A question about bone covers

akadave2

akadave2

Joined
Jun 21, 2008
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I have read that Case sources their cattle shinbone material from south america? With the millions of cattle that I am guessing that are slaughtered and processed in the US each year, why not have a domestic source? I also assume that other than for bone meal, they are a waste byproduct and the cost as a raw material would be negligable? Am I missing something?
 
If I recall correctly, and I may be wrong, the shin bones of the Brazilian cattle were considered denser and superior for the purpose. Probably to do with the difference in feed and range conditions.
(And, I'm sure cost factors into it as well along the line.)
 
Might be missing a little thing called labor. Looks like it would be offset by transportation cost however.
 
Blues said:
If I recall correctly, and I may be wrong, the shin bones of the Brazilian cattle were considered denser and superior for the purpose. Probably to do with the difference in feed and range conditions.
(And, I'm sure cost factors into it as well along the line.)
Click to expand...

I recall that as well, Elliot, and I think you're also right about the reason for the difference. American cattle are fed quickly and slaughtered relatively young, compared to cattle in Brazil, Argentina, and Chile, so their bones don't have as much time to dense. Kinda like old growth pine is a lot harder than modern plantation pine.
 
South American cattle are free ranged for a few years so their bones are much denser because of use and age and none GMO food ;-)))

Regards

Robin
 
I remember reading that Case gets their bone from South American raised zebu. I also remember reading somewhere that we (the US) get much of our mass-produced beef (like fast food beef) from South America. It could simply be a matter of quantity, as meat (and the accompanying bones) gets shipped from there to here, or it could be that zebu have more suitable bones than the typical cow(s) we raise in the US. Or both.
 
heard from a factory higher up worker at GEC, that they use good old american cow bone. and usa cow takes color better cuz they don't soak it in oils. that's what i heard. hookblade
 
oh yeah, they had a sample s.a. cow bone and a hunk of our cow bone. the foreign bone was yellowish and heavy. our cow bone was white and much lighter. and the lack of oil lets the bone absorb the dyes better. think that's why you get a lot of case knifes that the handles have more light color near the bolsters. dye doesn't soak in as deep and then the color is hafted out a bit more. hookblade
 
I suspect it is to do with the type of dye CASE uses and their process. S.American bone has been used for a long time and it is likely to do with their cattle being more free range. Can't see cost being a factor really due to transport distances etc.

GEC uses Primitive Bone which they claim is selected from exhumed bones that have been buried for 60 or so years in the US. (Have to check the wording o the tube) but all I know is, it gives one of the most interesting and varied bone handles around.
 
willgoy said:
I suspect it is to do with the type of dye CASE uses and their process. S.American bone has been used for a long time and it is likely to do with their cattle being more free range. Can't see cost being a factor really due to transport distances etc.

GEC uses Primitive Bone which they claim is selected from exhumed bones that have been buried for 60 or so years in the US. (Have to check the wording o the tube) but all I know is, it gives one of the most interesting and varied bone handles around.
Click to expand...

Exhumed cow bones? Who buries a cow?
 
I have used and dyed both S.A. and U.S. for some time. I do believe the S.A. bone from
Zebu cattle is more dense. As far as dying and oil in the bone I can't get any bone to dye
reliably without first getting oil into the bone.
Ken.
 
Here's a Camillus that was customized by Oupa with vintage Australian cattle bone. Apparently the bone was recovered during earth-moving where a slaughterhouse had once stood. The bone is naturally colored from being buried in the soil.

OupaCamillus.jpg
 
bob w, thats a pretty knife. the mottling or etching on the base of the blade is pretty neat looking. never seen something like that before.
 
I've never seen anything like it either. Plenty of makers and modders hammer the bolsters and other hardware parts, but to have it 'spread' out onto the blade is rather unique.
 
It deserves something better than a five-year-old flatbed scanned image, that's for sure.
The craftsman is a famous knife customizer (and maker?) by the name of Oupa. Also used the name "Oupa's Outback Forge." He used to be quite active on several knife-enthusiast online forums, but it's been a while since I've heard his name on BF.
 
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