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Community => Taxidermy & Scoring => Topic started by: CJ1962 on November 03, 2020, 07:55:50 AM


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Title: How to blacken Antelope horns?
Post by: CJ1962 on November 03, 2020, 07:55:50 AM
Working on a DIY Antelope Euro mount.  It's going well, but before permanently attaching the horns I would like to darken/blacken them more.  Any tips on what to use for this would be great.

TIA
Title: Re: How to blacken Antelope horns?
Post by: KP-Skagit on November 03, 2020, 08:08:03 AM
I would think black boot polish would do the trick.

Out of curiosity how did you handle the sheaths? I am doing the same right now, but the sheaths did not pull off. Initially I didn't worry about it but I have since heard they can smell for a while before they set up naturally.
Title: Re: How to blacken Antelope horns?
Post by: CJ1962 on November 03, 2020, 08:27:22 AM
I was able to get the inner sheath off by slicing it lengthwise with a knife and pulling/pealing it off.  I did this right after pulling the outer horn off while everything was still hot.
Title: Re: How to blacken Antelope horns?
Post by: buglebuster on November 03, 2020, 09:13:28 AM
This stuff is what I use (https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20201103/17d8497c99d670b6b6d0ae9209903511.jpg)
Title: Re: How to blacken Antelope horns?
Post by: Pathfinder101 on November 04, 2020, 12:11:46 PM
I would think black boot polish would do the trick.

Out of curiosity how did you handle the sheaths? I am doing the same right now, but the sheaths did not pull off. Initially I didn't worry about it but I have since heard they can smell for a while before they set up naturally.

We popped ours off about 30 minutes into the boil.  Wasn't easy though.  Took my 21 year old and I some real pulling to do it.  One skull we got one horn off, then had to put it back in the boil for another 10 minutes before we could get the other one off.
 When you get that horn off, you'll see why they tell you to pull them off.  There's a lot of gooey organic material in there that you want to get rid of. 
Title: Re: How to blacken Antelope horns?
Post by: Pathfinder101 on November 04, 2020, 12:13:23 PM
I was able to get the inner sheath off by slicing it lengthwise with a knife and pulling/pealing it off.  I did this right after pulling the outer horn off while everything was still hot.
That's what we did.  One peeled off in the boil.  The other 3 we had to slice off with a knife.
Title: Re: How to blacken Antelope horns?
Post by: buglebuster on November 04, 2020, 12:24:08 PM
If you macerate them the horns fall off in their own
Title: Re: How to blacken Antelope horns?
Post by: Pathfinder101 on November 04, 2020, 12:55:12 PM
If you macerate them the horns fall off in their own

I have macerated a deer skull and a bear skull.  I can confirm that macerating causes everything to fall off.

Flesh. 
Fat. 
Cartilage.

Nasal tissue (yours)
Your sex life
your relationship with your neighbors
old friendships...
 :puke:
Title: Re: How to blacken Antelope horns?
Post by: Ballance1 on November 06, 2020, 07:26:41 PM
 Boiled linseed oil and Turpentine mixed 50/50 wiped on with a rag
Title: Re: How to blacken Antelope horns?
Post by: Geoduck Duck Goose on November 12, 2020, 06:27:29 PM
That Old English trick is something I've heard of others using as well. Maybe next time, I'll give it a shot.
Title: Re: How to blacken Antelope horns?
Post by: MADMAX on November 12, 2020, 06:30:36 PM
Kiwi black shoe polish
Title: Re: How to blacken Antelope horns?
Post by: Caseknife on November 18, 2020, 08:36:44 PM
Skidmore Liquid Beeswax does wonders, nourishes the horns as well as darkens them. They won't dry out as easily.
Title: Re: How to blacken Antelope horns?
Post by: HUNTINCOUPLE on November 18, 2020, 09:05:45 PM
If you macerate them the horns fall off in their own

I have macerated a deer skull and a bear skull.  I can confirm that macerating causes everything to fall off.

Flesh. 
Fat. 
Cartilage.

Nasal tissue (yours)
Your sex life
your relationship with your neighbors
old friendships...
 :puke:


It ain't all that bad. :dunno: :chuckle:
Title: Re: How to blacken Antelope horns?
Post by: Pathfinder101 on November 19, 2020, 08:41:04 AM
If you macerate them the horns fall off in their own

I have macerated a deer skull and a bear skull.  I can confirm that macerating causes everything to fall off.

Flesh. 
Fat. 
Cartilage.

Nasal tissue (yours)
Your sex life
your relationship with your neighbors
old friendships...
 :puke:


It ain't all that bad. :dunno: :chuckle:

My wife, co-workers and dog all beg to differ... :chuckle:
Title: Re: How to blacken Antelope horns?
Post by: Skyvalhunter on November 19, 2020, 09:28:11 AM
For some reason that black on the horns looks unnatural. I just left mine alone. :twocents:
Title: Re: How to blacken Antelope horns?
Post by: bustedoldman on November 19, 2020, 09:32:42 AM
For some reason that black on the horns looks unnatural. I just left mine alone. :twocents:

I thought so too and left mine natural, but I did throw them in the smoker to kill off that funky smell.....
Title: Re: How to blacken Antelope horns?
Post by: Fletch on November 19, 2020, 04:49:14 PM
That goo under the horns is some of the nastiest smelling stuff... few years back my buddy killed a nice buck and the horn popped off when it hit the ground...not knowing, he grabbed that base and began dragging...  his hand stunk in the pickup for the rest of the trip regardless of how much he washed it... that smell is hard to get out of your head..  :o .... I left mine natural as well
Title: Re: How to blacken Antelope horns?
Post by: JTSmith3 on November 21, 2020, 10:23:53 AM
I put my skinned head in a black trash bag and left it in the yard for a week. The horns popped right off. I then boiled the skull. I filled the sheaths with borax and let them dry. Once dry I shook out all of the borax and used a bottle brush to get whatever else I could out. Then I sprayed clear spray paint inside. For the outside of the horns, to keep the dark color I just use WD-40.
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