Best way to repair an antler?
12-01-2013, 05:32 PM
#1
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Virginia / West Virginia
Posts: 4,906
Best way to repair an antler?
My dad killed a decent 8pt this past week. When a couple buddies were dragging it out for him they managed to accidentally break off one of the G2's, about 2/3 of the way down.
Anyhow, a small chunk is missing, we found the large part of the tine. Just wondering how I would go about repairing it for him so that it looks good when mounted on the plaque. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!
Anyhow, a small chunk is missing, we found the large part of the tine. Just wondering how I would go about repairing it for him so that it looks good when mounted on the plaque. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!
12-02-2013, 05:16 PM
#3
Fork Horn
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: WISCONSIN
Posts: 482
Talk to a taxidermist....
I had my first buck as a kid (age 14) repaired. I attached a photo (deer on the left) - The G4 was broken off right at the G3.
It looks pretty damn good, gotta be up close to tell, and this deer was mounted back in 1999.
I had my first buck as a kid (age 14) repaired. I attached a photo (deer on the left) - The G4 was broken off right at the G3.
It looks pretty damn good, gotta be up close to tell, and this deer was mounted back in 1999.
12-04-2013, 04:43 PM
#4
Typical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: SW Montana
Posts: 550
Taxidermists repair/replace antlers all the time. It's not that difficult to do yourself.
A friend of mine had one whitetail deer that he wanted to mount but someone before him had shot off one point.
To fix it I found a shed antler with a point that was close to the same diameter ,size, and shape of the same point on the other antler as the broken point. I then cut off the point from the shed so that when it was attached, it was the same length on both antlers. Then I drilled 5/16" hole 1" deep into the center of the broken point and the replacement point. I then epoxied a 1/4" x 2" threaded rod in the holes, being careful to keep the replacement point pointed the same as the other points on that antler.
After that epoxy dried, I filled the gap with epoxy paste, and when it hardened, I filed and sanded it to the contour of the original point. When all of that was done I took a shed antler and tried various mixes of walnut, pecan, or other wood stains to match the color of the original antler. When I found the correct stain, I stained the patch, and when I returned the antlers to my friend, he had to look at a picture to verify which point had been replaced.
A friend of mine had one whitetail deer that he wanted to mount but someone before him had shot off one point.
To fix it I found a shed antler with a point that was close to the same diameter ,size, and shape of the same point on the other antler as the broken point. I then cut off the point from the shed so that when it was attached, it was the same length on both antlers. Then I drilled 5/16" hole 1" deep into the center of the broken point and the replacement point. I then epoxied a 1/4" x 2" threaded rod in the holes, being careful to keep the replacement point pointed the same as the other points on that antler.
After that epoxy dried, I filled the gap with epoxy paste, and when it hardened, I filed and sanded it to the contour of the original point. When all of that was done I took a shed antler and tried various mixes of walnut, pecan, or other wood stains to match the color of the original antler. When I found the correct stain, I stained the patch, and when I returned the antlers to my friend, he had to look at a picture to verify which point had been replaced.
01-08-2014, 04:29 AM
#5
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 9,230
Taxidermists sometimes will make a cast of the same point/horn on the opposite side. Once it is made they cut away the damaged area and make the surface flush. Then it is a simple matter to drill holes in the base of the area where it is cut off and the base of the cast and glue a pin of the proper size in place. They then fill in the area around the seam with what is basically bondo and stain the area to match the original antler/horn. If they do the job right you literally can't tell the difference.
I once shot a Vaal Rhebok in South Africa that was missing about 4 inches off one horn from an old break and the above is exactly how they repaired it. I had the animal done life size and unless you look very closely from exactly the right angle you can't see the repair. If the light hits it exactly right you can see a very small area where the surface texture is different and that is all but the way the mount is displayed that side it towards the wall anyway.
I once shot a Vaal Rhebok in South Africa that was missing about 4 inches off one horn from an old break and the above is exactly how they repaired it. I had the animal done life size and unless you look very closely from exactly the right angle you can't see the repair. If the light hits it exactly right you can see a very small area where the surface texture is different and that is all but the way the mount is displayed that side it towards the wall anyway.
01-08-2014, 09:23 AM
#6
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Virginia / West Virginia
Posts: 4,906
So the tine was probably 8" long, curved inwards at the top (G2). We found the main piece, and another small peice. It looked to us that there was another small peice missing, but turns out that it was not. It was only some small slivers at the point of the break. My dad had some superglue - so he glued the pieces together and let it set up good, then superglued them back onto the rack.
Then he filled in the small cracks/gaps with white elmers glue he had. He had to do that a couple times as it shrank up, but finally got the cracks filled up completely and honestly it looks fine. You can tell if you look at it up close because you can see the lines where the glue is. But from standing 4-5 ft away (plaque mount on wall) you can't tell. Looks great. Total cost of repair: $0
I'm guessing a taxi would have used some sort of epoxy and stain and maybe it wouldn't have been noticable at all even up close, but as it is for a plaque mount (and free repair)... looks awesome.
Then he filled in the small cracks/gaps with white elmers glue he had. He had to do that a couple times as it shrank up, but finally got the cracks filled up completely and honestly it looks fine. You can tell if you look at it up close because you can see the lines where the glue is. But from standing 4-5 ft away (plaque mount on wall) you can't tell. Looks great. Total cost of repair: $0
I'm guessing a taxi would have used some sort of epoxy and stain and maybe it wouldn't have been noticable at all even up close, but as it is for a plaque mount (and free repair)... looks awesome.
