CaliWoodsman
Lil-Rokslider
I’ve had these two sets of antlers sitting next to the house for I believe 6 and 7 years now. It’s been eating at me that I let them get in such bad shape. While they’re no trophy according to B&C, they each meant a great deal to me. So with a little time to kill I set out to try to bring them back to life.
Here’s the starting point - bleached white, except for the skull caps:
![0CA44810-89C7-4F0B-814F-B006A69FA257.jpeg 0CA44810-89C7-4F0B-814F-B006A69FA257.jpeg](https://forumdata.rokslide.com/file/forumdata/data/attachments/489/489690-8b97252c4a8d31c39044eaa200a19cae.jpg)
![666DF480-BA5D-409B-9383-6C76B8C93F89.jpeg 666DF480-BA5D-409B-9383-6C76B8C93F89.jpeg](https://forumdata.rokslide.com/file/forumdata/data/attachments/489/489689-6dbd5c89e807b86b3f506bbf8b37e5fa.jpg)
First things first, in to a pot to simmer. First simmered with some Dawn soap, then new water with some Oxiclean. They came out looking a lot better:
![B576BB77-3021-460A-8CAB-DAE002FA92F0.jpeg B576BB77-3021-460A-8CAB-DAE002FA92F0.jpeg](https://forumdata.rokslide.com/file/forumdata/data/attachments/489/489691-5ff61b7f2ffdb01e4f609a058d1cb1f4.jpg)
![43A5E58D-8A51-4F05-9875-DC12B07AA9EA.jpeg 43A5E58D-8A51-4F05-9875-DC12B07AA9EA.jpeg](https://forumdata.rokslide.com/file/forumdata/data/attachments/489/489693-ecaf8f3d7f3658f581bf0c1341651c77.jpg)
Let it dry, then hit it with a coat of Briwax in Mid-brown. Here’s the first coat on one antler:
![05C0EF71-B957-4E7B-ACBD-57D32E6BC226.jpeg 05C0EF71-B957-4E7B-ACBD-57D32E6BC226.jpeg](https://forumdata.rokslide.com/file/forumdata/data/attachments/489/489692-365310478d7125f4c2d9f08e21b8fa3e.jpg)
And both antlers with one coat:
![57964846-9CC5-4447-95EA-B4F362ADB2DB.jpeg 57964846-9CC5-4447-95EA-B4F362ADB2DB.jpeg](https://forumdata.rokslide.com/file/forumdata/data/attachments/489/489694-5c75147b0f02a668bfd4f1c3ec82c8f9.jpg)
The color seemed pretty good after one coat, but I wanted a second coat to try to protect and preserve the antlers as much as possible. The second coat darkened them up considerably:
![A19EC959-DA4F-47D0-85FA-BDFA0299EE0B.jpeg A19EC959-DA4F-47D0-85FA-BDFA0299EE0B.jpeg](https://forumdata.rokslide.com/file/forumdata/data/attachments/489/489695-5fbe0b20302f1ef518706d0a2329864f.jpg)
Let them sit for a couple days, then hit them with some steel wool which lightened them right up to just about perfect:
![EBAF01C7-9955-46B2-91BC-925FAF6D7698.jpeg EBAF01C7-9955-46B2-91BC-925FAF6D7698.jpeg](https://forumdata.rokslide.com/file/forumdata/data/attachments/489/489696-79fdf98e776e096b04297eccecde9989.jpg)
![139E53BB-FD15-4F55-8B8B-F49A27CB53A8.jpeg 139E53BB-FD15-4F55-8B8B-F49A27CB53A8.jpeg](https://forumdata.rokslide.com/file/forumdata/data/attachments/489/489697-8e5334ea177b9c2fae074453c234aeb2.jpg)
Honestly I’m surprised how well they turned out. Their color is just about spot on. They’re now moving into the garage next to a few euro mounts.
Here’s the starting point - bleached white, except for the skull caps:
![0CA44810-89C7-4F0B-814F-B006A69FA257.jpeg 0CA44810-89C7-4F0B-814F-B006A69FA257.jpeg](https://forumdata.rokslide.com/file/forumdata/data/attachments/489/489690-8b97252c4a8d31c39044eaa200a19cae.jpg)
![666DF480-BA5D-409B-9383-6C76B8C93F89.jpeg 666DF480-BA5D-409B-9383-6C76B8C93F89.jpeg](https://forumdata.rokslide.com/file/forumdata/data/attachments/489/489689-6dbd5c89e807b86b3f506bbf8b37e5fa.jpg)
First things first, in to a pot to simmer. First simmered with some Dawn soap, then new water with some Oxiclean. They came out looking a lot better:
![B576BB77-3021-460A-8CAB-DAE002FA92F0.jpeg B576BB77-3021-460A-8CAB-DAE002FA92F0.jpeg](https://forumdata.rokslide.com/file/forumdata/data/attachments/489/489691-5ff61b7f2ffdb01e4f609a058d1cb1f4.jpg)
![43A5E58D-8A51-4F05-9875-DC12B07AA9EA.jpeg 43A5E58D-8A51-4F05-9875-DC12B07AA9EA.jpeg](https://forumdata.rokslide.com/file/forumdata/data/attachments/489/489693-ecaf8f3d7f3658f581bf0c1341651c77.jpg)
Let it dry, then hit it with a coat of Briwax in Mid-brown. Here’s the first coat on one antler:
![05C0EF71-B957-4E7B-ACBD-57D32E6BC226.jpeg 05C0EF71-B957-4E7B-ACBD-57D32E6BC226.jpeg](https://forumdata.rokslide.com/file/forumdata/data/attachments/489/489692-365310478d7125f4c2d9f08e21b8fa3e.jpg)
And both antlers with one coat:
![57964846-9CC5-4447-95EA-B4F362ADB2DB.jpeg 57964846-9CC5-4447-95EA-B4F362ADB2DB.jpeg](https://forumdata.rokslide.com/file/forumdata/data/attachments/489/489694-5c75147b0f02a668bfd4f1c3ec82c8f9.jpg)
The color seemed pretty good after one coat, but I wanted a second coat to try to protect and preserve the antlers as much as possible. The second coat darkened them up considerably:
![A19EC959-DA4F-47D0-85FA-BDFA0299EE0B.jpeg A19EC959-DA4F-47D0-85FA-BDFA0299EE0B.jpeg](https://forumdata.rokslide.com/file/forumdata/data/attachments/489/489695-5fbe0b20302f1ef518706d0a2329864f.jpg)
Let them sit for a couple days, then hit them with some steel wool which lightened them right up to just about perfect:
![EBAF01C7-9955-46B2-91BC-925FAF6D7698.jpeg EBAF01C7-9955-46B2-91BC-925FAF6D7698.jpeg](https://forumdata.rokslide.com/file/forumdata/data/attachments/489/489696-79fdf98e776e096b04297eccecde9989.jpg)
![139E53BB-FD15-4F55-8B8B-F49A27CB53A8.jpeg 139E53BB-FD15-4F55-8B8B-F49A27CB53A8.jpeg](https://forumdata.rokslide.com/file/forumdata/data/attachments/489/489697-8e5334ea177b9c2fae074453c234aeb2.jpg)
Honestly I’m surprised how well they turned out. Their color is just about spot on. They’re now moving into the garage next to a few euro mounts.