How to stabilize a crack in bone

jonnymac44

jonnymac44

Joined
Sep 27, 2007
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I've decided to start working with some bone handles on some of my knives and ordered a few sets of jigged scales. I also ordered one set of smooth radius cut bone scales so I could try my hand at dyeing and jigging them myself. The set cost about $10.00, which isn't a lot but they are totally different thicknesses and one has a long crack running almost the entire length of the scale. When you factor in the shipping and waiting it almost isn't worth it to return them, so what's the best way to stabilize a crack in bone?

I'll get a couple pics up in a minute.....

I know that bone isn't always a perfectly symmetrical medium to work with, but these two pieces are off by quite a bit. It could have been a nicely matched set, but whoever was running the saw that day had a bad case of blurry vision when lining things up:(.

Here are a couple pics of the crack and one to show the difference in size......

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Super glue, but anything you use will not take dye. If you dye the bone before gluing, the crack will show too.
 
Thanks Bill. What if I do a light dye, kind of like Culpepper's root beer scales with dark dye down low in the bottoms of the jigged pattern and a very light washed out natural on the high points? The crack might blend in a bit better with a mottled finish like that....
 
When I ordered my scales they were matched just like your's. One thing to remember is to orient them on the handle so they are close to the same thickness when you grind and shape. Here's one that I did with a set of hunting knives for a lady to give to her menfolk for christmas. This one was a gift for the lady who ordered it. ( she likes to go hunting too :) ) it has pink plastic liners (shampoo bottle :D) with smooth white bone.

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Jason
 
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Is there any sort of design you could scratch/scrimshaw/carve/grind/etc into the bone to disguise the crack? Just a thought.

- LonePine
AKA Paul Meske, Wisconsin
 
Well last time this happened to me my doctor put it in a cast for 6 weeks!

Sorry, had to say it! =^)


In all seriousness, I haven't worked with bone before and don't know what to tell you other than good luck. Keep us posted when you do use these.


-Xander
 
I've heard of people using dental amalgum, but haven't done it myself. Sounds interesting, but I don't really know for sure.
 
I have used the thinnest type of star-bond (pure super glue) to stabilize bone and the gel type to fix cracks. Star-bond is a high quality glue that is even used in museum restorations.

I have never used it on scales (well dino bone but that is really a rock), I stabilized a bunch of cow skulls to cover with turquoise and other stone mosaics. They are quite fragile but after a few "soaks" they are very strong. (you just squeeze it on and it wicks to the surface)

To answer your question I would use a gel type of superglue or maybe something like Epoxy 330, a water clear sandable epoxy.
 
Thanks guys. I've got knives to finish grinding but soon I'll play around with these. I think first I'll sand the bottom of the thicker slab flat to match the thinner one, then I'll do my jigging and dyeing, and then I'll try to stabilize.

Sound like the right order?
 
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