ANST - Re: Pewter/tin

[j'lynn yeates]

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> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-ansteorra at ansteorra.org
> [mailto:owner-ansteorra at ansteorra.org]On Behalf Of 
> gunnora at realtime.net

> and I know for a fact that the Vikings cast into antler.

in just about every bronze and early-mid iron age celtic site where
metal casting was done, you will find numerous bone molds, especially
for the finer, jewelry grade work (and stone for the courser,
industrial "production" level work) 
 
> I've done a little silver casting into antler molds.  You want the
> hard, solid  part of the antler, not the spongy inner sections, of
> course. The antler should  be fairly fresh, i.e., not dried up,
> cracked and powdery due to long exposure to  the elements.  

in the past, i've used dense bone for molds for silver & bronze with
good result for small pieces ... for the bone molds, i snag the large
cow femur's sold as soup bones at my grocery, & toss them to the
hounds as "treats".  after they and the ants have cleaned them, i
pick them up and toss them in the bone-box prior to mowing.  when
mold material (or doing a bone piece) there's a ready supply of
thick, dense bone ready to be worked for whatever is required (makes
nice hair and clothing ornaments ... and blackens nicely)
 
> If you decide to go with antler for molds, unless you're doing
> something pretty tiny the whitetail antlers we have around here
> aren't big enough.  The best commercial source for antler, and one
> that's surprisingly affordable, is Moscow Dead Animal Bits (Moscow
> Hide and Fur, http://www.hideandfur.com).    

or if you need it *now* and are in the Austin area, there's a skull &
antler dealer over on N.Lamar (next to the power distribution station
just north of the 2222/Koneig intersection) that usually has a good
selection of animal skulls, hides, and antler.  lots of local stuff,
but with some exotic and northern imports (have purchased elk antler
from thim before and have seen moose in the bins) ... the guy usually
has a large stuffed lion out next to the street so it's hard to miss
... and from past experience, they are open to a bit of bargaining on
the prices (had a sprited bargaining session over a horse skull a few
months back that was a pleasure ... grin).

'wolf

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