Self Made Knives
Well-Known Member
Went looking for deer sheds, got skunked, but came across a bunch of cow bones. Anyone ever use weathered cow bone for scales? I'm going to cut some it up and see if it's usable. Outside of course.
Bone anyone?
- Thread starter Self Made Knives
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Self Made Knives
Well-Known Member
Self Made Knives
Well-Known Member
Doug Lester
Well-Known Member
Just be aware that cutting and grinding bone doesn't stink, it reeks and can smell up things for days afterwards. Wear a respirator. You really don't want to be breathing in any bone dust.
Doug
Doug
Self Made Knives
Well-Known Member
Yeah, I used some bone that I've bought, just never any "found" stuff. I've got a 4x36 woodworking belt sander on a cart and in the past, I wheeled it over to the shop door to rough out bone. Once its on the blade though, you're stuck inside on your 2x72 and I agree, it'll stink up the shop for days.
These bones have been out there a while I'm guessing. Some had cracks in them right through the flattest part, so I split those on the cracks. Not sure its worth messing with or not.
These bones have been out there a while I'm guessing. Some had cracks in them right through the flattest part, so I split those on the cracks. Not sure its worth messing with or not.
C Craft
Well-Known Member
Anthony,
If you do any of your own stabilization those are prime candidates. The stabilization will benefit them and if you want to dye them, being aged they will take the dye well. I am assuming since they are old there probably is no marrow in them. When the marrow is present after cutting the ends you need to boil them to get rid of the marrow.
I have used them as slabs on one knife. On another knife I needed a thicker handle. I mixed cut up fiberglass mat and mixed with the epoxy. I had the inside of the bone buffed with rough sand paper, I then cleaned the bone and damned it up on the ends with tape. I poured the mix in and let it set up. Once set I then sanded the backside completely flat and due to the cup of the bone, all you see is bone but, that nice flat surface is a lot easier to work with!
Back to the dye if you stabilize and dye at the same time the cracks fill and they will give the piece an awesome look because the cracks will stand out and give it a lot of character. Once stabilized and back filled like I spoke of they are solid as a brick bat!
This is a picture of a friction folder done by Daniel Winkler I pulled off of the net to show you what I was speaking of. The bone (at least I think that is bone) on this knife has been stabilized and I would guess dyed as well and as you can see the cracks in the bone really give the piece a lot of character!
If you do any of your own stabilization those are prime candidates. The stabilization will benefit them and if you want to dye them, being aged they will take the dye well. I am assuming since they are old there probably is no marrow in them. When the marrow is present after cutting the ends you need to boil them to get rid of the marrow.
I have used them as slabs on one knife. On another knife I needed a thicker handle. I mixed cut up fiberglass mat and mixed with the epoxy. I had the inside of the bone buffed with rough sand paper, I then cleaned the bone and damned it up on the ends with tape. I poured the mix in and let it set up. Once set I then sanded the backside completely flat and due to the cup of the bone, all you see is bone but, that nice flat surface is a lot easier to work with!
Back to the dye if you stabilize and dye at the same time the cracks fill and they will give the piece an awesome look because the cracks will stand out and give it a lot of character. Once stabilized and back filled like I spoke of they are solid as a brick bat!
This is a picture of a friction folder done by Daniel Winkler I pulled off of the net to show you what I was speaking of. The bone (at least I think that is bone) on this knife has been stabilized and I would guess dyed as well and as you can see the cracks in the bone really give the piece a lot of character!
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Self Made Knives
Well-Known Member
Yeah, that's what I'm hoping to try. I just got my Cactus Juice setup working last weekend and bone is high on my list to try. The "bought" bone I've used was stabilized and dyed, and I loved it.
BonhamBlades
Well-Known Member
I love the look of aged weathered bone on knives.
Bruce Bump
Forum Owner-Moderator
bone has been used for thousands of years for knife handles. Nowadays mostly on smaller knives especially slip joints. I've cut my own from pet store dog bones, the ones that are already clean and sanitized. I like to slab them and jig a pattern on and dye them too.
Bruce Bump
Forum Owner-Moderator
Hi Bruce, is there any pratical way to get nice home results dyeing bones (or stag)?
It is something i would like to try (i'm a green-horn "slipjointer") and i don't know where to start, i'm a big fan of yours and i would definitely try anything you do
Thanks
Stefano
Yes I,ve gotten good results from buying clean sanitized pet store cow bones and slab them nearly to the desired size, soak them in White Gas (Coleman fuel) not unleaded gasoline like the newer colemans use, until they are translucent and go directly into fieblings leather dye. It takes several days for the process of soaking but it works. They need to be translucent from soaking in the white gas in order to pick up the dye. If the dye doesn't penetrate into the center you didn't soak in the gas long enough.
Bones with meat on them can be used but they need to be boiled well and dried until they are white, no grease left in them.
Its fun actually and inexpensive too. Notice most dyed bone handles are thin scales for a reason. Most all are on pocket knives.
rhinoknives
Well-Known Member
A maker in Mississippi Bruce Evans used to make Bark Bone. He would find old weathered cow bone in the pastures and then had a process to stabilized/dye them with different colors. He had a business with it for a while. Don't know if he still does it? The colors were great but I could just not stand the smell on my clothes and in the shop.:thumbdown::thumbdown: LOL.