C Craft
Well-Known Member
So I recently posted I was looking for a Elk antler large enough to get some slabs out of for a knife I was working on. To my surprise I was gifted a piece of Elk antler by another maker, franklin to be exact.
So now I have the antler in hand and realize Elk is even more pithy in the center than say deer antler. So I am thinking I have always wanted to try some home stabilization. So after some questions about the "how to" of home stabilization. I realize there are some new questions popping up in my mind that pertain to how to with Elk antler stabilization!! So the following are the questions that have popped up in my mind. Before I get started I figure I need to learn some more info on these particular areas! The actual question is in blue the other is an explanation to what I am asking or why! I failed to mention this in case it may make a difference I will be using Cactus Juice to do the stabilization process!
1. After you have left the piece long enough to be stabilized in the vacuum chamber. What about the drying???? Do you hang it, do you lay it down, do you introduce heat or air, and how long for drying time is enough??? I guess that question applies to wood as well, I really never thought of what to do with the piece once you pull it from the stabilization chamber!!!! :les:
2. What about the outside of an Elk antler, meaning this! I have seen blocks of wood stabilized they seem to have a layer of the stabilization material rising above the block itself. With wood that means you sand back down to the wood, (I get that)!!
But with say Elk antler you don't want to sand the exterior of the antler obviously. So how do you handle the excess material on the surface of an antler??? Do you wipe the exterior with something to get rid of the excess material and if so, wipe it with what??? Will one wiping get rid of it or is this something you need to re-do during the drying process?
3. This Elk antler is too be split into two pieces to get the slabs I need for the knife handle. So is it better too leave it whole until after being stabilized or is their an advantage to splitting it before it is stabilized????
4. Should I be concerned that like wood there might be some warpage during the drying process of the Elk antler! I have a block of wood that has been stabilized and there appears to be some slight warpage/twisting of one end. It is not a lot. It may be able to be cut out or at the very least ground flat again. So know I am wondering if antler has that problem! I know if heated in boiling water of oil an antler can be bent. So is this a concern about warpage/twisting with antler????
OK that is pretty much all the questions I have for now and would appreciate anyone who has knowledge in this area chiming in and let me know whether any of this is a real concern when stabilizing antler!
So now I have the antler in hand and realize Elk is even more pithy in the center than say deer antler. So I am thinking I have always wanted to try some home stabilization. So after some questions about the "how to" of home stabilization. I realize there are some new questions popping up in my mind that pertain to how to with Elk antler stabilization!! So the following are the questions that have popped up in my mind. Before I get started I figure I need to learn some more info on these particular areas! The actual question is in blue the other is an explanation to what I am asking or why! I failed to mention this in case it may make a difference I will be using Cactus Juice to do the stabilization process!
1. After you have left the piece long enough to be stabilized in the vacuum chamber. What about the drying???? Do you hang it, do you lay it down, do you introduce heat or air, and how long for drying time is enough??? I guess that question applies to wood as well, I really never thought of what to do with the piece once you pull it from the stabilization chamber!!!! :les:
2. What about the outside of an Elk antler, meaning this! I have seen blocks of wood stabilized they seem to have a layer of the stabilization material rising above the block itself. With wood that means you sand back down to the wood, (I get that)!!
But with say Elk antler you don't want to sand the exterior of the antler obviously. So how do you handle the excess material on the surface of an antler??? Do you wipe the exterior with something to get rid of the excess material and if so, wipe it with what??? Will one wiping get rid of it or is this something you need to re-do during the drying process?
3. This Elk antler is too be split into two pieces to get the slabs I need for the knife handle. So is it better too leave it whole until after being stabilized or is their an advantage to splitting it before it is stabilized????
4. Should I be concerned that like wood there might be some warpage during the drying process of the Elk antler! I have a block of wood that has been stabilized and there appears to be some slight warpage/twisting of one end. It is not a lot. It may be able to be cut out or at the very least ground flat again. So know I am wondering if antler has that problem! I know if heated in boiling water of oil an antler can be bent. So is this a concern about warpage/twisting with antler????
OK that is pretty much all the questions I have for now and would appreciate anyone who has knowledge in this area chiming in and let me know whether any of this is a real concern when stabilizing antler!
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