Bubble Empire Rules, How to Lighten Wood That Has Been Darkened With Water Damage, How to Finish Furniture With a French Antiqued Look, How to Create a Marble Effect on a Fireplace Hearth, YouTube: How to Clean Antlers for Hunters & Taxidermy, How to Distress a Newly Painted Wooden Mantel, How to Paint Distressed Furniture an Antique White, How to Get Acrylic Paint Out of a Leather Couch. Use matte sealer to preserve the natural color of new antlers as well. then may use a little old english if I want to Wipe the antlers down with the damp cloth. But on the other hand if you have one of the minature lathes. Fill the spray bottle with water and a few drops of dish detergent to clean dirt or dust off the antlers, or if you don't have hydrogen peroxide, as soapy water will also remove blood. while graceful in flight they seem to just crash into the tree when they go to land! I have used the hydrogen peroxide to whiten a couple of skulls to good effect, similiar to how it's described in the link above from jajimi. Step 3: Cleaning the Antlers. Custom needs? Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible. Polish Fill the spray bottle with water and a few drops of dish detergent to clean dirt or dust off the antlers, or if you dont have hydrogen peroxide, as soapy water will also remove blood. http://deerhuntingfield.com/efficiently-clean-deer-antlers/, http://goneoutdoors.com/clean-deer-antlers-4881647.html. It will also bring a life-like shine into the tear duct area and nose. preventing damage to taxidermy mounts I have the first knife I ever made, and it has an India stag handle. Rub the polish in and apply additional coats until the desired colour richness is achieved. Keys To The Best Elk Antler Handles By Steve Shackleford - December 28, 2011 After cutting the antler section to size, cut it in half lengthwise to form slabs. Do that about 2 to 3 times. http://www.purelivingperoxide.com/food-grade-peroxide/35-food-grade-peroxide. 1. It's easy. Work with it. Answer Cleaning a new set of deer antlers that you picked up on a hunt can seem a bit labor-intensive, but the entire process shouldnt take more than an hour. eHow may earn compensation through affiliate links in this story. all work fine on antler. ELK FACTS. Sign up for a new account in our community. Apply a thin coat of the polishing product that you chose onto the antlers. I haven't done it with antlers but have done it with bones for an old antique look. What is a Clean Deer Antlers ? I have never used a finish on stag. If I capture those three factors in each knife I build, I am assured the knife will become a piece that is used and treasured by its owner! I've heard of using shoe polish and wood stain, but I'm looking for tips on putting a little color back in them from anyone who has actually done it sucessfully- before and after pics would be cool. caring for taxidermy mounts Feather out the stain when nearing any painted tips. If there are any questions I would be pleased to answer. deer shoulder mount How to Make Pebble Drawer Pulls. Brown shoe polish will help to darken and shine up the colour. How long should they be cut? Step Four - Towel off the antler and stick it in a sunny spot to dry for a few hours. Actually, it smells like crap that has been sprayed by a skunk and then dipped in a sewer. Knives, forging, making, and the history / science behind iron steel for use. I haven't found out what to use to maintain the feathers. If boiling alone does not work to your satisfaction, soak the antlers in water with added bleach. One thing to note, freshly cut antler smells like crap. Interesting info- But I have to admit- when I saw the title the first thought I had is "well THAT won't happen- those suckers are DEAD". https://www.deeranddeerhunting.com/ How do you get velvet off of antlers that are already hard when you shoot a buck that's in velvet? http://www.dakotaskulls.com/index.shtm. Maybe you've come across a trophy set of antlers on a dead head, and it's been there a while. You can post now and register later. It is important to put the antler in a vise, rather than holding it with your hand, to avoid injury. Furniture polish or any wood polish also works well for providing a rich colour, especially after applying a stain or polyurethane coat. a soak in a solution of Baking soda and water will neutralize the peroxide. ~~~ C Craft, "I have not had any luck with whitening bone with either bleach orperoxide! Spray some WD-40 on your rag and wipe down the antlers thoroughly. Choose a polishing product that will give you the desired colour you're looking for. When alarmed, elk raise their heads high, open their eyes wide, move stiffly and rotate their ears to listen If a harem cow wanders, a bull stretches his neck out low, tips up his nose, tilts his antlers back and circles her Elk threaten each other by curling back their upper lip, grinding their teeth and hissing softly Furniture polish or any wood polish also works well for providing a rich colour, especially after applying a stain or polyurethane coat. Cleaning a new set of antlers that you pick up on the hunt, however, is a bit more labor-intensive. Use a piece of sandpaper to sand down any rough edges left on the antler after cutting. Knifes sheaths, bracers, frogs, pouches, misc. Shop Talk - BladeSmith Questions and Answers. I tend to be heavy-handed with bleach, but it won't dissolve the bone. I"ve tried using 2 or 3 applications of thin cyanoacrylate which hardens the surface well, but still leaves it dimpled after sanding (see pic), Would a couple of applications of thick be better? 2023 Leaf Group Ltd. / Leaf Group Media, All Rights Reserved. Bladesmithing,Theology,Film,Writing,Dogs,Wife,Son, Lore,Legend,Myth and solving You mix water with a small amount of it and it will turn into a purple liquid, brush it on in light coats and wipe dry. Do not use abrasive products or coarse sandpaper on the antlers. Antlers: Be sure to dust them well. Rinse them clean, and let them dry. cleaning eyes on mounts The antlers will feel soft when you pull them out of the cooking pot, but they will harden up after a few minutes. A word of caution if you do this you may need to enclose them in cage of some sort as the little critters love to knaw on them and squirrels and birds will do damage to them! Wolf kills feed other scavengers too. Radcliff offers decorating advice on her blog, Home Decorating News, is a regular contributor on interior design at LoveToKnow.com and earned certification as an interior decorator from Penn Foster College in 2013. It is easy to do regular cleanings on antlers when they get dusty and dirty. how to clean sheep horns I've been lookin into doing some as well. (b) "Collect" means to search for, locate, stockpile, or possess shed antlers and horns of big game animals on public land or attempt to search for, locate, stockpile, or possess shed Dangers of Insect Infestation in Taxidermy. caring for antelope horns Cant wait to get it on my wall. Thanks Kerwin. ELK FACTS. 2. As far as shaping the beads,alot depends on the hole size.For drilling I would cut two pieces of 10 oz leather and use them as soft jaws for your vise then drill with a drill press or hand drill.If you can find a small enough screw and nut to fit the bead ,you can then chuck the screw in your drill press and hand file/sand the bead to shape, a Enjoy! Or maybe even gently simmering water? then you need to color the antler bases. When dry they would leave a burny./bitter taste on your lips when trying to use. The 20% hydrogen peroxide form a beauty supply store might be worth a shot since it works a lot faster. [5] 5 Allow the antlers to air dry for a day. Don't get the most expensive. moth proofing taxidermy mounts Thank you for sharing. Maybe even a UV light in a foil or white box could have the effect of sunlight? 1. It's gentle, but takes a few months to work. taxidermy eyes Spray the solution on a small area and let it foam for 20 to 30 seconds, then wipe away. "I Never Met A Knife I Didn't Like", (Will Rogers), leaving it under the sunlight for some days may work. This will keep these areas from drying out and cracking in the future. Cz Scorpion Flash Hider, Does it seem to affect the integerity of the antler? Translation of "elk" in Polish. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. that all makes good sense to me. Measure the antler and mark it with a pencil at the location of the cut. Inadequate preparation can lead to accidents and possible injury. Antlers grow very quickly - faster than any other kind of bone - up to one inch per day during the summer! Thanks for the great advice, Spinner. I got mine from a Knife maker that used it on handles. What ever they use though does not damage the bone! How to Clean Elk Ivories. Once you get the desired color stop applying and your done. after applying let sit for 30 to 60 seconds and then rub the high spots with a damp rag to match natural fade in these areas. H2O2 becomes plain old H2O, no by-products left over. For what you are doing, I see no reason to apply a finish. You must log in or register to reply here. Take the damp cloth and wipe them down as you see fit. michaelf said: 50/50 mix turpintine / linseed oil . I've heard lemon oil helps keep the horn/antler from drying out. Officials opted to let him be as long as he was . dusting rug mounts Did you make this project? (photo courtesy of Joe Szilaski) By Joe Szilaski, BLADE field editor Be sure not to use a completely soaked cloth, as too much water will do more harm than good. Rinse them clean, and let them dry. Hate to tell you this Cousin.But you are taking on a lot of stuff if you want to Make Beads. Elk antlers for dogs are usually large in size, and can often be available in a split form. Just picked up my black tail mount. I know this is somewhat off the knife subject and I appreciate the fact that you have let me ramble on this. Your link has been automatically embedded. i have never used this process to actually whiten antler but if I decide to I want to know what is wrong with my proceess, before I do a knife handle and end up with a mess! Ravens join in this bison feast. Aword of caution if you do this you may need to enclose them in cage ofsome sort as the little critters love to knaw on them and squirrels andbirds will do damage to them!". They should clean up nicely very quickly. Step 2 Bring the antlers inside. This being said I also know some old mounts used pretty bad chemicals to prevent bugs ie: arsenic and mercury, so check around eyes for a white microcrystalline substance that could be there. Just be somewhat gentle and go in the direction of the feathers. 2. It can be waxed with a good paste wax. Simply the best at what you are trying to accomplish. Consider using a clamp to hold the skull in place, so that it doesnt move while you saw it. Hmmmmmmm - Lots to think about LOL! For antlers in a laurel wreath shape, start by lightly drawing an oblong circle with a pencil- Im using a purple felt tip marker to make my instructions stand out. If your project showcases the bases of the antlers, like cabinet pulls, measure from the base toward the tip. After the antlers are clean, they can be used for a variety of purposes including crafts, decoration, and even jewelry. Many hunters not only enjoy the pursuit of wild game animals for food, but also for sport. I got mine from a Knife maker that used it on handles. http://www.elenhunting.com/ The Bearcat is typical elk, the 1911's are sambar from slabs purchased from Elenhunting. In addition to fading, antlers seem to dry out, the suggestion about Olde English may be helpful. It's easy! February 28, 2013 in Beginners Place, I have some stag antlers of which I would like to bleach white and I have tried bleach in the past without much success except to make the finish rther gummy looking. Often hunters wait months or years to get their mounts back from the taxidermist. Deer antlers are extremely hard and should always be worked with using extreme caution. If you simply boil the bone, you will get rid of any bacteria, but your risk it becoming brittle and a choking hazard for your dog. Spray some furniture polish on your rag. Okay guys, somebody must have cut, drilled and polished antler and bone here. on Step 6. ELK Antler Dog Dental Chews Natural Way to Clean Your Dog's Teeth Bulk Too! When we used to prepare specimens for the comparative zooarchaeology lab at UT we never tried to whiten bird bones, just large mammals. Okay guys, somebody must have cut, drilled and polished antler and bone here. I cut what I needed and set on a mason jar with the lid on but not tight, you will get foaning and expansion. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. This can be done by boiling the antlers in water for several minutes or using a solvent such as bleach. Allow it to reach a boil on a stove or a fire pit. Family and especially my grandson! I'd like to keep the post open for other ideas or suggestions. Apply a thin coat of the polishing product that you chose onto the antlers. Used V40 (hyrdoen peroxide) from well know beauty supply chain available in most cities. Blue masking tape where the bolster and cover meet if I polish the bolsters. So I laid them aside and after laying around for a month the color started poping off and there was a chalkiy residue left on the surface where they laid! Another scenario is to let the antler dry completely, seal and just re-stain. insect danger in taxidermy Buff the antlers with a dry cloth until your desired level of shine is achieved. Then the use some kind of a solution to get the white. Apply the gel stain to the affected area with a small paintbrush. Seriously this is a task most people don't think about until the need arises. TIP Hang your antlers out of the way of sunlight. You should wear a simple respirator when working with antlers to avoid breathing excess dust from the cutting and sanding process. This article was co-authored by wikiHow Staff. Cut a long piece, 8 or so inches longer than the drop length. cleaning antlers I don't remember for sure but I don't think I deluteted I used it a Dixie cup and leaned the cup over so the bones were submerged for about 10 -15 minutes or so. Dec 23, 2008 #6. Here is 35% "Food Grade" Hydrogen Peroxide ! Best finish for porous antler such as Elk - posted in Pen Turning and Making: I've been experimenting lately with Elk antler. Knife making , customizing and shooting pistols and rifles forging outside the box Guarding veggies, Farming , old school ways , home schooling . Any ideas would be helpful. Thanks for the info I will need to do this to all my mounts. I only tried the peroxide one time with the wing bone calls I made and it may have been to strong of a mix! I like the 20% hydrogen pyroxide maybe oxalic acid. So, it stinks to high heaven and I'm probably going to die if I touch it but the Chinese seem to have it sorted. Luckily you can't get that concentration (80%+). Make sure the antlers are dried 60 days first, or the Linseed oil will turn them yellow before your eyes. maintenance on north american horns Now they sell the beetles and then go thru talking about the whole process of decreasing the skulls and whitening.