Antler and dirt

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ed4copies

ed4copies

Local Chapter Manager
Joined
Mar 25, 2005
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24,637
Location
Racine, WI, USA.
Need some help from you "antler types"!!

I have a customer that wants an antler fountain to use for a "daily writer". He claims to be a prolific writer - at work.

HOW will antler "weather" continuous use? Will it "patina" (ie get dirty)?

Need your thoughts before I (needlessly) tell him it's a bad idea.

THANKS!!
 
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I have used a sanding sealer over Ivory and then a wax this should also stop the ingress of dirt in a more porours substance like antler but over time it will develop its own patination which I think will be nice in itself.
 
Hi Ed, I do a lot of antler pens. Not protected it will grunge up. If I have a piece with the "bark" showing, I use a light Deft spray, but 98% of my antler pens are turned smooth and part of, or even all of the surface is into the pith or real grainy part. Thin ca finish is the best, at least for me. I used to shy away from older antler because of the discoloration and the texture, but my customers seem to prefer, and by a large margin, the character this adds. Hope this helps.
 
Mine are all only 6 months old I do put CA on to fill in marrow but don't do a final CA finish and they all seem to hold up nice I do put a Ren Wax on them but I assume this wears off pretty quick. I too have found the ones with more color and to me look dirty are the ones that people seem to choose...
 
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Use ca finish for daily use pens. If you just use a friction polish it will weather. However, some clients like the weathered look. I have one guy that has had one for two years and it does look used but he loves it.
 
As I suspected, my advice would have been ill-advised.

Thanks to all the respondents!!! I will make the pen and put a CA finish on it. I will also ASK the customer if they prefer white or more color (I also ASSUMED white was preferred - live and learn!!)

Thanks again!!
 
Nothing much to add except that I have seen antler pens that I made that were in daily use for up to two years. The one that I buffed out and waxed and the several that I coated heavily with CA looked identical when I sold them. The CA pens still looked close to how they looked when I sold them after more than a year. The polish only pen had taken on additional "character."

I also have had much more success selling pens with various degrees of stains and color than with pure bright white.
 
I use an antler pen as a daily writer. I drive a truck, my pen is used by several people every day and in all temperature extremes. It has been dropped by many a customer as well. I used CA to finish my pen. I have been using this same pen for a year. The CA is a bit worn, but the antler is in the same condition as all the antler pens in my inventory. The kit is black chrome and it shows wear at the very end of the nib and on the edges of the clip only, so I'm impressed by both the antler and the kit. I like the weight of it as well. It is white tail. Now how about having a word with Dawn for me..perhaps she'll contact me?
 
Ed, I think antler is the single best material to take CA BECAUSE of it's porosity. I do 5 coats thin, 5 coats thick and it's not coming off anytime soon, and zero dirt or grime will get through. Plus the shine is unreal. Check my website out for some of the Majestics I've done in antler lately. Just waiting for someone to engrave their name on them!

I love antler, and I'm lucky. We live in the boonies and mule deer drop their antlers all around us, sometimes in our yard! I probably have 60 lbs of it-let me know if you'd like to try a little and in what size.

Good luck,
Dale
 
Ed, I have one customer that has both sealed and unsealed. I used CA on the sealed one. They wanted one that would take on the patina from use and one that always looked new...you might give the customer the choice. I made the same pen both ways and let them see both along with some antler that had been handled alot.

FWIW.
 
wdcav1952 said:
Wow, Ed, that is a great site! I don't know how you stumbled across it, but I think I might bookmark it.

I really, really like the way you are always looking out for other turners!!! :rolleyes::biggrin::wink:
Click to expand...


Aw, shucks, it ain't nothin' really!!:embarrassed::embarrassed::embarrassed::bye:
 
Ed,
I have an antler that I've carried for about 6 years or so... it's wet sanded through the 12000 mm (the little foam sanding pads from PSI - think they are same as MM) then polished with plastic polish.. nothing more. It's pretty solid antler.. no marrow and little bark, but it still looks almost like it's new.

I like to use the Axis that's solid bone and avoid marrow as much as I can, but I will use it and always seal it with several coats of CA, then wet sand and polish like any other antler.
 
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