Thread: animal calcium, anyone?

Hey,

Anyone work with any kind of horn or antler? I've got a shipment of elk and deer antlers coming in (brokens, 10 to 23 inches long each). I've done artwork in the past with this media but never scales.

Anyone worked with any kind of horn or antler or know resources I can use to when working with this? Or is Mike's "handle making . . . " pdf a good "one method fits all . . ." for following for antlers and horns?

Thanks.

FUD
The Raw Vegan Str8 n00b.

Hey Lynn, musta been some really good wine .

Check with Bill Ellis, Urleebird.

Originally Posted by FUD

I've got a shipment of elk and deer antlers coming in
FUD
The Raw Vegan Str8 n00b.

I love that idea. Antlers are a renewable resource since the buck sheds them annually. I've heard that horn has a tendance to warp over time and wonder if this is true for antlers and what might be done to prevent it.

X

Horn... More flexible than antler and will warp unless it has been stabilized. K&G knife supply can do that for you. It is priced to the finished weight of whatever you stabilize. Sheep horn is one of the most unstable. Buffalo horn is a pretty good choice. All of it stinks like hell when you work on it. http://www.knifeandgun.com/

Stag, deer, elk and such is more stable and you shouldn't have as many problems. Stabilizing is not absolutely necessary, but it wouldn't hurt.

To work antler; Cut to within 1/16 of an inch for the thickness desired. I use a band saw without any guide with a regular wood blade about 1/2 inch wide. Use a sharpie to draw a line right down the middle of the stuff and follow the cut by eye. Sand the cut side of the antler flat and smooth. That is what the 1/16 extra thickness is for. I use a horizontal 9 inch disc sander. You could even use a belt-type sander. Use a respirator. Use a respirator. Use a respirator. Use a respirator. Use a respirator.

Once the antler is to the right thickness, then cut the profile for one side. When that is done, trace that outline to the other half, and cut it out. Use files and sandpaper to take the sharp edges off and to add any shape desired.

Experiment with different thicknesses of antler to see how easily it will break or crack. See how much it will bend without damage. The goal is to go as thin as possible. I doubt you will be able to go thinner than 1/8 without experiencing problems.

Have fun...

Originally Posted by urleebird

Horn... More flexible than antler and will warp unless it has been stabilized. K&G knife supply can do that for you. It is priced to the finished weight of whatever you stabilize. Sheep horn is one of the most unstable. Buffalo horn is a pretty good choice. All of it stinks like hell when you work on it. http://www.knifeandgun.com/

Stag, deer, elk and such is more stable and you shouldn't have as many problems. Stabilizing is not absolutely necessary, but it wouldn't hurt.

To work antler; Cut to within 1/16 of an inch for the thickness desired. I use a band saw without any guide with a regular wood blade about 1/2 inch wide. Use a sharpie to draw a line right down the middle of the stuff and follow the cut by eye. Sand the cut side of the antler flat and smooth. That is what the 1/16 extra thickness is for. I use a horizontal 9 inch disc sander. You could even use a belt-type sander. Use a respirator. Use a respirator. Use a respirator. Use a respirator. Use a respirator.

Once the antler is to the right thickness, then cut the profile for one side. When that is done, trace that outline to the other half, and cut it out. Use files and sandpaper to take the sharp edges off and to add any shape desired.

Experiment with different thicknesses of antler to see how easily it will break or crack. See how much it will bend without damage. The goal is to go as thin as possible. I doubt you will be able to go thinner than 1/8 without experiencing problems.

Have fun...

Thanks Bill, EST shipping is Tuesday. I'll run a few trials and post how it goes.

I just cut up some moose antler this weekend from the shovel area and found it to be a bit more porous than I cared for it to be. I'll be experimenting with it a bit more to see what I can do with it, but so far, I'm thinking the hard outer part of the antler will be the most suitable. Whitetail antlers work very well and polish really well, attaining a look very much like ivory. Whitetail antlers have some porosity in the center, but overall tend to be mostly hard and dense and easy to work with.

Bill is right - wear a respirator and get used to the smell. You can cut it best with a band saw, but I've worked it with hacksaws, coping saws and dremel reinforced cut-off wheels before.

...and found it to be a bit more porous than I cared for it to be. I'll be experimenting...

Here's an approach that will let you use up that area of the antler, as well. Mix up some T-88 epoxy and dye it whatever color you want. Pigments are found in the same isle as epoxy in Orchard Supply Hardware. My two favorites are black and red. You can see here what the effect will accomplish.



Once you have the epoxy mixed, fill all the unwanted pores and let it cure. Carefully wipe away excess from the bark with a dampened cloth using MEK. That will remove the excess epoxy from where it doesn't belong. If the excess is not on the bark, don't even worry about it 'cause you can sand it off after it cures and you will get very nice matching surfaces.

I was thinking about using epoxy filler, but wasn't sure it would be worth the trouble. It looks like it works great, though! Much better than I thought. Thanks, Bill!