Staining bone...

[seminolewind]

Does anyone have any ideas on how to permanently stain deer or elk bones? What would make them a dark brown color?

Thanks !

[thomas h]

potassium permanganate,fiebing leather dye or soak in a strong solution of rit dye --hot.

[Pat B]

Black walnut hulls.

[NeolithicMan]

enough osage shavings boile down gets pretty dark, and darkens with age. charcoal mixed with a turpinetine or similar should work. i have used wood stains with pretty good results

[Zuma]

I did a carving of a deer and plugged in a set of antlers from a skull I found. It was bleached out.
I used a walnut stain and a rag. Apply and wipe to suite. May want to thin the stain on first try.
A brush is good if there are gnarly parts but wipe to keep the drips in check.
That's my lazy way. The other posters have it right for the primitive way.
A well honed pair of antlers have a bit of gloss to them so a sprits of poly or a good
 oil can help in that department.
All the best
Zuma
Oh btw the antlers I did are in a thread 8 point wood carving. This forum

[mullet]

Walnut shell stain, shoe polish, Arab coffee.

[Adam]

I had good luck soaking them in plain old Coke for a few days.  I'm not sure what the acidity does for the strength though.

[seminolewind]

Thanks for all the good ideas as usual guys !

[bowtarist]

Not sure what you're wanting to make, but tru oil brings out the natural colors in both bone and antler. Doesn't change the color, but will bring the darker colors out.  Two knives I last posted, Deep Penetration Knives post, I used tru oil.  Joe York told me to use tru oil on bleached antler to bring the color back into it, that's where I got the idea.

[Gus]

you can also use a strong solution of tea or coffee to stain bone...

-gus

[bowtarist]

you can also use a strong solution of tea or coffee to stain bone...

-gus

Works on my teeth! 

[Scottski]

I was thinking tea or coffee grounds enough to cover the bones with a lil water also.