Author Topic: Dark stain on antlers (Read 9162 times)

webradbury · « **on:** March 12, 2016, 06:45:36 PM »

I've been making some knives and have been trying to get the antlers dark like I see on the House brothers knives among others. So how does one get that dark color. I have tried tea but can't get it dark enough. Im scared to try other experiments without asking first as my antler supply is low right know.

FDR · « **Reply #1 on:** March 12, 2016, 07:07:50 PM »

Potassium permanganate will color antler. Make a solution and just paint it on and let it dry. If it is too dark start rubbing it back until you get the color you want. The color produced is dark but without any orange shades.
Some of the more orange color you see( example: such as on older CASE knives) is produced by heat but if you handle is already glued on the heat will ruin the bond. What is usually done is the handle is fitted and removed, heat colored and then re-attached.

Fred

The Original Griz · « **Reply #2 on:** March 12, 2016, 07:11:00 PM »

I've had good luck with laurel mountain forge stains, but as any of that type of dyes, it's only surface and can be scratched off. I usually wipe on some shellac, let if dry then buff the shine off with 0000 steel wools but that's just me and I rarely do things right.

Cory Joe Stewart · « **Reply #3 on:** March 12, 2016, 09:25:27 PM »

Boiling in tea can give a nice look.

webradbury · « **Reply #4 on:** March 12, 2016, 09:48:09 PM »

Quote from: Coryjoe on March 12, 2016, 09:25:27 PM

Boiling in tea can give a nice look.

I could only get a light to medium brown with tea

oldtravler61 · « **Reply #5 on:** March 13, 2016, 03:47:13 PM »

Webradbury try using ground walnut husk stain. Not only will it make your hands dark. Will do a great job on antler. Also it's a natural stain so should please the H.C.police .

Robert Wolfe · « **Reply #6 on:** March 13, 2016, 04:46:29 PM »

I used aniline dye on antlers and they looked great. Two years later they are significantly lighter.

Hungry Horse · « **Reply #7 on:** March 13, 2016, 06:10:45 PM »

I use Lincoln's medium brown leather dye. It has much better dyeing properties in it than the more commonly used Feibing's. It also can be manipulated with a wet cloth while still wet, even though it is a spirit stain. I use it on antler, powder horns, and rawhide. It produces a nice dirty patina, that can be applied in layers to get the color, and depth desired. It also can be mixed with Lincoln's other dyes to get the color you desire.

Hungry Horse

Ky-Flinter · « **Reply #8 on:** March 13, 2016, 07:44:32 PM »

Quote from: FDR on March 12, 2016, 07:07:50 PM

Some of the more orange color you see( example: such as on older CASE knives) is produced by heat but if you handle is already glued on the heat will ruin the bond. What is usually done is the handle is fitted and removed, heat colored and then re-attached.

Fred

Fred,

Do you apply any chemical or solution to the antler prior to heating? Thanks,

-Ron

FDR · « **Reply #9 on:** March 13, 2016, 10:29:33 PM »

Quote from: Ky-Flinter on March 13, 2016, 07:44:32 PM

Quote from: FDR on March 12, 2016, 07:07:50 PM
Some of the more orange color you see( example: such as on older CASE knives) is produced by heat but if you handle is already glued on the heat will ruin the bond. What is usually done is the handle is fitted and removed, heat colored and then re-attached.

Fred

Fred,

Do you apply any chemical or solution to the antler prior to heating? Thanks,

-Ron

No chemical is applied. Just heat until you see the color change you are looking for. If you are using stag scales they may warp from the heat. Leave a little extra and work back flat from the glue down side after coloring.

Ky-Flinter · « **Reply #10 on:** March 14, 2016, 02:16:02 AM »

Thanks Fred. I'll have to give that a try.

-Ron

Stoner creek · « **Reply #11 on:** March 14, 2016, 03:00:53 AM »

Take cider vinegar 5-6 tea bags. I simmer slowly over the range or on the top of my wood stove. 30 minutes at a low bubble boil will do it. Your antler will come out 3 shades darker than what you see when you take it out of the vinegar. This works guaranteed!!!

wbradbury · « **Reply #12 on:** March 14, 2016, 03:52:04 AM »

Quote from: Stoner creek on March 14, 2016, 03:00:53 AM

Take cider vinegar 5-6 tea bags. I simmer slowly over the range or on the top of my wood stove. 30 minutes at a low bubble boil will do it. Your antler will come out 3 shades darker than what you see when you take it out of the vinegar. This works guaranteed!!!

I'm going to try that. I also am going to try the walnut husks...I should have remembered the time I hulled some ripe walnuts bare handed. It took two full months to come off my fingers and never would come off my nails...they had to just grow out!

Stoner creek · « **Reply #13 on:** March 14, 2016, 04:12:58 AM »

After you pull the antler out of your vinegar bath let it dry then scrub lightly with oooo steel wool then spray with a light coat of quick dry black spray paint then steel wool off after it gets tacky. The paint will shade the low spots.

wbradbury · « **Reply #14 on:** March 15, 2016, 02:35:51 AM »

I tried the vinegar and tea today and I am pleased with the results. Instead of the paint, I sooted the handle and rubbed it all back with steel wool. I used a fine brush and brushed the nooks and the black stayed fast. Works for me! Thanks, y'all!

road apples · « **Reply #15 on:** March 22, 2016, 08:23:35 AM »

One method I have used with much success is to use Laurel Mountain Forge or even Birchwood Casey dyes. After the dye has set/ dried overnight, I submerge the antler in wood hardener using a mason jar fitted for a vacuum pump and draw 15" of vacuum for a couple of hours. This will not only set the stain but also seal the antler against humidity/ temperature variations. One word of warning- make sure the color is what you want before using the wood sealer. it's pretty permanent after that.

This method also works on most natural materials; wood, bone, horn.

Good Luck!

Tim Crosby · « **Reply #16 on:** March 22, 2016, 11:19:34 PM »

Try soaking them in Apple Cider Vinegar for a couple weeks. This was very White when it started
out.

Tim C.

Chuck Burrows · « **Reply #17 on:** March 23, 2016, 04:17:09 AM »

Like Hungry Horse, I've used Fiebings Spirit Leather dyes in various shades of brown fro years on all my antler and bone. Applying heat after the dye can change shades, sometimes dramatically.

webradbury · « **Reply #18 on:** March 23, 2016, 02:53:57 PM »

I want to figure out how to get the very dark look for my antler. I'm trying to get somewhere around the shade of some of the knives that Hershel House makes. To me the dark Color on his antlers is around the shade of a dark red wine to black.

Hungry Horse · « **Reply #19 on:** March 23, 2016, 09:59:21 PM »

Lincoln's medium brown shoe dye will get as close to black as you can get with a couple of coats. NEVER FEIBING'S, It isn't nearly as concentrated, and sun fades badly. I have used it as a stock stain as well, and had good results on everything but hard maple.

Hungry Horse

Ky-Flinter · « **Reply #20 on:** March 24, 2016, 12:05:38 AM »

Quote from: webradbury on March 23, 2016, 02:53:57 PM

I want to figure out how to get the very dark look for my antler. I'm trying to get somewhere around the shade of some of the knives that Hershel House makes. To me the dark Color on his antlers is around the shade of a dark red wine to black.

Potassium permanganate

-Ron

Hungry Horse · « **Reply #21 on:** March 24, 2016, 02:34:21 AM »

Potassium promanginate is very suseptable to sun fading, and over time, and extended exposure will bleach out.

Hungry Horse

crowbarforge · « **Reply #22 on:** March 27, 2016, 03:35:11 AM »

I use tea bags. Double the amount you think reasonable, then add 5 more. LOTS of TEA Bags...I get a nice dark color that holds fast.

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Author Topic: Dark stain on antlers (Read 9162 times)

wbradbury

wbradbury

road apples