Sealing antler

[BillinOregon]

Guys, I cut up my 75-cent used sawzall blade, ground a piece to shape and fitted it to a piece of antler to make a patch knife. I'm thinking of sealing the antler with a coating of beeswax well-rubbed in. Any other alternatives or advice?

By the way, that grinding wheel will take the hide off a guy's thumb right quick! :redface:

 

[Claude Mathis]

I've never found it necessary to seal antler. It's pretty much sealed on it's own. IMHO

 

[jtmattison]

I've never found it necessary to seal antler. It's pretty much sealed on it's own. IMHO

Same here.

Ever seen a buck with soggy antlers?

:rotf:

HD

 

[paulvallandigham]

Bill: antlers are pretty much all mineral. More stone than bone. The only reason to cover any part of them, it to keep dirt from discoloring the surface. A coat of furniture wax is more than sufficient.

I have seen both varnish, and lacquer used also, but I don't really like how those antler handles look: Too " Plastic ". If, however, someone likes that Plastic look, there are plenty of Acrylic spray finishes out there to use.

 

[LRB]

I never seal them. Keep them away from rodents, and you won't have a problem.

 

[Hawken12]

I'm thinkin ,since you used a sawzall ,yer thinkin ,"should I seal the end ,I just cut,well depends.
On whether its a shed or was it on the beast an ya cut it off.I find there is a difference.I scrim the bases of such (they are hard to cut no matter what)still when I am filling my cuts,the cells ) one or tother)will fill with ink,...sorry been a while since I did an antler end an cain't remember which is which now,perhaps Horner could help out here.
Peter

 

[Freedom]

I have used tung oil to seal some horn and it works real well...doesn't look plastic but polishes nicely and it takes on nice aged look in just a little time.

 

I have used tung oil to seal some horn and it works real well...

Just like antler, "horn" doesn't require sealing either.

 

[mazo kid]

Just rub in a coat of paste wax on the cut end to protect the exposed cells.