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Tom Wilson66
02-19-2013, 12:47 PM
I am making a pen for my son-in-law from an antler he found on his farm. I have the blank mounted on the tube, and have turned it to within 1/16" of the finished size, so I don't want to screw it up. There is a lot of marrow showing, and I would like to whiten it. What would be good to use for the whitening? I am thinking of using hydrogen peroxide, or bleach? If someone who has done this before could tell me what they used, I would really appreciate it.
Nathan Clark
02-19-2013, 1:25 PM
No answer until you post pictures. :)
Scott Hackler
02-19-2013, 2:56 PM
Hydrogen peroxide will work. I have bleached bones before with it. Generally it takes a couple days and I swished the solution around a couple times a day.
Joe Meirhaeghe
02-19-2013, 3:31 PM
Like Scott I have had good luck whitening beef bones using Hydrogen Peroxide. I've also had success using denture cleaner.
Tom Wilson66
02-19-2013, 5:22 PM
Looks like hydrogen peroxide. Thanks for the quick answers.
thomas prusak
02-19-2013, 5:46 PM
:DHave you considered Crest whitening strips?
Don Nurmela
02-19-2013, 7:42 PM
I have whitened a few deer skulls with good success. The best way is to mix 40 volume peroxide and basic white powder into a paste. Just cover what you want whitened with the mixture and let it set overnight. Just wash it off the next day, white as snow. You get both the peroxide and basic white at any beauty supply shop. The peroxide you normally have around is very dilute ~3% i think and won't work very well.
Mike Cruz
02-19-2013, 10:08 PM
Tom, let me start by saying that I don't have an answer for you. HOWEVER, I have found that some antler is whiter than others. For the white antler, I use some sort of grey (gun metal, chrome, black enamel) kit. But on the yellower antler, I use gold kits. So, my point is that you don't really have to whiten it. Just go with the natural color of the antler.
Tom Wilson66
02-20-2013, 8:38 PM
I followed Scott's advise with the regular peroxide I had in the mecicine cabinet. It is whitening the marrow portion of the antler quite well. Should be able to finish it tomorrow. Will post a picture when I have it done.