Colouring Roe Antler.

Norrie1956

Well-Known Member
Hiya, Got this buck in May,( middle one) it was almost out of velvet, and before I cut the skull I want to colour it...

I've no idea how to do it, apart from the furniture scratch pens I have...I've heard about dipping it in tea etc...but...dont want to completely ruin it..

Any info gratefully accepted...:)

Thanks in advance..

 
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A solution of Potassium Permanganate with a small paint brush, coat until the desired colour is reached - DO NOT get any on the skull.
 
As above.

There are commercial products available but most members here seem to choose the PP method. Try a search here as there are plenty of threads that deal with it.
 
A solution of Potassium Permanganate with a small paint brush, coat until the desired colour is reached - DO NOT get any on the skull.
All i would add is don't panic when you paint it on, it goes on purple but changes to brown quickly.
Cheers
​Richard
 
Eddy is spot on !! the thing I will had is hang the head up side down and paint from the corinets to the tips. So any runs don't drip on the skull . its a bugger to get off !!
Atb... Dave
 
As others have said PP used to get it from chemist but its getting harder to find, I see you are in Falkirk so if you have a problem finding it take a trip to Stirling, Bushwear sell an antler stain that seems to work well.
 
Thanks guys, Some great tips there...:)

EMcG...thanks for the help. have never heard of that method...will report back...:)

Bog Trotter...I've ordered some PP from a seller on the bay, so.....hopefully it will be here soon..I'm in BW regularly, and didnt even think to ask .....:)

DDS....The "going purple" would have really thrown me, thanks for letting me know...:)

Adrian...Just wrapped them in cotton wool, and poured hydrogen peroxide (9%) over them, and left till the required colour was attained...:)
 
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Hiya, PP just arived,.I bought 50gr of the stuff......BUT, what strength solution do i make?? any ideas?? :)
 
just put a tea spoon in a jam jar and add a little water thats all i did i have used mine to colour a bone handle for a knife i wanted darkening in the deeper cuts, atb wayne
ps you can always add more water as you go
 
Hiya, Thanks for the advice..Much appreciated, and all done now..:)

I also had a skull from a buck I shot in about 2010, and had left it behind the shed to "rot" off..I forgot about it , and recovered it last year....it was all bleached, so attempted to do it too. Pics below..:) Not great, but better than they were.

All thanks to you guys...:)

The Skull I originally asked about..before colouring..



and after..




The "bleached skull...before...I tried to color a wee bit with a brown felt tip...



and after...:)

 
Hiya, Thanks for the advice..Much appreciated, and all done now..:)

I also had a skull from a buck I shot in about 2010, and had left it behind the shed to "rot" off..I forgot about it , and recovered it last year....it was all bleached, so attempted to do it too. Pics below..:) Not great, but better than they were.

All thanks to you guys...:)

The Skull I originally asked about..before colouring..



and after..




The "bleached skull...before...I tried to color a wee bit with a brown felt tip...



and after...:)

[/QUOTE

Norrie I meant to say you can whiten the tips with sandpaper if you wish, I always think they look more natural if the tips are lighter than the rest of the antler.
 
Hi Norrie,
As somebody has already said, but I forgot to mention earlier, rub the antler from about half way, up towards the point with some fine sand paper and then get some fine wire wool to rub around the points.
The sand paper will just rub the colour off the pearling to make them stand out as white pearls and the wire wool around the points will whiten the tip to make it appear that the Deer has done a bit of 'prodding' !!
with that and the colouring I reckon you'll have a nice looking trophy.
 
You can also use Van Dyke Crystals. They are made from walnut huskS and are used for wood colouring normally. They are soluble in water and you can vary the richness of the colour by adding more crystals. Apply in the same way as PP.
 
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