I recently bough a nice set of Elk antlers. I don't know where they were kept or for now long, but they need a cleaning to remove dirt, dust, etc. Any suggestions on how to do it without ruining the antlers?

You can use cleaners like Fantastic or 409 to clean them with. Most chemicals want hurt them as long as they don't have bleech in them. Don't use bleech! Use a brush something like a tire brush to scrub with. Just keep scrubbing until you like what you see. It would be very hard to mess up because they are tough. If they still have hair and skin on the skull plate that you don't want anything to happen to them avoid getting the hair and skin wet. You can clean the hair with a dry stiff brush and take a air hose and blow it out or a vacuum cleaner.

After washing if the antlers look a little dull take some Pledge dust wax and spray them with it and buff. It will especially give the tips of the antlers a nice little shine.

If the color is good on them, just wipe them with a damp cloth. A mixture of 50/50 boiled linseed oil and turpentine can then be rubbed on with a cloth. Wipe off any excess and you are done. This gives them a nice realistic luster. I do not use this mixture or any other oils on horns, only on antlers.

If they have been in the sun a while and are faded, the colors should be restored first. This staining is best done by your taxidermist. Good luck.

quote:

This staining is best done by your taxidermist.

AGREED!!!



Wilberts Lemon oil also works great