First Antler Pen ...

[David Fried]

... and possibly my last!

My former father-in-law gave me a set of deer antlers a while back. I had cut, drilled, and glued in the brass tubes at one point. I realized this morning I was going to see him at Thanksgiving diner! By noon it was above freezing so I ran over to the shop and turned a quick pen as a thank-you. I used a blo/ca finish. (We really do need a photography forum!).

The remaining antler, enough for two pens, I tucked away for now.

Thanks for looking.

Dave Fried

[John Miliunas]

Very nice, Dave, for sure!:) They have got to be some of the coolest looking pens around but, ohhhhh the smell when cutting and drilling the things!!! Eeeeeeeew!:rolleyes: The last ones I did, I just used Micro-Mesh, all the way up the "grits" and didn't bother with any other finish. They polish up beautifully and, after some use, take on a real nice patina of their own, while still staying very smooth.:) Anyhow, great job and super-nice gesture on your behalf! Bet he was a happy camper!:) :cool:

[Gilbert Vega]

A neat trick I learned from the pen turning forum on drilling the antler (especially the thin curved ones) was to rough them round on the lathe first. You can adjust the turning axis by looking at the "shadow" as it turns and get the best fit. Once the bland is round it becomes easy to drill without going through the side. Hope this helps.

[Scott Donley]

Very, very, nice pen. An outstanding job! If it were mine I would use it to make out a check to you for another! Great job ! I like it :)

[Travis Stinson]

Very nice! Other than the smell, I enjoy turning them.
Neat tip Gilbert!;)

[David Fried]

A neat trick I learned from the pen turning forum on drilling the antler (especially the thin curved ones) was to rough them round on the lathe first. You can adjust the turning axis by looking at the "shadow" as it turns and get the best fit. Once the bland is round it becomes easy to drill without going through the side. Hope this helps.

Glibert,

You're right! I had a heck of a time drilling it since the exterior is so irregular.
(I think this was a thin curved one - only five points) I was thinking in the future I should do something like you suggest. Next time I'll ask first!


... ohhhhh the smell when cutting and drilling the things!!!

John,

I noticed the smell more when I was drilling than when I was turning. I did read that you should soak them first. After cutting the antler into blank sized pieces I put them in a cup of water. I figured I would leave them there for a couple of days. That turned into a couple of weeks, if not longer. It did seem to help.


Scott, Travis - Thanks for the kind words.


Dave Fried

[Chris Barton]

Very nicely done. I havn't tried any antler and the only antler I could find around my place would be off a really big raoch... I wonder if that would work?

[John Hart]

I have an antler sitting next to the lathe. (for 3 months now) It keeps calling to me but I haven't mounted it up yet. Thanks for the inspiration Dave!! Very nice pen sir.:)

[Joe Tonich]

That's a sweet pen! I never tried Antler............

Nice Thank-You gift. :D

Joe

[Gilbert Vega]

Glibert,

You're right! I had a heck of a time drilling it since the exterior is so irregular.
(I think this was a thin curved one - only five points) I was thinking in the future I should do something like you suggest. Next time I'll ask first!
Dave Fried

Glad to pass it on.

I've got about 16 sets of antlers right now that I have to turn. It seems that antler and Mesquite make the best selling pens around here (at least at Art shows).

[Joe Melton]

I ws trying to sell pens at a craft show a couple of weeks ago. A woman with a boy about 7 years old came by, and the boy picked up an antler pen. "What is this?", he asked. I said "that's reindeer antler." He said "really?" I said, "sure enough. Have you heard of Prancer, one of Santa's reindeer?" "Sure", he says. "Well, I don't know if you heard it or not, but Prancer got too old to pull the sled, so Santa retired him. I bought him and made him into barbeque. This pen I made from one of his antlers." The boy looked at me, wondering something or other. His mother laughed and dragged him away. He stared at me over his shoulder.
Joe,
Marketing Whiz

[Ernie Nyvall]

Nice pen David. Why do you say it may be tour last. Is antler hard to turn?

Ernie

[Gary DeWitt]

Ernie: Not difficult, just hard as bejesus. Right up there with animal bone, I suppose it's nearly the same stuff.
As far as the smell, reminds me of the smell of drilling teeth in the dentists office.
I once turned a very small lidded box out of cow bone, aquired at the local pet store. Took all day, and could only use scrapers. Don't know if I'll do another one or not. The look of the material, just polished to gloss with micro mesh, is awesome. The inspiration for this was attending a Bonnie Klein demo at our guild. She also turned some cast acrylic plastic, another very interesting material.

[Mark Cothren]

What a great lookin' pen! I don't do pens, but sure do appreciate what you have turned out here!

Thanks for the picture!