Moose antlers

[Dave Bureau]

I have a set of moose antlers that have been hanging on the outside of my dads house for 50 years. Mom and dad are both gone now and I just sold the house. I was thinking of making some pens out of the antlers and giving a set to my 4 brothers and sisters as keep sakes. My question is, do you think the antlers (being 50 years old and hanging outside that long) would turn ok and look half decent? Has anyone tried using real old antlers? I dont want to distroy them to try a piece and find out it wont work. Any suggestions?
Dave

[Brian Brown]

Dave,

Try posting this in the wood turners section. They probably have more experience with antlers.

[Dave Bureau]

thanks Brian

Can someone move this post to the turners forum?
Thanks
Dave

[Ted Calver]

Can't comment on how the weathered antlers would turn, but it sounds like an opportunity to start a new family tradition. Let the antlers 'hang' at your house for a year and then pass them on to the next oldest for a year and so on. The annual passing of the antlers on to the next sibling becomes an opportunity to get together and remember mom and dad. Just as thought.

[Curt Fuller]

I've never played around with moose antlers but I bought a big box of deer antlers last summer. Some were fairly fresh and some were pretty old and weathered. What I found with them was that the antler is composed of an ouside layer that weathers and cracks while the inside is more of a marrow type substance that holds up over time. Something as large as a moose antler would probably be so thick that turning a pen would turn away all the weathered layer. The inner marrow has an interesting look to it, sort of like a hard sponge and if you didn't know it was antler most wouldn't recognize it as antler. But if you soak a little CA into it, it makes an interesting looking pen.

[Gary Herrmann]

I've turned deer antler thats about 20 years old, and it turned out fine. As long as the anter isn't soft and spongy on the outside, I would think it would be ok.

You'll know if theres any rot once you cut into it. If you haven't cut or turned antler before, prepare yourself for the smell.

[Jon Lanier]

If I had Moose antlers, I'd probably fretwork a wilderness scene with a moose in it. But that's me.

[Barry Stratton]

I'm a sucker for antler pens/pencils.

As Gary said, as long as they are solid, they work just fine.

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=47898

Good luck on your heirlooms!!

Forgot to mention.......moose antlers can have a LOT of spongy bone inside.....depending on how big they are of course.

[robert hainstock]

I had some old elk antler, and found it to be very pourus and tough to work with. Since all anler seems to be porous , You may want to treat it with CA first. Of course if it is solid like sheep or buffalo horn, It will be great to work with. Good luck, and POST! :):)
Bob

[Dave Bureau]

how would i go about treating it with CA
Thanks
Dave