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would antlers work for bridge pins, i've set up my lathe to make some pins.

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Frank

Probably and it would help if you take the deer off first.....

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Ann Arbor Guitars

I have used Black horn antelope antler, white tail deer antler and recently Amber Buffalo horn from Cambodia and Vietnam. I love the Amber Buffalo horn from Check Andy Depaule’s site.

Might work better that way Hesh, but it sure would be more interesting with the deer still attached!

dave

That would take all the sport out of it!

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Gravity, its not just a good idea.....its the LAW! (the poster formerly known as Sparticus)

Yeah Dave my friend it might sound like a chicken on the rotisserie grill when the strings come untied......

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Ann Arbor Guitars

putting the antlers in the lathe with deer still attached, i think i would have to come get your pink vacuum to clean that up...

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Frank

Frank it's RED not pink.......

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Ann Arbor Guitars

Mmmmm .. thinly shaved spiral venison sandwiches ... whose in for some !!!

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Tony Karol
www.karol-guitars.com
"let my passion .. fulfill yours"

i have some raindeer antlers that i picked up in lapland over xmas i picked them up for knife handles but i was thinking about using them for nuts as well.
but on closer inspection it seems to have open pores especialy near the center of the horn and as such i think they may not be suitable.
they also had elk horn there but i did not have a close look at that.

i have a feeling that it would vary alot between samples so you may be lucky once and a the perfect materiel and the next time it may be rubbish

the only thing to do is give it try i would be interested in the results as raindeer antlers are thrown away in finland as they fall off the animals every year.

Joel

Just my guess here, but I think that as far as antlers go, you may find the elk antlers work well in that they are massive enough to get the cortex of the antler, rather than some of the more porous vascular sections. Horn is probably a better material, as far as uniformity.

And most certainly, if youre turning the whole deer on the lathe, as Norm would say, "make sure to read, understand, and follow the safety instructions and never forget the most important safety feature...these; safety glasses."

Darrin

Also... if this particular deer was alive during the European mini-ice age or just liked it's white clothes super white and was a bleach user in their GE Super Sized washing machine the antlers may sound incredible........

And as Darrin suggested be safe, if the legs and hooves are still on it perhaps hold off on turning on the lathe until you have dawned an athletic cup and catcher's mask......

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Ann Arbor Guitars

Frank, you can probably find an area in the antler that would be solid enough for turning. I've cut it, drilled it, and polished it lots of times. But if you ever sell your guitar, you should swap out the antler bridge pins. Laws may vary from state to state (I don't know) but in my state, it's strictly illegal to sell parts of wildlife. I suppose farm-raised antler would be another matter.

You guys gave me a real belly laugh with that mental image of a deer turning on the lathe.

I live in Vietnam and can get as many water buffalo horns as anyone wants.

Shipping and customs may be a problem unless I make the pins here.

I'll find out how hard they are.