Colouring a heed
- Thread starter JH83
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deerstalker.308
Well-Known Member
There are proprietary antler stains on the market, believe bushwear sell knoblock or whatever it’s called, JHT supplies also stock something.
P permanganate works well, as long as you’re patient in layering it up and the head then never gets exposed to moisture (ie only indoors not on an outside wall) as it runs like buggery.
Tried things like tea and coffee with very poor results.
P permanganate works well, as long as you’re patient in layering it up and the head then never gets exposed to moisture (ie only indoors not on an outside wall) as it runs like buggery.
Tried things like tea and coffee with very poor results.
Sol
Well-Known Member
I have a tub of it that I've debated on using I use quite a bit of spray products just to keep room smelling nice and fresh and I'll often hit my antlers and sorts since antlers, especially fresh ones have an Oder to them, I imagine it would rehydrate and cause it to run? not to mention Its actually a fairly bad household chemical and no one talks about it, it reacts with quite a handful of things.
For antler I would always sand and try water based wood stains first a velvet antler it might actually work better since there usually more porous nailing antler colour is hard enough but the "gloss" of the oil based woodstain is pretty rough.
I regret staining this antler and I've half debated sanding it all off Its just ugly as hell sticks out like a sore thumb need an ebony based stain think this was walnut or oak.
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samdk
Well-Known Member
Keep adding coats until you get the shade you want
Its likely going to be too soft at the tops if its a red
deerstalker.308
Well-Known Member
I would also add it to the cornets and then work them and other “wear” areas with wire wool or light sand paper to get a more natural finish. Also with velvet antlers when stripped the antler below has lots of sharp raised bits which would naturally wear smooth with use, for a more realistic finish I’d knock those back too with sand paper
Sol
Well-Known Member
How bad is the stain? I assume just use gloves, paint brush and a pretty thick rag (e.g a old towel?)
No it was literally a day or 2 from shedding so points are hard.
samdk
Well-Known Member
That is what I did after it had dried, looks very natural.
Sol
Well-Known Member
I tried the walnut briwax tonight on the antler I posted above, there's some spots where it went "firey" red because of the old stain but overall I think it works pretty well. ?
It looks pretty natural and not daft at all now at least, I imagine with a stripped velvet antler it would work the best.
It looks pretty natural and not daft at all now at least, I imagine with a stripped velvet antler it would work the best.
HonestJohn
Well-Known Member
Why try to fake it? Surely the memory of the stalk should be remembered for what it was? I personally don’t mind tatty mountings, what matters is they are relative to the time/experience.
deerstalker.308
Well-Known Member
Steam it, comes off in minutes
deerstalker.308
Well-Known Member
Seriously last decent fallow I did was velvety all over, but questionable how well it would turn out, got the skull boiling away, allowing as much steam as possible to get on the antlers, then dipped them in turn for a few seconds just to blanch the tissue off, it peeled off like if you blanched tomatoes, so simple.
But, remember the antler is full of blood at this stage, so it needs to be hung upside down to dry, and prick the very tips of the antlers to allow the blood to drain out, they hold a fair bit, and you don’t want that staying, it’ll stink!
I coloured antlers by stripping velvet, got a bulk bag several shovels top soil,half bag potting compost,cut some branches out of apple tree then shreaded them.put all in bulk bag with the antlers and some water .
Tied up top of bag next morning antlers a nice colour .
I just thought about what deer rub there antlers on and tried that .
Really easy to do and cost nothing
Tied up top of bag next morning antlers a nice colour .
I just thought about what deer rub there antlers on and tried that .
Really easy to do and cost nothing
deerstalker.308
Well-Known Member
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