Staining old antlers.

[RussB]

I recently removed all my so called trophies from the back of my shed and haven't had the heart to completely toss them out....yet.
My other half thinks they are ugly, and says "It creates a bad impression"....like I give a hoot! Who does that woman think she is, anywho?
I have several nice Elk horns that will go 10" (some more, some less) in circumference on the lower shank, and right nice tines in the upper. Also, several deer horns that are big enough to make something from, but unfortunately the weather has taken its toll and they are all bleached out. I cut one up yesterday to see if I could make a short starter for my grandson and it appeared very solid underneath. I put some walnut leather dye on it, trying to "pretty it up" a bit, but the effect was less than desireable.
Does anyone know what to use to stain these things with, so I might get some use out of them?
Please don't say Walnut Hulls! There's probably only two walnut trees in Western Washington, and nobody knows where they are.
TIA, Russ

 

[Claude Mathis]

Dixie Gun Works -> Old Bones

Leather Dye

 

[RussB]

Dixie Gun Works -> Old Bones
Leather Dye

Thanks Claude, But when you say "leather dye", I have to say I tried leather dye in a "walnut" and that can't be it.
At least that's not what I would like for it to be. I would like to restore it close to it's "original" color if possible. Walnut was almost black, and kinda spotty too.
I have to wonder if bone and antler behave somewhat differently when this dye is applied.
Anyway, I am ordering a bottle today. I have a "wish list" for DGW, and it's just about at my affordable level with a couple of other goodies.
I guess I need to update my 2003 DGW book, I don't think that was in there, but I'll have to look again.
Thanks,
Russ

 

[Stumpkiller]

I soak antler and bone in a double-bag brew of Earl Grey. No kidding. It looks old and is just the right stain/color. Check frequently until you get the shade you desire.

 

[Claude Mathis]

But when you say "leather dye", I have to say I tried leather dye in a "walnut" and that can't be it.
At least that's not what I would like for it to be. I would like to restore it close to it's "original" color if possible.

Opps. I may have answered your question too quickly. "Old Bones" can give antler and bone an old, aged color. It's not for restoring to the original color.

And yes, bone, horn and antler all react differently to diffenet treatments.

 

[silverfox]

Hey Russ. I'm the new guy on the block and misspell a word now and then but I keep trying. I don't remember what you need but I know it can be gotten at your local drug store? What it is you want to know, ask the guy that mounts your game animals he has to do alot of antler repair and staining to get those high dollar mounts to look right. Just thought you might save a little time without having to look all over the country.
hr's luck to you :m2c:

 

[RussB]

"Hey Russ. I'm the new guy on the block and misspell a word now and then but I keep trying."

Hey Bud! Don't you worry about your spelling! You just hang in there. Half of these guys, myself included, can't read so we don't know if it's misspelled or not.
Good idea about asking a taxidermist, I'm sure they might know...the question is; would they tell?

Stumpkiller is probably laughing his head off as I boil this Tea....thinking SUCKEEER! I ain't got no fancy grey po pun, or whatever he called it, just plain old drinking tea, (unsweetened BTW)
I'm still going to give it a try, once it cools a little bit. I used 6 bags in a quart of water, just like my normal tea for a half gallon.
Russ

 

[J.M.]

Hi guys, I have been trying to learn how to make knives, and seen a lot of recipes for dying bone and antler. Two that seem popular are potassium permanganate, which dyes pretty dark (works good on curly maple too), and leather dye. My mentor and I just did a batch of deer leg bones with Fiebings Leather Dye. We used two different brown shades and then black for accents. Then we sealed them with
wood hardener. They look very nice with a good patina on them. Cant wait to use them for an old style handle, they already look antique.

 

[sse]

Along the same vein here, I know of a fella who has some caribou antler from which the velvet was peeled, but there is quite a bit of blood stain on them. Any way to cover that up and then darken them down a bit??

Thanks, sse

 

[Huntinfool]

I've never done it yet but my mentor uses boiled linseed oil they'll soak it up pretty quick but evenually they get more resilent and take on a yellowish tone then ya may be able to stain a little.

It will make them a lot less chalky. If it twas me I'd try it on a little piece to see how I liked it first then apply to my bigger stuff ifn I liked it's effect. :results:

Chuck

 

[Griz]

I tried that Earl Grey stain, it was a little hard to drink the tea after that deer antler was soaked in it. :crackup: :crackup: :crackup: :crackup:

 

[bob1961]

yeah but i bet your sex life is alot better now :crackup: :crackup: :crackup:....you know that the chinese use antler powder for peter power :crackup: :results:................................bob

 

[RussB]

Stumpkiller, can you hear me?

I used the tea. (Nestea) as I described earlier, 6 bags to quart of water, and left one piece of antler soaking over night. I took it out this morning, wipped it off, and it is pretty nice....much darker. I have it under a bench light now (100W light) to finish drying it out.
The piece I took out before going to bed last night was not in the tea long enough...very little coloring this morning.
Rubbing it when it's still damp removes some of the color, if you rub hard enough, so I put it under the lamp.
If I can get this to dry out right, then add the leather dye, or "old bones" when I get it, I just may be able to salvage some right nice horns. At least some of the bigger pieces of the horns.
Thanks for a good tip. I think this is gonna work.

And, if I read the other posts' right....if I drink whats left of the tea, I'm going to be Da Man! :crackup:
Russ

 

[Griz]

now I know what to do with all the left over antler parts. Get out the grinder and brew some tea :crackup: :crackup: :results:

 

[Stumpkiller]

Stumpkiller, can you hear me? I used the tea.
(Nestea)

Wha? Huh? Nope, I wasn't sleepin . . . just closed my eyes so I could listen harder.

Ugh. Nestea? You is uncivilized! :crackup: I guess it's a good thing I didn't waste my top secret brown Oolong & black Lapsang Souchong smoked tea antler aging formula on ye. (Mixed while drinking green tea, of course).

I tried soaking some antler in my coffee, but it dissolves too quickly.

 

[RussB]

now I know what to do with all the left over antler parts. Get out the grinder and brew some tea :crackup: :crackup: :results:

Don't do it Griz! It makes you butt your head against the wall, sniff the ground, and scratch your backside with your feet....or so I'm told. :crackup:

On a more serious note; I was talking to a Game Warden on opening day, and it was mentioned that a fairly large number of Black Bear have been found, that had been shot, cut open, and the Gall Bladder removed. A needless waste, all for this very same reason.
Russ

 

[Griz]

[/quote]

On a more serious note; I was talking to a Game Warden on opening day, and it was mentioned that a fairly large number of Black Bear have been found, that had been shot, cut open, and the Gall Bladder removed. A needless waste, all for this very same reason.
Russ [/quote]

That's riduculous, manure like that is what gives respectable hunters, hopefully, like ourselves, a bad name.
besides all those good bear claws and skin gone to waste when I really need a bear claw necklace and a bear skin cover for my bed :crackup: :crackup:
Don't worry no grinding at my house.

 

[Slowpoke]

You can use coffee, tea, or tobacco. Just let it seep in water. I once put half a 1/3 of a bag of Redman in a family coffee pot and brewed it... the smell was horrible.

Chuck

BTW you can make a good nature insect repelant for your plants out of brewed tobacco.

 

[Claude Mathis]

I once put half a 1/3 of a bag of Redman...

Around here we call that a sixth of a bag. :winking:

 

[RussB]

You can use coffee, tea, or tobacco. Just let it seep in water. I once put half a 1/3 of a bag of Redman in a family coffee pot and brewed it... the smell was horrible.

Chuck

BTW you can make a good nature insect repelant for your plants out of brewed tobacco.

Oh, no! ......I ain't putting me RedMan in anything! Just happened to be my very last plug. Got it right here in my hand! Surely you fellers don't think a muzzleloader would use his RedMan on anything but patches! (It gives 'em that little sumpin extra, ya' know)