DarrenK Posted December 10, 2018 Report Share Posted December 10, 2018 Hi , Nearly finished deer antler carving. Noticing some small hairline cracks , does anyone know the best way to keep this from drying out and cracking more ? Hope everyone has a fantastic Christmas! 😎 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janel Posted December 12, 2018 Report Share Posted December 12, 2018 I am guessing here not being an antler carver per se, if the antler is older, having had time in the elements and not fresh off the deer, it may already be stable and not crack further. That said, oil applications might change permanently the look of the material. Natasha Popova described a mixture that she uses on the surface of her extraordinary sculptures, somewhere here on the forum. You might use paraffin for a key word search. It did bring up various hits. She briefly describes this on the topic "The First Breath". I will look for a better description for you. One may also use Renaissance Wax which will dry clear and non sticky. It will even out dull and shiny to some degree but will not smooth uneven surfaces. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janel Posted December 12, 2018 Report Share Posted December 12, 2018 Try these: Long ago, Natasha wrote about how she treats mammoth tusk. http://www.thecarvingpath.net/forum/index.php?/topic/1488-staining-bone/page__view__findpost__p__13174 http://www.thecarvingpath.net/forum/index.php?/topic/688-the-first-breath/page__view__findpost__p__6125 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janel Posted December 12, 2018 Report Share Posted December 12, 2018 It is advisable to test anything that you might want to do for color, texture, and finish before doing it to the actual piece that you have worked to completion. Let us know what you have done and have learned from the process? Best wishes, Janel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarrenK Posted December 12, 2018 Author Report Share Posted December 12, 2018 Hi Janel, Thanks a lot for the info! I will definitely try the paraffin mix . And also the link shows some absolutely incredible jaw dropping carvings....I will finish some details before applying and let you know how it goes.(great idea to do a test first) This is such an amazing site .... full of amazing art and ideas. I wonder if there is any way to rekindle the fire ? Thank you for keeping this site going. Amazing commitment and dedication to the path . It was my light in the dark. 😎 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janel Posted December 13, 2018 Report Share Posted December 13, 2018 Hi Darren, Thank you for the very positive comments. I will now go off your topic of the antler and protective finish. I, too, wonder if there will be a rekindling of members checking in and helping one another. The static nature of the forum is not as competitive with the instant gratification of social media, BUT, the archived conversations between artists here on The Carving Path are accessible and educational. I have found that the onboard SEARCH is helpful, but limited. I test internet search engines using The Carving Path and a particular term, such as "paraffin" and various options are presented. Keeping it going means $30 per month now, checking in regularly, and updating the software when prompted. It gets expensive when only a few persons post per month, if one counts and averages the live action. I am hopeful that others are using the information without also logging in and communicating with others. Come on folks! Help keep this forum alive and well! I miss you! Janel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew V Posted December 21, 2018 Report Share Posted December 21, 2018 Keep monitoring the weight of the piece - if the weight is stable then it has lost all its moisture and should not crack any more. A coat of wax should seal the surface and slow down any moisture loss if it is still 'wet'. Wax is easily removed with white spirits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarrenK Posted December 27, 2018 Author Report Share Posted December 27, 2018 Hi Andrew, Good ideas , thanks . I've not carved a lot of antler before (2nd piece) and wondering if I have been too enthusiastic about boring out the inside materials? Antler is old and should be dry. Decided to stop while I was ahead and not try to carve any more detail... I have used paraffin on the finish and am pleased with the feel and look. Any other tips on carving/prepping antler? Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew V Posted December 27, 2018 Report Share Posted December 27, 2018 Be brave about removing the pith, its completely useless, and you should carve away as much as you dare to. It goes so soft when soaked in water you can even cut it away with a spoon. Also, antler takes the most incredible level of detail and is easily worked with standard wood carving gouges as well as scrapers. 😉 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Moir Posted February 23, 2019 Report Share Posted February 23, 2019 On 12/27/2018 at 12:01 PM, DarrenK said: ''Any other tips on carving/prepping antler? '' Sorry, none concerning the repair of hairline cracks after the fact. All the antler I've worked has been from raw fresh material that has been stored in a dark, cool non-dry place - the concrete floor in a cardboard box in the corner of an unheated building. None of the finished carvings have developed cracks after 5 or so years in the sun and heated room in this semi-desert area. All are finished with tung oil and paste wax. But fingers crossed, I'll report back in a decade.☺️ The difference working dry antler and fresh is noticeable. Fresh is softer and has a 'buttery' way of releasing chips. Best source in this part of the world is from moose and white-tailed deer. Caribou, elk and mule deer have proportionally less hard material and more soft core, evident in the weight of the full antler with caribou being surprizingly light, even with a 4' long piece. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew V Posted February 26, 2019 Report Share Posted February 26, 2019 I have found antler readily soaks up water and readily dries out. That buttery quality is easily restored with an overnight soak. Also, the pith goes soggy when soaked and that is a good indicator of what you need to get rid of. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarrenK Posted March 21, 2019 Author Report Share Posted March 21, 2019 Thanks lads , that's great info. The piece of antler I used was quite old, have now acquired some fresh stuff to try my hand at . I've also heard deer bone is good to carve ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew V Posted April 5, 2019 Report Share Posted April 5, 2019 Can't help with that I'm afraid, haven't worked with deer bone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts