Where to source bone blanks?

Signalprick

Jason Ritchie
Gold Member
Joined
Apr 3, 2009
Messages
3,260
Nothing against Culpeppers but other than Culpeppers where can I buy bone blanks for dying and jigging my own handle scales? Anyone have a good source they wouldn't mind sharing? Thanks!
 
A quick search will bring up dozens of suppliers, cow and camel mostly shipped out of India. Culpeppers dying process is a proprietary secret that many have tried to reproduce with little success. Don't mean to stop you from having a go but I honestly believe it's far less hassle and better value in the long run to just buy from Culpepper. I'm speaking from experience.
 
I can't give a specific storefront, but a buddy of mine sources his from violin and guitar supply websites. 🤷‍♂️
 
I'm a serious lover of all things bone ! Jigged bone , camel bone , giraffe bone , cow bone ,stag carved bone, antler Ivory any type of bone material period! All of the bone materials take such an easy luster and finish so well and are hard and durable to boot! Good bone material is getting harder and harder to come by! I search the internet all the time looking for good bone materials. Without a doubt, Culpepers is the best source I've found! In fact, I'm going to go over there right now and get some jigged bone before you guys take all of the good stuff!
 
I also think Culpepper’s, but you might check with small slaughter facilities in your area for cow shin bones and process them yourself…ugh.
 
I actually have access to quite a bit of cattle bone on occasion. Its not worth the effort for me and I have been buy bone scales from Culpepper for many years!

8zXsdrc.jpg


5lhuGrw.jpg
 
A quick search will bring up dozens of suppliers, cow and camel mostly shipped out of India. Culpeppers dying process is a proprietary secret that many have tried to reproduce with little success. Don't mean to stop you from having a go but I honestly believe it's far less hassle and better value in the long run to just buy from Culpepper. I'm speaking from experience.
Culpeppers sells dyed bone blanks both flat and pre-jigged although not very cheap. (it may end up being where I get it though if nothing turns up.) I was hoping to avoid the overseas market if at all possible so my searches aren't turning up any suppliers CONUS.

I have used Culpeppers dyed/jigged bone plenty and have 8-9 sets in the drawer now. It's decent stuff but I'm pretty good at jigging myself and honestly the collectors prefer custom dyed and jigged bone from the maker assuming the maker can offer a high quality product. So that's exactly what I intend to do. I have spoken to a few makers who make beautiful custom jigged and dyed bone picking their brains on dying processes so I feel pretty confident I can make some pretty amazing bone for my customs. Now I just need to find a supplier who sells the blank canvas at a reasonable rate. ;) A few guys told me to check the local farm and fleet stores but I haven't found any there yet.
 
I also think Culpepper’s, but you might check with small slaughter facilities in your area for cow shin bones and process them yourself…ugh.
This might be an option, we're farmers out here so I do have unlimited access to raw material but yea, I don't really want to spend the extra time prepping just to get it to the dying and jigging processes. I'd rather just buy cheap blanks ready to roll.
 
I actually have access to quite a bit of cattle bone on occasion. Its not worth the effort for me and I have been buy bone scales from Culpepper for many years!

8zXsdrc.jpg


5lhuGrw.jpg
Are you talking raw material? So if I went this route I would assume it would need to be dried out for quite a while before it is ready to be processed correct? Or would you process then dry?
 
Are you talking raw material? So if I went this route I would assume it would need to be dried out for quite a while before it is ready to be processed correct? Or would you process then dry?
I have heard of folks boiling it to dry it out. You do want the shin bone.
 
I have heard of folks boiling it to dry it out. You do want the shin bone.
10-4. I might give this a try just to see how much effort it is to get it ready for actual use. I mean, it would be free material and that's pretty cheap. :)
 
On Ebay there is 10 pairs of white camel bone offered for less then $60.-
If you mess up 7 pairs and end up with a good procedure and 3 good pairs you're not doing bad.
 
AT a Blade show a knifemaker next to me said he buys bone in the pet section of stores, cuts it up and treats it himself. There are packages of cow bone for dogs to chew. He buys those.
I have never tried this myself.
 
Jason many of the larger animal feed stores have cow bone that they sell as dog chews. I think Redbarn is one of the brands. It's the plain bone, no fillers. I think it'd be best to see it in person though as they probably use bones from all over the beast. You might get a nice fat shin bone or just as easily wind up with a smaller mostly hollow bone.

Eric

PS - Tom we must have been typing at the same time!
 
AT a Blade show a knifemaker next to me said he buys bone in the pet section of stores, cuts it up and treats it himself. There are packages of cow bone for dogs to chew. He buys those.
I have never tried this myself.

Jason many of the larger animal feed stores have cow bone that they sell as dog chews. I think Redbarn is one of the brands. It's the plain bone, no fillers. I think it'd be best to see it in person though as they probably use bones from all over the beast. You might get a nice fat shin bone or just as easily wind up with a smaller mostly hollow bone.

Eric

PS - Tom we must have been typing at the same time!
Tom it wasn't Ken Coats by chance was it? He was telling me this "hack" last year at Badger Show. Unfortunately I haven't been able to find the stuff you guys are thinking. I've looked in every Theisens, farm & fleet type store around my area and can't find them. Even tried online. Lol

Eric, I'll check that retailer out. Thanks!
 
Jason also try a search for "redbarn bones"

Eric
I did try the red barn and it looks like those are primarily femur bones. Raw Paws sells a 3 pack of smoked femur bones. You might find your pup chewing on your custom trapper from me. Lol. I also just found a musical instrument company that sells sun bleached ox femur bones for around $7. You could get a couple scales out of one I would think. Out of stock but I requested a restock notification. This looks like a good lead! :thumbsup: 😁
 
I used to by antler at the pet stores, then everyone started and good looking useable pieces just disappeared and all I see now are not suitable for our use and are crazy expensive for raw product.
 
I did try the red barn and it looks like those are primarily femur bones. Raw Paws sells a 3 pack of smoked femur bones. You might find your pup chewing on your custom trapper from me. Lol. I also just found a musical instrument company that sells sun bleached ox femur bones for around $7. You could get a couple scales out of one I would think. Out of stock but I requested a restock notification. This looks like a good lead! :thumbsup: 😁

Ha I had no idea they were smoked! Yes that could be a problem around fido for sure. Probably make you perpetually hungry while you're cuttin' and grindin' too! 😁

Eric
 
Our butchers used to give away bones for dogs.


I gave bone prep a go a long time ago, did research too.
It's a bunch of work

Boiling as prep was not recommended, it puts the fat into the bone, makes it hard to clean and glue.

Letting it stew in the sun under water, the connective tissue breaks down with bacteria.

Then degrease boiling with TSP tri sodium phosphate, just soap solution.

The tsp I sourced and tried must have had some sort of bleach in it, it bleached them pure white, plus made them brittle and weak.

That's where I stopped, it was a lot of work up until that failure point.
I think I'd just use some hippie pure lanudry soap if I did it agin.
 
Back
Top