Staining bleached antlers

[Chukar Hunter]

I have a set of antlers which spent the last 5 years outside. They are bleached like chalk. Anyone ever used a stain to bring the color back?

[pikeslayer22]

Lightly sand first. Then coat with potassium permanganate as many times as it takes to get desired colour. G

[Chukar Hunter]

Originally Posted by pikeslayer22

Lightly sand first. Then coat with potassium permanganate as many times as it takes to get desired colour. G

Thank you. And where can I buy potassium permangenade?

[Dean2]

I used Walnut stained Tung oil and have used boiled Lindseed oil with walnut colouring. Both worked well. Never tried the potassium that Pike recommended. Would love to see a picture.

[bonedogg]

got to seal all of the cracks too, if ya don't the contrast is bad where the color soaks in differently. im not a fan of Permangenate, prefer various minwax stains myself.

[Big Lou]

Originally Posted by bonedogg

got to seal all of the cracks too, if ya don't the contrast is bad where the color soaks in differently. im not a fan of Permangenate, prefer various minwax stains myself.

X2

[Dewey Cox]

Originally Posted by Chukar Hunter

Thank you. And where can I buy potassium permangenade?

Somewhere that carries water treatment supplies.
(It's used in some types of iron filters.)

[bonedogg]

or a taxidermy supply shop online....

[Big Lou]

This is the only example I have in the house. If you want more, I’ll have to hit the garage. This was my very first attempt at a restoration. Used a few different colours of Minwax stains. Some light sanding and filling of cracks. Used 0000 steel wool to dull a bit and polish the tips and a couple spots along the bases and beams to look like polished spots from rubbing. It’s the only elk I’ve done and wasn’t chalked right out. Wasn’t a hard white either.

The rest are deer. I’m in the process of restoring a full moose rack currently. It was so bad and I’m told it’s right around 100 years of age. Drilling holes for wire and reforming points and portions of the paddles. It’s working out but quite time consuming and tedious. I’ll be quite proud when complete.

If you want some pics of deer, just let me know and I’ll go snap a couple.


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[Big Lou]

I should add this. I thin my stain with acetone and then draw it up and out from the bases and beam for the tines. If it’s a little bit darker than I want, I have a separate brush in straight acetone and I will use it to blend the colour up and out until I’m satisfied. Be very careful if it’s a chalky antler. They will take colour like crazy and won’t blend out nice like a harder antler will.

I dunno. Maybe mine look poor and I don’t even know it. But, that’s what I do.

[DirtShooter]

Originally Posted by Big Lou

This is the only example I have in the house. If you want more, I’ll have to hit the garage. This was my very first attempt at a restoration. Used a few different colours of Minwax stains. Some light sanding and filling of cracks. Used 0000 steel wool to dull a bit and polish the tips and a couple spots along the bases and beams to look like polished spots from rubbing. It’s the only elk I’ve done and wasn’t chalked right out. Wasn’t a hard white either.

The rest are deer. I’m in the process of restoring a full moose rack currently. It was so bad and I’m told it’s right around 100 years of age. Drilling holes for wire and reforming points and portions of the paddles. It’s working out but quite time consuming and tedious. I’ll be quite proud when complete.

If you want some pics of deer, just let me know and I’ll go snap a couple.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Please. Looking to restore some color to some moose antlers myself.