I want to mount some caribou antlers that have lost their natural color during storage. Ive heard that linseed oil is used. Is this the best thing to bring some color back to my antlers or is there something better. I want my antlers to look nice on display so even a darker color than they were originally would be acceptable.
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Chuck,
I have received great advice on this forum and finally I get to pass it on from my own experience from great results. Order a small amount of potassium permanganate from most large taxidermy suppliers. Mix a small amount (not sure of exact amount) with a bottle of rubbing alcohol. I then use a rag to wipe it on the antlers (some use cotton balls) The potassium permangante goes on purple and turns brown when it dries. Try not to use too much for the initial coat, put it on in layers. I usually didn't need more than two to get the color I wanted. Before it dries (and it dries quick) apply a 50/50 mixture of linseed oil and turpentine with a rag. This 50/50 mixture blends the potassium so you don't have any dark and light spots in the color. If you choose you can wax the rack after the 50/50 dries. It will look natural. It's much easier to do than it sounds in this post. Check the archives also about antler staining. There is tons of information on the subject. Good luck to you!