Aging horn and antler turnings

[MSK]

I have a flask with a really nicely turned moose antler spout. The only thing is, the contrast between it (near white) and the body of the flask (brown tiger maple) is way too drastic. I'd like to give the antler a warm, aged look that goes better with the wood. What methods are commonly used?

Thanks, Smollett

 

[omarick1948]

RIT clothing dye, boiled onion skins, aqua fortis,
soak in tea, potassium permanganate, boiled sumac leaves are some of many choices.

Rick

 

[Rifleman1776]

Some methods already offered.
My preferred method is to just use and let it age and patina naturally. IMHO, it will look more natural that way also.

 

[Katahdin]

I have some antler measures packed it wet coffee grounds,waiting to see how it compaires to Tea..

 

[BrownBear]

Best I've found are blood and dirt. Soaks in and stains well, browns with age. Won't soak in if there's wax or finish on the bone/horn, so I simply don't finish it for a season or two, if ever. If you're not a hunter and don't have a bucket of blood handy, then yeah, the other stuff paints them pretty well.

 

[Rickey Brown]

Light brown Feibrings leather dye gives a very pleasing yellow finish

 

[Arrowhead]

I vote for the Fiebing's oil dyes. I've had good luck with them on several antler handles.

 

[LaBonte]

FWIW - horn is a boney material whereas horn is keratin (the same thing as fingernails and hair) s0 different products tend to work better on the different materials.
As others have noted leather dye works especially good on antler - in my experience the Fiebing's regular spirit dyes work as well as the more expensive Oil dye (a misnomer since there is NO oil in their oil dye - it's advertised as an improvement over the regular spirit dyes).
I use dark brown and thin as needed....

 

[Rickey Brown]

I think you mean antler is bone

 

[LaBonte]

OOPS thanks for catching that Henry and yes antler is a boney material....