# Antler Discovery?



## Flat Fish (Jun 18, 2005)

I'm working on some antler pens and wanted to try soaking in hydrogen peroxide to whiten them. So, I cut the blanks to length, stuck them in a tupperware container of H2O2 and left them 3-4 days. Took them out last night and sat them there to dry. This afternoon I drilled them and they were just a bit moist inside. The drill went thgough them like soft wood (not quite butter). And best of all, the smell was not nearly as bad... like barely noticeable. I'll go out in a few minutes and glue in the tubes. If that goes without a hitch, I'll be soakin all my antler before drilling. Might even try some big boys in antler again.

Hope this helps you guys and gals.


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## Flat Fish (Jun 18, 2005)

Tubes went in - no problem. Hopefully I'll get to turn a couple tomorrow. If not then who knows when it'll be.


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## FishBone (Oct 11, 2004)

Let us know how it turns out. 


I have been having a hard time getting a good smooth finish on mine for some reason. They are drops and been in the sun.


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## Robert A. (Jan 8, 2009)

Fish, Sweet find, I will try this some time, let me know if the H2O2 bleaches out some of the darkness in the marrow? Also I had read somewere that it is better to epoxy the tubes in the antler? Have you ever heard this before?


Bones, Have you tried filling the pits or cracks with CA and sanding? It has worked for me in the past, even sanding with CA will do it.

Dont want to Highjack Fish's thread so give me a shout when you get some time, looks like i may be staying in LJ while my house is being built, so maybe i can swing by sometime.
:brew:


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## Flat Fish (Jun 18, 2005)

Hijack away! I don't mind.

I have been using the white, quick cure gorilla glue for a while. Seems to work on everything for me. With thick CA I had some tubes not make it in all the way. With epoxy I was not getting a good bond and had a few tubes come loose. Probably just didn't get enough in there.

I put 2-3 coats thin CA on the antler and sand through 12000 micromesh. Turns out fine, I think.


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## Robert A. (Jan 8, 2009)

I may switch to the gorrilla glue myself now. Thanks Fish!! Cant wait to see your finished project!


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## Tortuga (May 21, 2004)

Since we're in the biz of hijacking FFs thread all to hell.. do any of you birds have any tricks that make drilling the antlers easier..been clamping them in drill press vise but its hard to line up the curved small pieces... doing the squaring up on same setup, but that one is a booger as well.. I been using thick CA on the tubes and really slopping it on..wastes a lot but sure holds tight.. also been using CA on the finishing, but using the thick kind..think I'd have any better luck with the thin one ?

Re: peroxide...going back to my pharmacy days, they used to make something called Superoxide for bleaching women's hair.. Regular peroxide is 3% as I recall..and the Super was 30%.. THink I'll try and find some of that and give it a shot..will post up if it works.. As I recall...the Super was a little 'hot' to work with and you had to be super careful with it...

thanks for the tip on the perox...bet that might take out some of the dark flecks that sanding can put on the antler...I been final sanding with acetone on a rag and that takes some of the dark off..but not enough...


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## Tortuga (May 21, 2004)

http://www.jtbaker.com/msds/englishhtml/H4065.htm

Whoops !!..my bad on the recommendaiton for super peroxide.. Looks a little TOO caustic to be fooling with....."Risk..class 3..death"

Back to the drawing board...my bad...


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## Flat Fish (Jun 18, 2005)

I drill it on the lathe. I use my jacobs on the headstock and live center on the tailstock then hold the antler still while pushing with the tail stock. Works okay. You can let the anter spin to get an idea if you are drilling straight enough.


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## Robert A. (Jan 8, 2009)

Tortuga, I hand drill my antler blanks using a vise on my work bench. I found it is easier to eye-ball it. 
You mentioned Caustic in peroxide or am i reading that incorrectly? I used to work with Caustic 50% solution years back and it is very corrosive, if that is in peroxide would it be the reason the marrow of the antler is becomming soft? If so will it harden back up after drying?


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## Tortuga (May 21, 2004)

Robert..I believe the reason for the marrow getting softer is just the long exposure to moisture in the bowl...not the peroxide content itself.. Just my idea and could be wrong..but I believe the marrow will harden back up as it dries out again...

Peroxide...yep..it turns out to be highly caustic and corrosive in higher concentrations. The hair bleach stuff must have been much more diluted.. We CAN safely handle 3 % so I think we better stick with that if we're gonna give it a try.


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## Slip (Jul 25, 2006)

Right Tort. We use 100% peroxide at work for bleaching surfactant soaps of color. It is nasty bad *ss stuff. You can even pour some on wood and after a while, it will start a fie with itself and the results with buring is it turns to water. Get it on you, and well, nasty chemical burns and can cause death quickly also if not careful. I would watch anything over the 3% stuff myself around the home.


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