buttons from deer antler?

lurker

Member
Feb 13, 2012
16
0
pembs
can i make buttons from deer antler ? bit worried that the honeycomb center wont be strong enough, anyone made some?
 

Albus Culter

Maker
Jan 14, 2013
1,379
1
West Yorkshire
Reindeer is really dense so would be fine. However if you stay up near a tine there should be less marrow. As said, superglue works well as a hardener.
Otherwise take slices off the side rather than cross sections and shape these round, or any other shape you want.
 

Colin.W

Nomad
May 3, 2009
294
0
Weston Super Mare Somerset UK
The antler I used for my bow stand was solid all the way through. the piece I trimmed off the end the dog has, she crunches through bones no trouble but the piece of antler is proving a lot tougher for her to bit through
 

Toddy

Mod
Mod
Jan 21, 2005
39,133
4,809
S. Lanarkshire
Fishfish has the right of it.
I still have deer antler buttons that were cut for my brothers' lovat jackets that they wore with their kilts, and they are cut from the side of the antler and miss out the 'honeycomb' centre.

cheers,
Toddy
 

Toddy

Mod
Mod
Jan 21, 2005
39,133
4,809
S. Lanarkshire
eh ?
If I'm prepared to cough up a load of cash I can buy them by the thousand.....they're cut out by machine these days, and they match.

The ones I have here are the ones my Grandpa cut by hand (he used a wee coping saw) and they all match in both size and thickness.

cheers,
Toddy
 

Toddy

Mod
Mod
Jan 21, 2005
39,133
4,809
S. Lanarkshire
I went googling to see if the Americans were different; they are, they call the kind made here 'Austrian buttons', and they show the outside of antler on the surface.

Ours are done like this these days, but copying the handmade ones,
http://www.highlandhorn.com/sambar-stag-antler/buttons/149.html

While the American's have both, our kind called Austrian buttons, and the others showing the inner blood vessels.
http://www.favourvalley.com/Buttons.php

I still think they'd be more sound cut from the outside though; maybe I'm culturally biased though :D

M
 

Llwyd

Forager
Jan 6, 2013
243
2
Eastern Canada
I'm not american but thanks. The ones I make are not processed to be pretty, just functional. To much emphasis is placed on having and taking photos of pretty gear on the internet.

Quite likely as toddy's grandfather was in Scotland and you're in Eastern Canada

I thought the British invented sarcasm?
 

Toddy

Mod
Mod
Jan 21, 2005
39,133
4,809
S. Lanarkshire
LLoyd, I used American the same way the Colonials use British.

I do know that from most of the deer antler I've seen here, I wouldn't trust a button with the holes through the blood vessels bit. Perhaps N. American one's are more dense ? :dunno:

The link that called our kind Austrian was interesting though; it implied that the type I know is common throughout Europe.

cheers,
Toddy
 

Llwyd

Forager
Jan 6, 2013
243
2
Eastern Canada
We have not been a colony since 1867 either? I believe Britain has been around a lot longer regardless of regional turmoil and sentimentality.

Curious? I post my experience making stuff from deer and moose and get jumped on. Instead of asking questions about the process, I get; 'not possible unless it is OUR way'.

Very curious? I do not see this on other British forum.
 

Toddy

Mod
Mod
Jan 21, 2005
39,133
4,809
S. Lanarkshire
Take a deep breath and read though the thread again.
You are the one who contadicted folks here who make them.

I found links that clearly explained the discrepancies.
You carped.

I explained.
You carped.

Colonial is a term Brits use for all of the countries that were originally part of the British red bits on the Atlas.

You carped and insist that no other forum treats your replies this way ? somehow I really doubt that.

Is it so boring sat there in the snow that you need to conflate a discussion into an argument ?

Toddy
 

demographic

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Apr 15, 2005
4,742
760
-------------
Any I've seen have been made from the outer hard part of the antler or horn.

Well apart from the toggles in dufflecoats that are made from the points, thing is there's not that many points compared to the amount of the rest of the antler.
 

Llwyd

Forager
Jan 6, 2013
243
2
Eastern Canada
You are the one who contadicted folks here who make them.

I pointed out how to strengthen them and that cutting from a conical object means you need lots of cones to match sizes (when cut from the round) nothing more. There is less waste and less work this way. I make no statements that it is the only way or a better way. It is just another way...

Then we somehow went all Jingoistic?

Which is sad really.
 

demographic

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Apr 15, 2005
4,742
760
-------------
I've never seen the term Colonial as being an insult to be honest.
More often its a term of endearment.

Err.

Anyway, those buttons.
 

BCUK Shop

We have a a number of knives, T-Shirts and other items for sale.

SHOP HERE