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Hey folks, I just got back from a weekend in the BC outdoors and found this lying in the bush.



Have any of you used antler before?
Would I treat it the same as bone? Boil the heck out of it and notify all the neighbours when I cut it.

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I am no expert but having made a knife handle from wite tail antler I would think it to porous for nut and saddle material.

I have experimented with Moose antler (I can get truckloads of the stuff) and have found it to soft and porus, muffled the sound.

Rod, you might be able to use it. I would try cutting some-- that should indicate if it is hard enough.

I have a question about boiling it, though.
Is that standard practice? I would think (and mercy, I could be WAY off) that boiling bone--for instance--would drive the fats further into the material?
I'm just asking, because I really don't know how the big shops process the material we use.

I have soaked bone chunks in bleach, which has to be monitored, or it will make the whole piece too "chalky".

Anyway--this could be a fun project. And since you found the antler, you won't be out too much money!

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From Nacogdoches...the oldest town in Texas.

http://www.stephenkinnaird.com

I think that's a great suggestion Steve, Just give it a try, got nothing to loose.

I will look at it under the magnifyer to see if I can see any difference between cow bone, doubt I can, but hey, why not. Maybe I could build a woodsman guitar, locale woods, with the antler nut and saddle as the feature.

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My Facebook Guitar Page

"There's really no wrong way, as long as the results are what's desired." Charles Fox

"We have to constantly remind ourselves what we're doing....No Luthier is putting a man on the moon!" Harry Fleishman

"Generosity is always different in the eye of the person who didn't receive anything, but who wanted some." Waddy Thomson

Sure--or just do the "file test".
If it's hard like ivory or bone, you're good to go.
I like the idea of a guitar using local woods.
And YOU are in a great place to do it!

Steve

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From Nacogdoches...the oldest town in Texas.

http://www.stephenkinnaird.com

Rod, I just got some bone nuts and saddles today from Sam`s over in Taiwan. He set me up with a couple extras if you need `em. He said buffalo, I`m presuming water buffalo. Can`t remember proper name for that critter.
Can anyone tell me if there`s a way to sort out good from bad? Do I really need to concern myself with the subject? I do notice a "grain" in them, and color is pretty consistent, for the most part.

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Give me 50 cents worth of regular.
Check my oil too, if you don`t mind,,,

I've used antler for cane handles and I too think it is too porous for nut and saddle. You might fill the pores with CA and make it work.

Ron

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OLD MAN formerly (and formally) known as:

Ron Wisdom

Somewhere in the middle of Arkansas......