# Carved antler whistles



## stickwithdave (Apr 29, 2015)

Hope its alright to post them here.Is there any one else that works antler or horn as I would like to hear from you


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## cobalt (Nov 14, 2013)

I have carved buffalo in the shape of a fish .I like the material and rams horn initials for my wife stick get a lovely finish on the rams horn its so easy to bend and carve

I did mange to get a small sheet of rams horn but have difficulty in getting more

I do have 6 soya sheep's horns but have been told there to thin to turn into a crook. so hoping to have a go at using the ends for carving and turn the rest into horoscope / initials etc. if I can open them up and flatten them

The smell isn't very clever if you get a lot of friction on them so getting the right speed on the flexi tool is essential

Other thing I am interested in is using antler for birds beaks and for teeth to insert into a dragon topper. I haven't used antler but interested in doing so

Whistles look pretty good have made some from hazel off cuts., they tend to split after a while. maybe it was because I didn't oil them.

.


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## Rodney (Jun 12, 2015)

Those are some nice looking whistles. I've made a few wooden ones but nothing like that.

Rodney


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## Gloops (Jan 23, 2015)

Nice set of whistles, I have not done any carving work on horn yet but there is a guy called Sasa Trkulja who posts his work in a group called Woodcarvers and Friends on facebook - open to all group he works on Fallow deer horns and coronets, for interest hav added a couple of pieces of his work - inspirational.


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## stickwithdave (Apr 29, 2015)

They are fantastic works of art nice to see other peoples work


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## gdenby (Apr 27, 2013)

Wonderful detail.

What is carving antler like? Has to be hard, but perhaps it grinds away easily? Does it take stain, or is a natural patina more desirable?


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## cobalt (Nov 14, 2013)

what's it like to drill antler bit of a challenge I would expect It must be like trying to work bone

A good rotary tool would be a must and rasps

buffalo horn must be easy compared to it

gloops

I think for what they are there are very cheap. You couldn't question his skill


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## CV3 (Jan 30, 2014)

I have just turned antler for making pens. Those are great looking whistles. You did a fine job on the bone cane handles you added to the gallery.


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## Whiteroselad (Dec 4, 2015)

All amazing work Stickwithdave! How long would one of those whistles take to make, from starting to carve to finish? N.


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## stickwithdave (Apr 29, 2015)

Gdenby. Antler is a bone it does not have a grain or fibers like wood and horn, so you can get good detail and shine on carvings.Its not as hard as you think I do scrape some with a knife.For my carving I use a foot controlled dremel or you can get a Foredom both have interchangable heads and take diferant size burs or burrs i use mostly dental burs. Cobolt. for birds beaks use rams horn offcuts, for a life like beak. Antler drills easily with a sharp drill bit but it does clog up so drill a little clean the bit and go again. N. The antler i used is whats called a pricket its the first years growth and only gets 6"-9" long the carving is done using the coronet the part that joins the antler to the head. To do a whistle carving takes about 3/4 hour. The carved stick heads i have out in my album took a bit longer the Fox and Wolf 1 1/2 hrs, carved from fallow deer coronets and the buzzard took 2hrs its carved from samber antler no longer available in this country. Dave


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## JJireh (Feb 7, 2013)

Nice whistles, Ive made some Native American flutes, its fun when you can play your creations. Nice carving jobs! Never worked with antler, minor work with horn, no carving.


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## Stickie (Mar 28, 2016)

Nice whistles Dave... I've made a few they make interesting projects for otherwise useless bits of antler or of course buffalo


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