Restoring Sheds

[madmax]

I know this has been gone over before, but I would like to here what everydody uses to restore thier sheds. I want to experiment with making sheds look natural and making them as unatural decorations. I remember seeing some photos on this forum of 2 muley sheds that a guy had made really shiny and he hung them from the ceiling, does anybody have a link to that photo or know how they did it.

 

[Glass eye]

I use potasium permagenate to stain them, just a pinch added to a small amount of water. It goes on purple and looks weird but as it dries it turns brown. The more coats, the darker the look.

 

[bmtoth]

put 3 coats of that on it to make them chocalate brown. then buy some varnish and put two coats on. that will make them shiny and dark.

 

[JustinW]

This is from a winter kill I found a little over 10 years ago. It sat outside for another 6 or 7 years and then I decided to do something with it. They were bleached and the exterior calcium had been eroded. They were in really bad shape. I thought I would just experiment with them. I used an airbrush and painted the whole thing with several coats of paint. I then started blending my own colors and airbrushing the tannin colors in. After I was happy with the color i lightly steel wooled areas to replicate worn areas on the antler. Its not show quality but most people don't even know its just airbrushed.

If you stain the antler you won't have the natural look with highlights and dark areas, everything will just be the same color if its really worn. If its a fresh shed thats just faded then the stain will work, you should be able to just use wood stain, buff it out quickly with a rag after applying it and it won't penetrate into the dense areas of bone like along the tips or where its been polished through rubbing. This antler set I did would have looked really crappy if I stained it. Take a close look at the skullcap and you can see the condition of the bone I started with.

 

[fossilman]

You also have to remember,each set of horns are different in texture and growth.So no two will turn out the same.....
I did a few with color,now I just leave them be,they have more class and a story behind every one.................
I ruined a nice 5x5 bull elk rack,trying to color it.......Now its in my shed hanging from the rafters....

 

[madmax]

Thanks for the info. What would you guys suggest to fill in large cracks?

 

[TazBux]

Another thought i have recently had on this subject is the use of wax.
I have not done it yet,but to get the 2 to 3 tone colour of most sheds i thought wax could be applied to the veins and bobbles.Then use your desired stain.The bobbles and high points should remain unstained.Give it another dunk or whipe with what ever,then remove wax(with hot water or something).Now give it another go on the waxed parts and the bobbles should be a different colour.This could also be done to have darker veins and bobbles by waxing the whole lot and rubbing off the high points.

Don't worry.I'll let ya know if it works real soon.

Just a thought.Allways thinking of this subject myself.I think i'm on a winner with the wax idea to get the natural stained 2 colour bobbly look.Now i wish i had pattented the idea,as i bet it will take off hard!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[fossilman]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (madmax @ Oct 28 2007, 07:33 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Thanks for the info. What would you guys suggest to fill in large cracks?[/b]

VanDyke's Taxidermy Service out of South Dakota has supplys that cover that-doing cracks and fixing complete breaks..............Catologs are free............

1-800-843-3320

vandykestaxidermy.com

 

[BelchFire]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (fossilman @ Nov 16 2007, 09:24 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (madmax @ Oct 28 2007, 07:33 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thanks for the info. What would you guys suggest to fill in large cracks?[/b]

VanDyke's Taxidermy Service out of South Dakota has supplys that cover that-doing cracks and fixing complete breaks..............Catologs are free............

1-800-843-3320

vandykestaxidermy.com
[/b][/quote]
cousin?

 

[fossilman]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (BelchFire @ Nov 20 2007, 02:31 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (fossilman @ Nov 16 2007, 09:24 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (madmax @ Oct 28 2007, 07:33 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thanks for the info. What would you guys suggest to fill in large cracks?[/b]

VanDyke's Taxidermy Service out of South Dakota has supplys that cover that-doing cracks and fixing complete breaks..............Catologs are free............

1-800-843-3320

vandykestaxidermy.com
[/b][/quote]
cousin?
[/b][/quote]



Funny thing,not a VanDyke on the board or ownership.Cabela's owns the company now,they bought them out four years ago...........