Re-vitalizing antler for a knife handle...

[OkKeith]

Hey Guys,

I have a pretty good size antler I would like to use on a knife as the handle. I found it while out hunting so it is rather weathered. Is there any way to put some stability back into the antler material? It's not to the chalky, fall apart point, but might be a little beyond the "good" antler stage.

Ideas?

OkKeith

[Steve Nuckels]

Keith, I use alot of old sheds and I used leather dye and it looks great!  I have also heard Minerial oil will work well on dry antler.

Steve
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Potomac Forge
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ABS Apprentice

[sticshooter]

Briwax works great as does leather dye. But if its hard white sand iot smoth and buff it. Looks like aged Ivory  and very cool<><

[OkKeith]

Thanks for the help guys. I appreciate it.

OkKeith

[OkKeith]

Has anyone tried soaking the antler with really thined out epoxy? Thin enough to soak in and not just glob up on the surface?

OkKeith

[sticshooter]

I have used very thin CA glue. soaks up really nice and hardens good<><

[OkKeith]

Frank,

Does the CA glue ever yellow with age? Do you generally treat the antler before or after you cut it up and put it on the knife?

Thanks for the help.

OkKeith

[sticshooter]

Well I cut the antkler intop scales. then seal inside let dry and hit them on the belt sander. Attach on handle and buff on buffing wheel. If the antler is sofer I put 3 or 4 coats of CA  glue sanding inbetween coats.<><

[OkKeith]

Thanks for the help Frank!

I will give it a try and let you know how it turns out.

Take care.

OkKeith

[Neutron]

I am playing with an antler that is in the really weathered to white stage.  I am going to try to used stained wood putty to fill in the cracks and sand and polish and see if it looks ok.  Probably won't work but what the heck.  I know a guy who uses some sort of black resin to fill up cholla cactus handles with obsidian blades.  Looks great when polished, the cholla is yellow with the black filling in the holes.

[OkKeith]

Hey Scott,

This antler is weathered pretty good but it's such a nice piece I hate to see it just sit around. I'm not really a shed collector for anything other than using them in projects (limb tips, handles and the like).

What do you think about using some Minwax type stain/sealer to put some color back in the antler and weatherize it at the same time?

OkKeith

[Neutron]

Was thinking about dipping or wiping some of that on after I filled in the gaps with a stainable putty.  If it comes out usable I will post a pic.  Probably be a week or so before I get to it.

[OkKeith]

Sounds good Scott.

I will post some of my efforts as well.

OkKeith