Antler cleaning?

[Plincker]

Hi Everyone,

Went hiking yesterday and my girlfriend found a real nice 2 point white tail antler with about a 2" tine. She was pretty stoked as it was our first antler that we had found. I'll try and post some pics so you experts out their can tell me if was a big buck or not.
Just wondering what you guys use to clean antlers that have been on the ground for awhile. I was going to put it in a bucket with some bleech to clean it up. Good Idea or bad Idea?

Thanx,

Plincker

[Stone Sheep Steve]

Use Potassium Permangenate if you want it to look like a fresh shed antler. Bleach will cause bone tissue to break down and eventually crumble.

SSS

[mainland hunter]

If it's not too porous take SSS's advice if it is you'll need to seal it first, I put a couple coats of a raw linseed oil/shelac mix(50/50) I always paint them if i've sealed them but the potassium permangenate should do the trick as well

[Fisher-Dude]

Bleach will cause bone tissue to break down and eventually crumble.

SSS

So do 270 TSXs in the back of the skull.

[whitetailsheds]

Water and keep it indoors........

[mikek blacktail]

power washer if it's in good enough shape

[Stone Sheep Steve]

So do 270 TSXs in the back of the skull.

Don't know. Still waiting for the results:???:.

SSS

[hunter1947]

Use Potassium Permangenate if you want it to look like a fresh shed antler. Bleach will cause bone tissue to break down and eventually crumble.

SSS
I agree with SSS on this issue.

[Plincker]

Hi guys,

thanx for the advice. But where does one buy "Potassium Permangenate"?
I'll be pulling it out of the bucket of bleech water right now!!

Thanx,

Plincker

[tomahawk]

But where does one buy "Potassium Permangenate"?

I got mine at the drug store.

[Plincker]

great thanx tomahawk. I'll have to try and get some. Do you soak the antler in it or rub it on?

thanx,

Plincker

[hunter1947]

Tom is right you get the potassium permanganate at the drug store.

[tomahawk]

great thanx tomahawk. I'll have to try and get some. Do you soak the antler in it or rub it on?

thanx,

Plincker

I rub it on, but the antlers must be cleaned first of all surface dirt or what have you. It will make a faded set look pretty good or enrichen a set with some colour on them.

[boxhitch]

Have heard of this for adding color, but not as a cleaning agent.

[hunter1947]

Have heard of this for adding color, but not as a cleaning agent.
Tom didn't mean it buy saying cleaning them ,his post said to have them clean the way I see his wording.

[Plincker]

Tom didn't mean it buy saying cleaning them ,his post said to have them clean the way I see his wording.

So what I'm understanding is that the Potasium adds colour but doesn't clean'em up. Is this right? I'm looking for a way to clean of leaf mold and dirt stains. Would the Potasium work for this too?

Plincker

[whitetailsheds]

Course brush and water (or as already mentioned, pressure washer) to clean. Pot. permanganate to stain. If the antler has faded and cracked, be careful with the pressure washer, could open 'em more. Stains will not come out, but Pot. permanganate MAY hide them. Can you post a photo of this horn? If it still has some weight/ mass/ moisture in it, the Pot. permanganate will take better. If it is cracking/ brittle = good luck!

[tomahawk]

So what I'm understanding is that the Potasium adds colour but doesn't clean'em up. Is this right? I'm looking for a way to clean of leaf mold and dirt stains. Would the Potasium work for this too?

Plincker

Hey Plincker, no it is not a cleaner. It is to put realistic like colout back intot he antler if it is faded or just needs a sprucing up. How bad do they need cleaning? Are they faded on the top side that was towrds the sunlight and dirty only where they touched the ground? Do they have any moss on them?

[Plincker]

thanx for the help guys.

Tom they aren't cracked, or have moss growing on it. Just abit of mold from leaves. I'll defintaly put some colour on it with the Potasium.

We found the antler near a skull and a few ribs, they where completly cleaned out and total bone. My guess is that all the bugs went to the skull first and I got the antler just in time. It was kind of weird though cuz we only found one antler and with the skull was only a few ribs. Not like a hunter to leave one antler, my guess is that a cougar dragged it off and then the rest got spread around. The skull had a crush mark in it too. What do you guys reckon?

I'll post a pic of it before and after the cleaning and potasium. Just gotta figure out how to post pics. I'll try tomorrow k.

Plincker

[martyonthewater]

you mentioned that you thought it was a whitetail shed but I see your located in Lions bay, the geography leaves me wondering a bit ? congrats on the find and getting out anyhow.

[Plincker]

you mentioned that you thought it was a whitetail shed but I see your located in Lions bay, the geography leaves me wondering a bit ? congrats on the find and getting out anyhow.

I did find it in my area. I thought that they where black tails but was told otherwise from a local hunter. Guess he doesn't really know what he's talking about or didn't pay attention when he took his core. Glad to hear that I was right. I start my core this sat, so I guess I'll learn all about the species.

Plincker