Mmmm...ham

[Disco Stu]

I've got a big honkin' ham bone in my 'fridge that was meant to go in soup but somehow started molding, soooo, having a knifemaker state of mind I immediately thought of using the bone for a handle. I thought about boiling the bone for a few hours to remove all the ham bits and tendon but wanted to check with you guys first; will boiling harm the bone in any way detrimental to it's new life as the unpointy end of a knife?

 

[C L Wilkins]

Its good that you have fresh bone, that is the key. Clean the bone as well as you can. Simmer it in Ritz dye. If you boil it, the bone may crack. Use rust for brown, cardinal red for red, and emerald green for green.

Simmer, don't boil the bone in the dye for 2 to 3 hours. Shut off the fire overnight. Simmer for two hours the next day then dip in a mixture of 1/2 gasoline and 1/2 ATF. Layer in newspaper and leave for 3-4 weeks.

I obtained these directions from a fellow knifemaker last May. He was kind enough to part with the knowledge unsolicited. That's what its all about. Share and share alike.

C Wilkins

 

[Bruce Evans]

Just out of curiosity CL will this tecnique let you have multiple colors in the bone and how far through does it penetrate.
Also what is the gas and tranny fluid for ?
If the bone isn't aged I always boil and add some bleach to the boiling water until the marrow slips then I turn the heat off and let cool to room temperature,Then I use leather dyes and some other stuff I have been trying to get the multiple colors after the bone has dried out then I stabilize it in polyurethane.
I am always looking for new ways of dying bone..
Bruce