Another question about using jigged bone

jonnymac44

jonnymac44

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Sep 27, 2007
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Well, I got a few more sets of jigged bone scales in the mail today from Culpepper and I have a couple questions.

First, I was trying out a couple different things today and discovered that dyed bone makes some of the messiest dust ever if you sand it dry, but if you sand it wet, it essentially makes a super dark paint out of the water or windex that stains the bench and your hands. Is there a "preferred" way of finishing bone?

Second, the scales I got are radius cut, so a few challenges arise when it comes to drilling. How do you guys lay the bone radius side down on your drill press table and keep it steady to get a straight hole without it rocking back and forth?

Last, once I do my final shaping, sanding, polishing, etc. do I need to seal the bone?

Thanks for any advice.
 
one thing you can do is make you a fixture to hold your blade horizontal and level. You clamp the blade and put your bone scale on the bottom side of the tang to drill your holes through the tang into the bone scales. Double tape the back side to help prevent tear out. Do one side then flip and do the other.
 
I file the scales to 90% finished, then final sand to 400 grit, buff with 0000 steel wool, the buff with green rouge.
I lightly super glue the first scale on, then drill through the tang hole by hand. Then glue the other scale on, and drill through the first scale into the second.
Bone does not need to be sealed, but a coat of wax works well.
 
Bill DeShivs said:
I file the scales to 90% finished, then final sand to 400 grit, buff with 0000 steel wool, the buff with green rouge.
I lightly super glue the first scale on, then drill through the tang hole by hand. Then glue the other scale on, and drill through the first scale into the second.
Bone does not need to be sealed, but a coat of wax works well.
Click to expand...

Sounds good Bill.

Thanks to both of you for some good ideas.:thumbup:
 
That's good information. My bone is still sitting in a jar of oil leather dye but I've been wondering how I was going to drill the holes as well as what to put on it.
 
I took an 1-1/4" spade wood bit and drilled a 3-1/2" piece of 2X4 from the end.Then cut it on the band saw,nice radius to lay the bone or a piece of stag in.
Stan
 
SBuzek said:
I took an 1-1/4" spade wood bit and drilled a 3-1/2" piece of 2X4 from the end.Then cut it on the band saw,nice radius to lay the bone or a piece of stag in.
Stan
Click to expand...

Thanks for the idea, Stan:thumbup: It just so happens that a couple hours ago I took my dremel and sanded out a radius bed in a piece of 1 x 4 pine for the scales to sit in. I think it's going to work pretty good. I hadn't thought of using a spade bit. If I don't get a good fit with what I've done already I'll give the spade bit a try. Heck, I might try it anyway, sounds like a great solution!:thumbup:
 
Johnny
I've got a couple I've done.Cut 1 close to one side for bone so the radius is only about a 1/4" deep,and the the other about a 1/2" deep for stag.
Stan
 
There is alot of dye on the surface I give them a good rubdown with alcohol and then you just get bone dust, lets you see more of the color prior to sanding as well.
 
A lot of this comes up if you are making folders. What I have done is made up a small rectangle of 1/8" steel about 3"X4" and near one end of the length and about center cut and filed a hole about 1/2" square. I can now clamp the liner with the scale positioned on one side of the plate so that the hole to be drilled is visible in the window. I now open my drill press vise so that the plate will straddle it and be level. The hole now becomes very easy to drill, Now just place a correct size pin in this hole and do the other end. Frank.
 
Patrickknives said:
There is alot of dye on the surface I give them a good rubdown with alcohol and then you just get bone dust, lets you see more of the color prior to sanding as well.
Click to expand...

Cool, I'll give that a try too.

Frank, I'm working on fixed blades but that sounds like a good little method of drilling:thumbup:
 
Okay, I learned a few things about working with jigged bone tonight........

First, the jigged bone from Culpepper is much much cleaner and finishes nicer than what I got from Jantz. Jantz is great for lots of things but I don't think bone is one of them. Culpepper's quality is definitely a step above. I wet sanded on a piece of crimson jigged bone from Jantz and it looked like an axe murderer had been on my bench!! My wife walked in and thought I'd had an industrial accident! The Culpepper stuff sands and grinds with very little mess:thumbup:

Second, you need to be very careful when drilling jigged bone scales from the back to the front as the jigged top portion easily chips out and that doesn't look so hot:o It is also a challenge to drill pin holes just right with the radius side down on the drill press table. I think I'm going to have to practice to find a surefire method.

Third, those who have said that grinding bone stinks are absolutely wrong.........it REALLY REALLY stinks!!:barf: But you get used to it:)

Finally, while jigged bone is more expensive, more prone to damage, and a bit more of a pain in rear than G-10 or Micarta, I'm really glad I'm giving this material a shot, because I think I'm going to really like the way it looks on a knife. Too bad I don't have anything heat treated and ready to finish at the moment!
 
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