antler tips and overlays

[Autumnarcher]

I have not used antler on tips or handle overlays yet, a lil intimidated by it. I'm probably just over thinking it. I have a brother from another mother who wants me to build a bow for him. His only stipulation was the veneers, the rest is up to me. He gave me a 5x5 elk rack from an elk he took yrs ago on a elk hunt we did together to use for bows and some knife handles. Now of course I have to put the first pieces of that rack on his bow.  He is the guy soley responsible for my longbow addiction. Many years ago at  the Great Lakes Longbow Invitational, he shoved a longbow into my hand and simply said " here bro, try this".  It changed my life.
 Any tricks, tips or advice in how I prep the antler, glue to use or techniques would be greatly appreciated. I should be getting started on his bow in a few weeks after I get caught up in the shop. pics of antler overlays to giveme some ideas would be great too.  one piece R/d longbow design.

[kennym]

I put antler tip overlays on a bow long time ago, they both came off. Looked like a starved glue joint. 

Couple years back I did a grip overlay on the back of a trade bow.  Dannon has it, maybe he will see this and say if it's still on there.. LOL

I think you need to soak the glue area of  the antler with CA after shaping and then rough it a bit and glue on. I think my first try came off because the glue sucked up into the porous antler and starved the joint.

[Autumnarcher]

Kenny so by soaking then roughing it you are using the CA to seal the antler piece first before gluing to bow?  Am I understanding that right?

[Pat B]

Elk and deer antlers have a pithy core, elk more than deer and that core absorbs glue leading to starved glue joints. You first have to saturate that pith with super glue to seal it off so you have 2 good, solid glue surfaces.

[Longcruise]

Wonder how soaking in minwax wood hardener would work?  There's a process some hobby knife makers use to stabilize scales.

[kennym]

Pat B nailed it IMO...

Shape to fit, seal, rough up , glue on...

[Mad Max]

Kenny so by soaking then roughing it you are using the CA to seal the antler piece first before gluing to bow?  Am I understanding that right?

yes

[Autumnarcher]

awesome, thanks fellas.

[Flem]

Some thin stuff like this:

Would really soak deep into that porous material

[Shredd]

  I have zero experience with deer antler but I did drink a few beers and had a lot of fun dancing with a sexy girl to a great band last night...   

  I have heard in the past of horn and antler overlays popping off... I agree with the guys, with sealing a porous material first... My experience of putting wood veneers on top of styrofoam to make sailboards, you always had to seal both materials before gluing... Otherwise you get a dry joint and failure...

  I hope antler and horn popping off is not just the nature of the beast... Keep us posted...

[Bowjunkie]

It's not. I've never had either one come loose. No need to soak horn with superglue, just antler if using the porous part. Sometimes you can avoid using that. I glue them on with Smooth On, and use a toothing plane blade to texture the surfaces. Impossible to starve the joint of glue then.

[Flem]

It would be interesting to stabilize Antler with epoxy, like with soft or punky wood. Might look cool with different colored resins. Personally..... Antler chunks on a bow look like Longhorns on a Caddy or Skeeter's Hat

[Shredd]

It's not. I've never had either one come loose. No need to soak horn with superglue, just antler if using the porous part. Sometimes you can avoid using that. I glue them on with Smooth On, and use a toothing plane blade to texture the surfaces. Impossible to starve the joint of glue then.

   

[Crooked Stic]

Antler can be stabilized with the vacuum method.