Staining antlers - what worked best for you

[SOS]

I have a skull and rack that stayed out a little too long and the rack is fairly well bleached.  Not to the point of loosing all color or becoming porous or cracked, but it does need some livening up with some better color.  Especially to contrast with the European mount.  

Thanks for any suggestions.  Steve

[draco]

I have some alcohol based stain for staining bow woods that I use. I like the walnut the best. Put one drop, thats right, one drop in a cup and add about three teaspoons of alcohol. Make it very thin. Wipe some on the part of the horn you wont see first and wipe it right back off. You can add more coats to get it like you want but you cant undo a coat because it really soaks in. Good luck,   Bob

[el oso]

i use WATCO DAINISH OIL STAIN wallnut. It has allways worked well for me.

[Shovelbuck]

First off, the rack may not look like it has any cracks or weathering but when you apply stain you will see them. I've been down that road too many times. But if they are just faded and are still smooth with a shine to them you may get by with just stain.
I use MixWax waterbased stains on all my restorations. American walnut and English oak. A little on a rag, wipe on, rubbing hard to "burnish", wiping excess off as you move up the antler.
To save problems, I've gotten to where I put a base coat of paint on the antler first, usually a cream or berbur colored flat finish. Then apply the stains. After that, seal with matte clear.
I've pretty much moved away from doing racks and mainly restore sheds.
Here's a few before and after pics.

Before...
 
After...
 

Another one...
 
 

Good luck, any questions, just ask.

[ironhide]

What I have used and what many taxidermists use is a chemical called potassium permanganate.  you can get it from a website called research mannikins. You just mix it with water or rubbing alchol and brush it on.  When you first mix it it turns purple, but will quickly change to the natural antler color.  One small container only costs about $3.00 and is enough to do several racks.  hope this helps

[ironhide]

the website is: rmi-online.com

[Hooked]

ironhide,
will that stuff work on wood?  I do some wood carvings and curious if it will work.

Chip

[john mccabe]

minwax

[Steve H.]

I was goina due this a few months back and I dedided that pottasium permanganate was the way to go.  I have had a he!! of a time finding it up here in Juneau and it requires ground shipping.  I guess I need to have some sent somewhere down south then "reshipped".  I understand PP stains anything....isn't that what is used to make osage dark before its time?

[Joseph]

PP will stain just about anything it touches.  It is a very powerful oxidizer.  Joseph

[OconeeDan]

Shovelbuck, that is awesome work you did there.

[barebow]

FYI - CAUTION!
POTASSIUM PERMANGANATE can be DANGEROUS

Here is a link to a MSDS (material safety data sheet) for Potassium Permanganate

http://www.jtbaker.com/msds/englishhtml/P6005.htm

Pertaing to shipping requirments, the web site below states, "Potassium Permanganate can only be shipped via UPS ground in the continental United States. Do not choose Air shipping during checkout. We cannot ship this product to Alaska, Canada, Puerto Rico, Hawaii or anywhere else outside the continental USA. There are no exceptions."

http://www.chemistrystore.com/potassium_permanganate.htm

[Eric B.]

Just a note on the potasium - Wear rubber gloves unless you like purple hands     By the way it also makes an excellent wood stain.

[zipper bowss]

If you go with PP make sure you wear rubber gloves, remember a little goes a long way.I would also suggest you check out the site above the stuff can be violent if you get it with anti-freeze. I does a great job on antler, I use it on our Elk horn risers. Bill

[Shovelbuck]

I've used pottasium permanganate and it worked fine for getting them dark, but it stains so deep it's hard to get the contrast you need to have them look natural. If you have naturally dark antlers, like Canadian deer, or elk it looks good, but most deer aren't that dark. I'd personally use something you have more control over. And you get that with water based stains.
If you want to use it though, water softener companies are a good place to get a small amount.

[SOS]

Our antlers usually aren't that dark.  These are still smooth finished, so they may not soak up too much.  I tried some old ones and the walnut oil based way too dark.  What are good colors for the water based?

[LAR43]

Feibings Leather Dye . .
Penetrates & you can control the darkness & shade by using different colors. Then seal w/ Watco oil.

Larry

[Shedrock]

For the most natural look rub them on trees this summer when the sap is up again.Add some blood and mud and more rubbing.