DIY How to Straighten out Antler or Bone

[@howardrichburg2398]

Just tried to straighten some cow bone for a knife. Didn't know about soaking for a few days. Did boil the snot out of it. It cracked. Now I know how to do it right. Thank You. This will help the next time I straighten bone or antler.

[@ACCESSeVENTURE]

Thank you, I did not know an antler could be straightened. I use the antler to make pens. Being able to straighten then will increase the pieces I can use.

[@WELSBYROOTS]

Awesome, glad this helped you out and thanks for commenting!

[@paulcurrie7828]

How does it turn/finish after this process?

[@DedCity]

If you put scrap wood in your vice between the leather and the vice jaws, you can straighten larger pieces

[@xXxCulpxXx]

Thank you Sir for the awesome info. I'm working on a rack and was curious on how if at all you could straighten a rack some. You answered my question and ... This will be my first antler project and hopefully I can handle down my created piece for generation to generation ... Who knows but it'll be a cool piece to me when I'm done. Anyways thnx and God Bless

[@huntshackwildernessexperie6820]

I havn't seen many other people do this type of project. I looked over your video list and your " About your channel " and it's refreshing to find this content. Best wishes , I rang the bell

[@WELSBYROOTS]

Thanks, I appreciate you saying so!

[@BeautifuLakesStreamsBiologists]

Great Tutorial! Now I am off to see if a blade can be made of antler!

[@WELSBYROOTS]

good luck! thanks for watching!

[@strad.philippines]

Well done Dave. I would never gave thought in trying this. Will come in handy for my pen blanks.

[@WELSBYROOTS]

Nice, thank you! Hope it works out well!

[@pauldavis2791]

Nice work, all knowledge about "Bush Kraft " is valuable. Thanks

[@WELSBYROOTS]

Appreciate the kind words!

[@kyote0683]

Very cool. Thank you for the lesson. Much appreciated

[@WELSBYROOTS]

Thanks for watching!

[@maarkaus48]

This is great as I have been wanting to make a pipe out of Burl Cherry, and antler, but could not figure out how to straighten the antler, and then bend it again. Does the antler run the risk of cracking? I am curious about that being a possibility. Thank you for sharing this.

[@lazybeaver]

Thanks for the how to video, I've wondered how that was done.

[@Soviless99]

hungarian bows have been found deer antler plates glued on the sides of the handle and siyah recurves to keep the wood joinery there straight so the bow limbs wouldn’t develop twist. bone was also used

[@kameelelian6044]

I had no idea. I am soon to start a apprenticeship with a knife maker, it only took me a year of waiting lol, and I have tons of antlers as well as full racks I sometimes used in pipe making had no idea u could do this thanks for the info

[@christopherhilliard3681]

Have you tried using hot oil to bend the antler .without water soaking

[@BUZZKILLJRJR]

Cool man thanks, I figured this would work because I boiled down meat with bones and see them become soft making stock.

[@marykedykhuizen6902]

Thanks for this video, I have a box full that needs straightening

[@TrollHiddenCave]

If I boil goat horn do you think I would be able to make the opening more round by like shoving something round in it?

[@WELSBYROOTS]

I would think so, Just keep an eye on it as you boil it.

[@TrollHiddenCave]

@@WELSBYROOTS I gave it a try it totally worked I'm surprised how black this goat horn is it works for the purposes I'm going to Market it as demon horn

[@suzz1776]

@@TrollHiddenCave demon horn. Lol

[@nomadsopmac1267]

Videos like this are helpful because we watch and see all the mistakes we can run in to and avoid them .

[@aaronhartwig1984]

Thanks man. Helpful video. Follow up question, can the antler be reheated to insert a steel blade handle?

[@chuckkillawood8229]

Neat trick, good info, thanks.

[@marshallguerra1353]

Thanks for the video!!!

[@vm722]

How about some lag bolts for your vice

[@johnchapman2361]

It's something I should try. Try not to take this the wrong way... I had a past history of saying "uhh" and "umm" constantly. I didn't realize it until someone told me. As I paid attention, they were correct. It had become a habit. I had to spend a fair amount of time breaking it. But when I did, I found people were much more willing to converse with me. For a person who has consciously broken this habit, its excruciating to hear it in someone else. 56 times. Its something to work on. You videos will be better for it. Not judging. I simply wouldn't have realized without being told...

[@evodefrane63]

I’m very glad I watched your video

[@SurviveN2]

That's good, I'll remember this 👍 TFS

[@victorcastle1840]

Thanks for the info, I am sure it will help many, to be able to use antlers for knife scales and many other things, that they could not have done with curved antler or bone . Also subed you.

[@WELSBYROOTS]

Awesome comment! Thanks for the boost and the sub!

[@oldreliables9thdivision654]

Thank you sir !

[@TheBottegaChannel]

Much obliged for the lesson on how to straighten antler. I appreciate it. I dont think this will work for bone slats used for knife making though, as boiling bones both tempers the calcium and leaches it. ( Horn and antler are essentially hair follicles, hence why rehydration works well for them. ) To prevent cracking, do you think a conditioner of some sort might work for the soaking/ boiling process?

[@WELSBYROOTS]

Thanks for commenting, I'm not sure about using a conditioner. Never thought of that.

[@warrior7ra]

Technically incorrect deer, elk, caribou, and moose antlers are porous bone. Cow ox sheep and bison horn is karitin like your fingernails, and goats, antelope (this does not include pronghorns), oryx, rhinos, etc. are compressed and fused hair keratin. This last group is extremely hard to work with both traditionally and with modern binders to get even a decent result. I make handles, buttons, awls, toggles, spoons forks, etc. From anlters, cattle, bison horn and occasionally rams horn all to good or great effect. Goat and oryx horn is always a disaster unless you split it, press flatten it, soak it in resin cut in the shape you want it making sure there are no creases or sharp curves in the piece (or it will split there), and polish it. Anything else and it frayes . Steam it, it becomes fuzzy and splits, so unless you are super dedicated, don't bother. You will drive yourself batty trying.

[@TheBottegaChannel]

@@warrior7ra, much obliged by the info you've given us. Honestly I had completely forgotten about writing this and making any updates letting people know I was incorrect about a few things you mentioned. XD I try to be as accurate as I can with info on crafting mediums I use, so this data helps out immensely.

[@warrior7ra]

@The Bottega Channel, having the right info helps us craft better by allowing us to exploit the material differences and recognize the material limitations.

[@kentcostello8099]

Good video and info . You need to bolt your vise down 👍👍🇺🇸

[@WELSBYROOTS]

Yes, yes I do!

[@paintilludrop]

Interesting..think you left the pot boiling.. did it smell badly as it boiled?

[@WELSBYROOTS]

It's not horrible, but yes there is a smell

[@ozarked2363]

I can't help but wonder how it smells while the antler is boiling.

[@guysolis5843]

Like mama's cookin'

[@TrollHiddenCave]

Gr8 I'm boiling some goat horns for a project right now it smells absolutely beautiful!

[@ozarked2363]

@@TrollHiddenCave Well then make yourself a nice pot of goat horn soup while you're at it.

[@TrollHiddenCave]

@@ozarked2363 ight

[@cw4608]

It must smell better than sanding bone. Which isn’t horrible, but it is reminiscent of getting a tooth drilled.

[@Quackers-rm8wj]

Just leave thing that natural, natural that's want I do and it looks good

[@reufarms5733]

Cool!

[@stolman2197]

I'm going place a couple 1× boards in the vice.

[@davemacgyver573]

In case you were wondering, those 3 holes at the base of the vice, were put there so you could bolt it onto a workbench, and not wrestle with trying to hold it still as you turn the handle. Pro tip, no extra charge.....you're welcome!

[@kennethkustren9381]

Your rusty vice needs an electrolysis de-rust treatment. 1/4cup Borax, a 5 gal bucket, auto battery charger, and a sacrificial piece of steel or iron. 24 hrs @ 8-10A setting should werk it.

[@WELSBYROOTS]

Awesome thanks brother!

[@TrollHiddenCave]

Thanks for the info I inherited a bunch of Rusty equipment from my granddaddy

[@warpighammer3760]

Have you ever drilled the center before soaking and boiling the antlers. I do mine and it makes it a bit easier. Also I made a steam box but not tried it yet. Iv been told it will stop the cracking.

[@WELSBYROOTS]

Nice, good information to try. Thanks for sharing!

[@warpighammer3760]

WELSBY ROOTS my pleasure. Health wealth and happiness to you and yours.

[@garyteague9555]

War pig Hammer great info

[@hotball49]

I think you should make a video of how to pull weeds.

[@joseraygoza7808]

Right! That's funny!

[@leebarker6188]

Thank you great video subbed thumbs up!!!did you re boil it when you added the file?

[@WELSBYROOTS]

I only boiled it the one time. Thanks for watching!

[@marknickerson3645]

Does this technique work on antler that has not been cut? I need to bend a tine but it can't be cut off the rack. Thanks

[@WELSBYROOTS]

Should work out, it's the heat not the water absorption.

[@marknickerson3645]

Awesome thanks, I'm going to give it a whirl this week, I'll let you know how it goes

[@bigoldgrizzly]

not so many years ago they used to bend horns on live rams by winding boiled turnips straight out of the water so you could bend or straighten 'em enough to prevent horns growing backward into the animals face.

[@cherokeesfinestindian]

I think you just crushed it flat, giving the illusion that you straightened it. Just a thought.

[@libertyforallful]

It may have compressed the spongy inner layer, which would make a more usable hard outer layer for, say, a knife handle?

[@cherokeesfinestindian]

@@libertyforallful yeah that is possible, but I've made knife handles out of antler most of my life, and never needed to do that to antler.

[@richstrong5257]

CHEROKEE'S FINEST INDIAN right just have to pick the right part of it to use that’s the trick eh?

[@carbonitegamorrean8368]

How old can a bone or horn be and does it matter from what animal ?

[@WELSBYROOTS]

Probably anything hollow like a chicken bone would brake. The deer antler I'm using is at least 10 years old.

[@carbonitegamorrean8368]

thank you

[@adrianlouviere7650]

You may try to soak and boil in vinegar instead of water. I think it would improve your results. Thanks for the video. I try to learn something every day.

[@warrior7ra]

Vinegar dissolves the calcium and permenantly softens and weakens the antler or bone. So it's not recommended for tool handles or anything that would require strength or hardness

[@adrianlouviere7650]

@@warrior7ra That was a concern that I had. Thanks for the clarification.

[@billyoung7352]

@@warrior7raI dabble around making powder horns. It will soften the horn but as you mentioned it will make it rubbery if you soak it too long. Yep hard pass on vinegar for horn work (trust me I tried LOL).

[@warrior7ra]

@Adrian Louviere no problem, came from years of experience all of my field knives handles are made of antler or bone and my traditional crafts using the antlers from the white tails , mule deer, and elk, I hunt yearly.

[@bullfrogpondshop3179]

4:00 - You're exactly right: we can't see anything. Bummer

[@theofulk5636]

"I GUESS I COULD SHOW YOU ?" wtf did you PLAN MUCH? Even some screws in the VISE !

[@terryw.milburn8565]

Love the Old Hot-Plate Quite a fine I must say & Works well ! I am guessing the Stag Antler will be used for a Up-Coming Knife Video ! You have the perfect building for a Black-Smith Shop ! Hoping you & yours are well safe & happy there, Friend ! ATB T God Bless

[@WELSBYROOTS]

It good to hear from you Terry, the upcoming video will me on a saami sewing kit I made. I hope your doing well and enjoying life! God bless brother!

[@BeSatori]

Does it matter how old the antler is?

[@WELSBYROOTS]

The one I'm using is probably 10 + years old.

[@witt4437]

Useful video, but unscrewed vise enrages. Is it hard to drill two holes

[@rangefindingdoc1608]

anybody else think that would make a cool sword handle

[@pegknife]

Yeah,the crack would make a nice feature .

[@UkirBali]

We're actually trying to straighten out an antler to make a samurai sword handle.

[@rangefindingdoc1608]

@@UkirBali that sounds wicked, maybe getting smaller fake antlers as the guard

[@UkirBali]

@@rangefindingdoc1608 Yeah, but we really wanna use real antler.

[@nunayobusiness3384]

Yep, when teaching anything a before and after sure would have made this worth the watch. Also type of antler would have been some good information, I know deer verses moose is like night and day. Deer verses elk also oh well 😔

[@southronjr1570]

He did say it was a deer antler and I saw how curved it was before he heated it when he showed it in the water, granted it wasn't an up close in detail look but I got the general idea of how curved it was from it.

[@wampuscat1831]

PRESURER COOKER HOW WOULD THAT DO?????

[@rustytygart405]

Let it soak in vinegar for a week not only will you be able to straighten it out but you’ll be able to tie it a knot if you like it will be like rubber

[@lewiswereb8994]

Great idea," better living through chemistry" as someone said.Also would save tons and tons of labor. But does the antler get back to its hard state again?

[@edanthony4131]

Don't you have any clamps you can lock the vice down to the bench with?

[@WELSBYROOTS]

I'm in the process of finishing the bench, I bolted it down now. Thanks for watching!

[@dwaynewhitaker6518]

Nice burner

[@BobBlarneystone]

Hmm, the vise could use a going over - drop it a bucket of molasses for a few weeks to de-rust it. And a permanent set of leather jaws for it would be a good accessory.

[@TrollHiddenCave]

Why would molasses D rust it?

[@garyd7217]

what that chicken peckin on ?

[@garoglen]

Didn know it could be done !

[@WELSBYROOTS]

Glad you enjoyed this, it was a learning lesson for me as well!

[@mikearmbruster2171]

Soaking horn in vinegar also makes it pliable

[@larryclare5677]

Buddy!!!we don't care about the heat source!Vernon with the method!

[@donaldmcdaniel1773]

Interesting

[@allenwadecook4806]

Ya use door shims. To do this. Close but. If ya want it straight. Ya got to work at it.

[@shootingsportstransparency7461]

Try with vinager That bone or antler will be like rubber

[@WELSBYROOTS]

nice, Ill give it a try. thanks for commenting!

[@arkhamarxher5631]

Interesting. I am making a hornbow. What ratio as a catalyst works?

[@shootingsportstransparency7461]

@@arkhamarxher5631 just ordonairy vinager and time will do.

[@chrisneves1274]

@@shootingsportstransparency7461 will it make the antler weak? Does it go back to being hard?

[@shootingsportstransparency7461]

@@chrisneves1274 Yes it goes hard again but the cellstructure stays broken so it stays weak

[@SevenDeMagnus]

I hope I can soften a cow bone i found (have cleaned it and sprayed with 99.9% alcohol.

[@williamjenkinsiii70]

While you got the water boiling put the chicken in the background in and have dinner

[@acehartless6075]

Was that a turkey in the back ground?

[@WELSBYROOTS]

No, I have ducks and chickens in the barn next to my shop.

[@kevinpeters6709]

Aww I thought I could just stick my bare hands in there and grab it lol

[@54ChickenHawk]

Ever try vinegars?

[@WELSBYROOTS]

No never tried that, dose it work well?

[@54ChickenHawk]

@@WELSBYROOTS I have used it on bone before, takes the calcium out of bone, then can either soak in milk when done or just let dry

[@WELSBYROOTS]

@@54ChickenHawk nice! I'll have to try it out, thanks for the info!

[@TheBottegaChannel]

Dan Young, I use vinegar in dyeing bone and antler for when I make jewelery out of them. As for using it as an agent for straightening bone slats or antler tines, that process I have no experience with. Do you have a video that shows your process?

[@albertdominick140]

I thought that deer antler stuff was nice until a ordered a knife with a huge antler handle, and opened the box and the stench got me 🤢, I returned the item so fast that it should be put on the Guinness book for fastest return in history, when I email the co they were baffled themselves about how fast it was returned, like UPS package 📦 on 🔥 fire delivery.... I stick around with wood...

[@mikearmbruster2171]

Can also make it malable by letting it soak in vinegar

[@WELSBYROOTS]

I'll have to give that a try, thanks for commenting!

[@RavensHammer00]

Using vinegar leaches too much minerals from the bone, after it dries it can become very brittle, so consider what type of project you want to try this with, I wouldn't use it with something that might split or splinter with torque or pressure.

[@drewbeisly7328]

Thanks for the video! Is your camera from 1990? 😂

[@jeffdurham2360]

Just get some prell shampoo and hair straightener.

[@lewiswereb8994]

Well, that sounds about like it will work, since antler is actually exactly like hair, the shampoo chemistry should work.

[@pierreviktorsson3803]

Gets an oval shape

[@ourv9603]

If you are tampering with the antler from how you found it in its natural state you are falsifying that antler. You might as well go buy yourself some art supplies and build yourself a monster set of 12 point antlers. !