pens with the more bulbous shaped barrels.


Nice! That Statesman (?) got the same treatment as abalone chunk blanks that I've seen. The last one looks interesting. I take it you stabilized and cross cut the round pieces? I keep saying that I'm going to get into casting one of these days, but I don't have enough time to spend in the shop lately as it is.


I'll have to cut it open to see how to mount it if I do that, if there is enough there to use a spur drive. I would think that the curves would allow some of the outer character to show through where it is closer to the hole/tube. I found this video regarding drilling in another thread, but wondered about turning it round first to avoid damage. I wonder if I can find a way to keep it steady in some pen jaws without cracking it?

It's a little tricky, but this video shows the method I have been using to drill my antler blanks. I use a hand vice grip (don't overtighten) and put a dead center in the tailstock

 

[sorcerertd]

Well, crap. I sanded too much off when squaring. That's not gonna work with a bolt. At least I had a practice drilling, right?

 

[Leviwood]

Hi all! A friend gave me an antler shed he found yesterday. I don't know how long it was sitting, but it's in good shape. I've read up on drilling, turning, and safety, but wasn't sure if I could just dive right in or if it needed to be "seasoned" somehow. Also, I'm thinking I should glue up with epoxy vs Gorilla poly glue due to the foam filling in any pores and potentially showing through on the final product. What's your experience been with it?

View attachment 370756 View attachment 370755

Antler is a challenge to prep and turn. It is stinky and I wear a mask and use a good vacuum too. I use the Duraclick kits and predrill to 7mm. When turning I use thin CA if the antler is a little punky to stabilize it. When I glue the brass tube in I use a generous amount of thick CA glue on the brass tube and add a little CA to the top inside hole on the antler and smear it in with a wooden dowel rod. This way as I turn and feed the brass tube in from the bottom of the antler when it gets near the top that is some not so thin CA glue to continue the brass tube into. I make mine more challenging by adding handmade spacers and a turquoise matrix to make the pens more interesting. Good luck with your antler!!!

 

[sorcerertd]

View attachment 370960Antler is a challenge to prep and turn. It is stinky and I wear a mask and use a good vacuum too. I use the Duraclick kits and predrill to 7mm. When turning I use thin CA if the antler is a little punky to stabilize it. When I glue the brass tube in I use a generous amount of thick CA glue on the brass tube and add a little CA to the top inside hole on the antler and smear it in with a wooden dowel rod. This way as I turn and feed the brass tube in from the bottom of the antler when it gets near the top that is some not so thin CA glue to continue the brass tube into. I make mine more challenging by adding handmade spacers and a turquoise matrix to make the pens more interesting. Good luck with your antler!!!

That's beautiful with the turquois. I like the stand, too.

 

[sorcerertd]

Well, it looks good to me. It's fully functional even with the shorter blank, but it does look pretty weird with the cartridge tip extending so far. It does fully retract, though. The plan was to use a gunmetal kit, but this was the first one I picked up. I only pressed it to see how the "click" worked with a shorter barrel, but it looks pretty good like this. It's definitely not one to sell.

 

[sorcerertd]

oops. I guess I can't delete this extra reply. Nothing to see here.

 

[keithlong]

Looks good to me, nice pen

 

[JohnU]

Congrats! Looks great and I like it with the camo patterned parts. Now you'll never forget that smell of antler.

 

[sorcerertd]

Congrats! Looks great and I like it with the camo patterned parts. Now you'll never forget that smell of antler.

Thanks. I didn't find the smell to be that awful. Certainly not good, but the heavy chemical smell of some acrylics seems a lot worse to me. I did wear one of these, though.