Grit stuck in bone?

[oldanvilyoungsmith]

So I was working with some cowbone yesterday, just messing around making a maori style fishhook necklace. But when I got to the point of polishing it, it looked like the bone had impurities or something in it.

I'm thinking that it must be from grit or something else getting trapped in the bone while I'm working it. Or is it just normal, for bone to be like that. But if it isn't normal, how did I do it, and how should I avoid it next time I work with bone?


Thanks guys, Stephen.

 

[Phil Dwyer]

Was the adverse effect noted before or after polishing? My guess is it was from your polishing. Do you have a CLEAN dedicated buffing wheel? Are you using a white compound? Those are the usual suspects. Sometimes it is possible that some of the porous inner part of the bone gets included in a carving. It is best to avoid those sections. You might enjoy checking out my friend Louie the Fish's site. He carves a LOT of the stuff, none of which has the results you're referring to.

 

[oldanvilyoungsmith]

I really noticed it after the buffing, but I thought I saw some of it as I was getting to the high grits (800-1000).

I did use white compound, but I did not use a dedicated wheel, I used the clean one I use for knife handles and such, with nothing but white compound.

 

[Bill DeShivs]

Scrub it with your fingers, using a thick paste of water, detergent, and baking soda.

 

[oldanvilyoungsmith]

Here are some closeups, the hook has very little in the way of stuck dirt, while the toggle has a handful.