Had trouble with my old eyes discerning the markings on some of my deer-antler powder measures. They came originally from October Country and are actual hand-made items made in America?!!! My solution was to enlist the aid of McCormick, who make food coloring. These can be used to dye eggs, so I figure calcium is calcium, so it should also work on deer-antler. McCormick has a color-mixing chart on their website. I have not tried this on powder horns, but I see no reason that it would not work... at least on a white horn. I have one like that, so perhaps I will give it a shot next time it comes up empty.
The main benefit, other than for decoration, is that the numerals and any other carvings on the measures are considerably darker. Red seems to be the most "dramatic" of the colors I tried, blue and purple being more subdued. I didn't try to mix brown, but it should be possible and might lend itself to muzzleloading accoutrements better than something like hot pink.
Enjoy, and lemme know whatcha think.
EDIT: Last image has a Minwax ebony stain over the dye on the red and green measures... which were just a bit too gaudy for my taste. Took them both down just enough I think.
The main benefit, other than for decoration, is that the numerals and any other carvings on the measures are considerably darker. Red seems to be the most "dramatic" of the colors I tried, blue and purple being more subdued. I didn't try to mix brown, but it should be possible and might lend itself to muzzleloading accoutrements better than something like hot pink.
Enjoy, and lemme know whatcha think.
EDIT: Last image has a Minwax ebony stain over the dye on the red and green measures... which were just a bit too gaudy for my taste. Took them both down just enough I think.
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