Excellent,cheap,and super easy way to darken antlers
Aug 19, 2015 19:31:25 GMT -5
Woody Williams and Jamie Brooks 1John5:13 like this
Post by art338wm on Aug 19, 2015 19:31:25 GMT -5
I have a very nice 290-ish 6x6 elk rack still attached to the skull from my last elk hunt that in areas, the antlers ended up loosing about 50% of their original color from a unrealized BIG mistake of being stored in my attic in direct sun light. I decided to place them on display, but wanted to restore them back to their original, beautiful, full and rich dark drown color.
Like millions of others, I turned to what has become my A #1 source for DIY problem solving, the Internet. Time and again the best coloring method suggested, especially by pro taxidermists was to use (the color) Burnt Umber acrylic paint. The reasons this method came so highly recommended was it was described as being cheap and nearly idiot proof simple to do with all required materials widely available OTC, which was EXACTLY the Arthur-proof method I was looking for. I figured WTH, $7 for a 3oz tube was a acceptable risk. FYI, Burnt Umber will turn your antlers a rich deep dark brown which is IMHO, THE PERFECT color for elk antlers.
This is also my first attempt ever at doing this. I had done several western mounts, but never had to or wanted to color any antlers.
I strongly suggest you try it on a shed antler or any other antler you have that your willing to sacrifice if after you apply the paint, you decide this is not something you wish to do to your trophy rack. I did my test on a quite small 100% sun bleached 3-point deer antler shed I found years ago and loved the results. This antler had obviously been shed several years before I found it.
Although I didn't try it and can't confirm as true, the directions I found said you can thin the paint with water to lighten the color to what shade you prefer. I didn't because as it turned out my test use of strait un-deluded paint was exactly the color I wanted.
First you must make sure the antlers are 100% totally and absolutely clean. Cleaning can take a while because there are countless nooks and crannies on elk antlers for crud to collect in. I power washed and scrubbed mine with a stiff nylon scrub brush, especially the antler bases. Then I allowed them to dry out for a few days. I taped under the bases and covered the skull so no paint could get on anything but the antlers.
Then using a small 1-1/4" paint brush to apply the paint to my elk antlers taking care to get it in every nook and cranny. I started on the back facing portion of the antler that was the area of antler that remains nearly unseen while displayed on a wall, again just in case. I allowed this small area to dry completely then rubbed it down with 0000 steel wool to mimic as closely as possible the lighter areas of the high spots on the antlers that had naturally occur on my two other bull elk mounts.
I then proceeded to do one entire antler of #1-paint, #2-dry, #3-buff with 0000 steel wool. You have to be careful to stop short on the points so they remain ivory in color. I used the points on my other elk antlers as a guide to accomplish this.
This is again my opinion and my opinion alone, but the results were superb. In a side by side comparison using the antlers on my largest full shoulder elk mount, it was close enough to a perfect match for me. I am 100% totally satisfied with the results. This coloring method gave me, again in my opinion, a beautiful and perfectly natural looking set of trophy elk antlers to honer my wall with.
So if you have a trophy who's antlers need to be colored and you prefer rich dark brown antlers I strongly recommend giving Burnt Umber Acrylic paint a try and the application method method described that I found on the Internet, it worked beyond my wildest hopes and expectations. I also strongly recommend you do your own search for how to re-color your antlers using Burnt Umber Acrylic paint to insure you do everything correctly. The coloring process took less then three hours ( could have been done quicker but I'm a bit of a perfectionist, so I took my time) is as close to dirt simple idiot proof easy to do as it gets and cost less than $10 as I already had the steel wool and a good nylon brush. Based on the quotes I got from taxidermists, I saved at least $100 and doubt I would like the results done by a taxidermist better.
Like millions of others, I turned to what has become my A #1 source for DIY problem solving, the Internet. Time and again the best coloring method suggested, especially by pro taxidermists was to use (the color) Burnt Umber acrylic paint. The reasons this method came so highly recommended was it was described as being cheap and nearly idiot proof simple to do with all required materials widely available OTC, which was EXACTLY the Arthur-proof method I was looking for. I figured WTH, $7 for a 3oz tube was a acceptable risk. FYI, Burnt Umber will turn your antlers a rich deep dark brown which is IMHO, THE PERFECT color for elk antlers.
This is also my first attempt ever at doing this. I had done several western mounts, but never had to or wanted to color any antlers.
I strongly suggest you try it on a shed antler or any other antler you have that your willing to sacrifice if after you apply the paint, you decide this is not something you wish to do to your trophy rack. I did my test on a quite small 100% sun bleached 3-point deer antler shed I found years ago and loved the results. This antler had obviously been shed several years before I found it.
Although I didn't try it and can't confirm as true, the directions I found said you can thin the paint with water to lighten the color to what shade you prefer. I didn't because as it turned out my test use of strait un-deluded paint was exactly the color I wanted.
First you must make sure the antlers are 100% totally and absolutely clean. Cleaning can take a while because there are countless nooks and crannies on elk antlers for crud to collect in. I power washed and scrubbed mine with a stiff nylon scrub brush, especially the antler bases. Then I allowed them to dry out for a few days. I taped under the bases and covered the skull so no paint could get on anything but the antlers.
Then using a small 1-1/4" paint brush to apply the paint to my elk antlers taking care to get it in every nook and cranny. I started on the back facing portion of the antler that was the area of antler that remains nearly unseen while displayed on a wall, again just in case. I allowed this small area to dry completely then rubbed it down with 0000 steel wool to mimic as closely as possible the lighter areas of the high spots on the antlers that had naturally occur on my two other bull elk mounts.
I then proceeded to do one entire antler of #1-paint, #2-dry, #3-buff with 0000 steel wool. You have to be careful to stop short on the points so they remain ivory in color. I used the points on my other elk antlers as a guide to accomplish this.
This is again my opinion and my opinion alone, but the results were superb. In a side by side comparison using the antlers on my largest full shoulder elk mount, it was close enough to a perfect match for me. I am 100% totally satisfied with the results. This coloring method gave me, again in my opinion, a beautiful and perfectly natural looking set of trophy elk antlers to honer my wall with.
So if you have a trophy who's antlers need to be colored and you prefer rich dark brown antlers I strongly recommend giving Burnt Umber Acrylic paint a try and the application method method described that I found on the Internet, it worked beyond my wildest hopes and expectations. I also strongly recommend you do your own search for how to re-color your antlers using Burnt Umber Acrylic paint to insure you do everything correctly. The coloring process took less then three hours ( could have been done quicker but I'm a bit of a perfectionist, so I took my time) is as close to dirt simple idiot proof easy to do as it gets and cost less than $10 as I already had the steel wool and a good nylon brush. Based on the quotes I got from taxidermists, I saved at least $100 and doubt I would like the results done by a taxidermist better.
and thanks for the info.