I am working on a couple bows right now and the guys I am making them for both want antler for the tips of the bow. I cut off a section of the antler and ground the back flat. Roughing up the back with 60 grit sandpaper I then glued them to the bow. First try I used smooth on and the second try superglue. Neither one wants to work for me. I got the same results both times they just pop right off. Does anyone have any ideas what I might be doing wrong or leaving out?

You need to get some thin super glue and back fill the back side until it wont take anymore. Then sand it smooth, then glue it on. It is sucking up all your glue and popping free if you dont back fill the pithy stuff.

Thanks Pearl drums I knew there was something I wasn't doing right.

Yup, antler is very porous in the center.

Is the glue surface on the limb slightly curved, against the sanded flat antler piece?   That could contribute to your issue.  

Its a lot of trouble, but....  It's possible to soak your antler pieces in water, to get some pliability.   Clamp it to your limb tip glue surface.  Then allow to dry to curve/fit overnight.  Once dry, use smooth on for the surest bond.

The glue surface will be flat after its back filled to full and sanded flat. That's another advantage to back filling all antler overlays.

Antler has fat in it and will shrink under heat.
I grind my pieces fairly thin with 40 grit. I then soak in acetone over night followed by heat with a heat gun. I then grind them thin. You must be careful as it is very hard and has a tendency to polish instead of becoming rough.

I have never back filled, I always use smooth on, and I  haven't lost a tip or overlay since adopting this method.
Oh...I go through about 6 or so decent size moose palms per year.
BigJim

Antler has fat in it and will shrink under heat.
I grind my pieces fairly thin with 40 grit. I then soak in acetone over night followed by heat with a heat gun. I then grind them thin. You must be careful as it is very hard and has a tendency to polish instead of becoming rough.

I have never back filled, I always use smooth on, and I  haven't lost a tip or overlay since adopting this method.
Oh...I go through about 6 or so decent size moose palms per year.
BigJim

For curved surfaces grind the antler flat to thickness you desire. Throw it in a can of water and leave a couple of days. Take it out and clamp it to the tip of the bow and let dry. This forms a perfect fit. glue surface with a couple of coats of Gorilla rubber added superglue . fine sand and then glue on with just a fine line of super glue in the middle of the tip. Clean all surfaces , bow and tip with acetone first.
I pre-sand the antler to the bow tip before glueing. I use either gorilla super glue or Smooth on about equally. Have not lost a tip using either glue since I started doing antler this way.

God bless, Steve

Antler wont stay on it contracts and expands with humidity and temperature you will have to replace tip overlays from time to time. Try horn it works great and looks good, pronghorn and sheep horn are best bison horn works well but is just black .

big mistake with antler tips is to have them too thick. Grind them thin. 1/8th or less leaving only the culm and attach them the way Big Jim and I have described and they will stay.
God bless, Steve