On Jul 31, 6:21 pm, alysonsdad wrote:
any advice before I start turning pens from antlers would be greatly
appreciated.

Red

Hey Red, long time no see!

I can only tell you what I know from turning moose antler I bought.

You tools MUST be very, very sharp... as sharp as you can get them.
The antler I turned was a tiny bit splintery in some areas, and a very
sharp tool was the answer. Plan on using your skew as pretty much the
only tool for the project. Cut slowly and make tiny curls.

Do the things you should be doing anyway: wear eye and breathing
protection. There is something lost in my memory about ingesting the
bone dust into your lungs and the possible danger, but it escapes me.
Also for reasons lost to me was the importance of not turning "green"
antler, probably because of the danger of ingesting a biohazard of
partially dried or rotted meat and blood still in the bones and their
marrow.

I finished the pens I made with water thick CA glue. I put it on the
antler, and let it soak in and dry. Then I finished like a plastic
bodied pen, going through all the grits and ending/finishing with a
quality polish.

If you do it correctly, the antler or bone will lend a really nice
touch to your work or a finished project.

Robert