Bone for Handle Material?

[ClydeWigg3]

Anybody use bone (as in a cow or deer leg bone) for handle material, or is it too brittle? Any special treatment it needs before use?

 

[Barkes Knife Shop]

Anybody use bone (as in a cow or deer leg bone) for handle material, or is it too brittle? Any special treatment it needs before use?

Most of the bone you get from knife suppliers are leg bone from a cow. And it will work great on the knives. Some leg bone can be brittle if its been setting around awhile.

One of the best ways in preserving this is to keep it out of the air. If you can place in a shrink wrap bag and store in a controlled environment. This will prevent the air from drying out the bone.

Terry

 

[LRB]

I use bone a lot. It can be a tad brittle as to pins, or rivets, or if accidentaly dropped on a hard surface. Other than that, it works easily with a file, or grinder, just don't overheat it. It can be stabilized, but I just wipe my own bone gripped knife with mineral oil every now and then. I like it, some don't. Deer leg bone is to thin for all but small grips if slabbed, but if making a hidden tang knife, can be fitted, and epoxied over a wood core, and be very strong. It often chips out upon drill bit exit, but there are bits designed to prevent, or minimize this. Or you can stop just as the very point emerges, and then finish the hole from that side, with a very slow entry. Pins must be no tighter than a push fit at the least, or you risk cracking. It sands well, and polishes beautifully.

 

[Dixieblade57]

Clydewigg3
Tried to check your profile and its not filled out, so don't have clue to your experience.
You just got great advice from two of our memebers!
There are several places you can order stuff like that from. If you are just starting out, or want something to practice with go to some place that sells the already cleaned and bleached dog bones. I have used them before and once sliced you have to sand to flatten but it's the real thing! They are usually shrink wrapped and you can look through the bones for the ones that have the best usable profile. Here is a link to what I am talking about!

http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3225501

I have discovered cow bone is hard enough that it is hard to schrimshaw, I finally gave up and used a dremmel to burnish what I wanted into the bone, and yes I know thats not the proper way to do it!