Carving antler

[Kip Kaiser]

what do I rub into the carving to add contrast color. Iv been told a pitch of some type but not from any one that knew what they were talking about. Iv enjoyed reading thru the carving threads and have learned a lot for them. Thanks you

 

Kip Kaiser

[Kip Kaiser]

There have been 125 views on this post Im wondering if I have asked a stupid question. I have recently had an opportunity to see some really nice antler carving. There was a nice caramel tone to the deep groves for contrast color. I would like to know how this affect is achieved. Any help would be appreciated, Thank you.

 

Kip L. Kaiser

[Alan Longmire]

Not a stupid question, there are just many many ways to go about it. Leather dye, strong tea (both of those require some sanding on the high spots afterwards), pine tar, ink, potassium permanganate, or anything you can rub on and rub off the high spots.

 

Experiment on a scrap piece until you get something you like, and remember every piece of antler is different as far as absorption goes.

[Kip Kaiser]

Not a stupid question, there are just many many ways to go about it. Leather dye, strong tea (both of those require some sanding on the high spots afterwards), pine tar, ink, potassium permanganate, or anything you can rub on and rub off the high spots.

 

Experiment on a scrap piece until you get something you like, and remember every piece of antler is different as far as absorption goes.

 

 

Thanks Alan

[Petr Florianek]

Hey! i use beech tar, sometime wood stain

[Hÿllyn]

This example will show you what you can do to antler by Clive Hallam.

 

I for one am still gobsmacked by it.

 

http://www.followingtheironbrush.org/viewtopic.php?f=58&t=2444

 

I have personally only used strong solutions of black tea and potassium permanganate.

Edited November 1, 2011 by Hÿllyn

[Jim Kelso]

Sorry Kip, I missed this one. I've had good results with leather dye. As always experiment on samples to get the right color.

 

Jim

[Kip Kaiser]

This example will show you what you can do to antler by Clive Hallam.

 

I for one am still gobsmacked by it.

 

http://www.followingtheironbrush.org/viewtopic.php?f=58&t=2444

 

I have personally only used strong solutions of black tea and potassium permanganate.

 

 

Wow I would hope to be that good some day. Thanks I'v been looking for carving at that level thanks for showing that!!!

 

Kip

[Kip Kaiser]

Thanks everyone now I have some things to play with, hope fully I will have some show and tell soon!!!

 

Kip

[tsterling]

Here are several resources about using potassium permanganate on antler and bone:

http://followingtheironbrush.org/viewtopic.php?f=57&t=1701&p=16240

http://followingtheironbrush.org/viewtopic.php?f=58&t=2353&p=22734

 

http://followingtheironbrush.org/viewtopic.php?f=58&t=1530

 

http://www.thecarvingpath.net/forum/index.php?/topic/800-potassium-permanganate-on-antler/

 

 

Here is a link to my eBook (free download) about carving small scale sculpture (much in antler), with a bit on dye and stain:

 

http://www.sterlingsculptures.com/Resources_folder/Netsuke_Book_folder/Carving_Netsuke.htm

 

 

Good luck!

[Kip Kaiser]

Thanks again for the add ons this forum rocks I hope some day to be a helper in stead of the one that needs.

 

Kip Kaiser

[GEzell]

I've used red mud mixed with ash on bone and was amazed at how well it worked...

 

Don't tell anyone...

[Raymond Luebke]

My wife uses tea and or coffee takes it from my stash ,when she does her carvings for me.

Edited November 5, 2011 by Raymond Luebke

[B. Norris]

The one time I used tea to color antler, I achieved a slightly darker shade by adding a few Tablespoons of vinegar to the pan (about 8 Cups of water if memory can be trusted, not that I was measuring anything.)

 

~Bruce~

[JohnnyB]

As someone already mentioned leather dye works great. You have so many colors to choose from and leather dye can be diluted for additional color choices. I first clean the antler with alcohol to remove anything that might interfere with the dye penetrating. I use a rag to apply the dye along with q-tips for small areas. After the dye dries I have a special soft mop on a buffer that I polish the antler with.

[Phil Ullrich]

These fellows are carved from elk bone. After I got them in the wood, I coated with polyurethane, let it dry. Then swabbed with some wood stain. Let it rest 15-30 minutes and then wiped off excess (easy to do since coated with poly), which left a fair amount in the recesses. Let it dry overnight then another coat or two of poly to preserve the effects. Could easily modify the above steps to make the recesses darker or lighter. I havent tried this but Bo Bergman wrote about rubbing in a mix of charcoal and ground alder bark!

 

Edited April 11, 2012 by pullrich

[Geoff Hardy]

Not a stupid question, there are just many many ways to go about it. Leather dye, strong tea (both of those require some sanding on the high spots afterwards), pine tar, ink, potassium permanganate, or anything you can rub on and rub off the high spots.

 

Experiment on a scrap piece until you get something you like, and remember every piece of antler is different as far as absorption goes.

I really wish I would have read this with a little more attention Alan because I my antler sucked

up the leather dye so deep there is little of the carving left on my seax.

 

Lesson learned!!!!!!

 

Thanks

 

Geoff