BS: bone carving

Subject: bone carving
From: Hollowfox
Date: 21 Jan 03 - 04:59 PM

I just got given two deer ribcages, and if anybody can give me some tips on how to prepare the bones for carving, I'd appreciate it. Do I just scrape the residual meat off, hang them high in a tree for the birds to peck the meat off, air dry them, bake them, or what? I have three teens who can help me dismember the stuff, as soon as I have some idea just what to do. Thanks in advance, Hollowfox

Subject: RE: bone carving
From: Rustic Rebel
Date: 21 Jan 03 - 05:37 PM

I guess I would try to find a place outside safe from amimals, or hang them and let the meat rot off, unless your in a hurry. It would take a year or more.
I have heard of burying them also, for a year, and the worms and decomposition happens, to clean them up.
Hollowfox- do you plan on carving it as a whole rib cage or single bones?
I don't know if I would cook them, because they get softer and darker, where you let them go naturally, they stay lighter. (Although I have boiled skulls in bleach water to whiten them.)

I have been thinking about deer rib cages myself. I thought I could somehow hang them from a frame of somekind and play them with drumsticks or something like that. Kind of like a bone xylophone. I think I would have to epoxy the bones into the spine bone though. I really want to try this idea. It came to me when I saw a perfect one on the side of the road, already decomposing.
Peace, Rustic

Subject: RE: bone carving
From: GUEST,Q
Date: 21 Jan 03 - 06:06 PM

Be sure and protect the bones from mice. They really nibble at them to get the minerals and oils.

Take a look here- may help: Bones

Subject: RE: bone carving
From: Hollowfox
Date: 21 Jan 03 - 07:31 PM

Well, RR, the idea was to make the bones available to carvers. The problem is that the grouond is frozen solid, and I was hoping that there was another way besides that and hanging them higher than a stray dog can jump. Ohboy, winter tree climbing. brrr.

Subject: RE: bone carving
From: mack/misophist
Date: 21 Jan 03 - 09:49 PM

I dont think rib cages are going to work, Ribs have their little bit of marrow too. What you need are the heavier bones, unless you're carving plaques. Bury the bones in an ant hill or some such, anything to get ALL the meat. Museums use a special beetle but you don't want to mess with those, they can be dangerous. Once it's clean, get it good and dry or it may crack. I've heard a dozen different methods. Most of them work. Now, carve.

Subject: RE: bone carving
From: mack/misophist
Date: 21 Jan 03 - 10:21 PM

I forgot for a while; many people prefer antler to bone. If you're a camper and a hiker, look for an under-used, BIG park. One with a very wide deep valley without much underbrush. After the deer shed, the weather will carry the antlers down hill if possible. I once saw a picture of a hillside, I think it was in Montana, that had about 20 acres of antlers piled shin deep.

Subject: RE: bone carving
From: Sorcha
Date: 21 Jan 03 - 10:56 PM

When I wanted a jaw bone I cut as much off as I could and threw it up on the garage roof for several months and the crows cleaned it up. Then, I boiled the bejaysus out of it. That was at least 10 yrs ago and it has aged to a nice patina. Looks almost like old ivory.

Subject: RE: bone carving
From: EBarnacle1
Date: 22 Jan 03 - 01:09 AM

If you play bones, you might compare them to other sets you have available before you give them away. The other question is what kind of carving is planned. Are we talking scrimshanding or sculpture here?

Subject: RE: bone carving
From: Hollowfox
Date: 22 Jan 03 - 01:13 PM

I was thinking bones for playing, and a friend was interested in trying the material out for knife handles. I just got rather a bit more material than I'd planned to experiment with.

Subject: RE: bone carving
From: Bearheart
Date: 22 Jan 03 - 05:22 PM

Get them clean first, then see what you have left.Depending on the size of the deer they may not stand up to playing, let alone carving. I use a horse rib (found in a local pasture) for a drum beater and it works, but as someone else said the marrow is not far below the surface. (As I discovered when I sanded it down. It had been cleaned long before of flesh, but was a bit rough. So sanding gives it a bit of polish.

Best ways to clean the flesh are burying near or laying on top of an ant hill (cover with chicken wire so critters don't steal them); Hanging in a tree or other high place (this works ok in the winter if certain kinds of birds frequent your area, since they are hungry this time of year,and in the summer all kinds of insects, particularly the kinds with stingers, will go after the flesh.) You can also cook the flesh off, but better to simmer than boil. And if it's a bit old it will smell!

Bekki

Subject: RE: BS: bone carving
From: EBarnacle1
Date: 23 Jan 03 - 12:19 PM

I have been using "shedders" for my knife handles. I find that incorporating the various knobs and protrusions into the handle makes for better handling and leverage. The little prongs that have no other uses make good buttons.

Subject: RE: BS: bone carving
From: catspaw49
Date: 23 Jan 03 - 12:27 PM

Hey 'Fox.....As you might recall, Mooney used bone before he could afford ivory and as the story goes, he'd throw the bones on the roof of his shop and leave them for months and even years.

Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: bone carving
From: Hollowfox
Date: 23 Jan 03 - 04:58 PM

Yeah, 'Spaw, that was my thought when I opened my big trap and said I'd like the d#$% things. I'm debating between putting them on the garage roof or hanging them from a tree limb high enough that dogs can't pull it down.
The garage roof would be eaier, but I'm not sure there are enough fly traps in the world.

Subject: RE: BS: bone carving
From: Naemanson
Date: 24 Jan 03 - 03:33 PM

My father uses bone for both carving and scrimshaw work. He soaks them in a weak lye/water mixture for a few days. That cleans the bone and prepares it for his work. Then he cuts it to shape on his bandsaw and sands it smooth. After he has cut it he polishes it with increasingly fine grit with the final polish being toothpaste.

I have a belt buckle he made for me 22 years ago. He scrimshawed Old Ironsides (the Constitution) on to it. Last year I had to have him renew the design. I have not been kind to that buckle and it has held up fine. He hasn't made me a set of bones yet. I have to renew my request I guess.

PM me and I'll give you his address if you want to talk directly with him.

Subject: RE: BS: bone carving
From: mouldy
Date: 25 Jan 03 - 04:41 AM

I was told once that for bones to play (the two small flat pieces held in one hand-type) the best was rib from an OLD milk-cow. Something to do with the length, shape and density, but that's all I know, not being a carver. Due to BSC preventatives over here in the UK, most cattle are slaughtered by 30 months, so old bone's probably hard to get hold of.

Andrea

Subject: RE: BS: bone carving
From: Naemanson
Date: 28 Jan 03 - 10:27 AM

As I understand it the proper shape is for the bones to be a finger width apart at the top and flat together at the bottom. Length and width are at the maker's discretion.

Subject: RE: BS: bone carving
From: EBarnacle1
Date: 28 Jan 03 - 12:42 PM

I recently called up a scrimshander to get a design renewed and he told me that, when I get the buckle back, I should coat it with clear nailpolish and, when that gets scuffed, I should simply renew the polish.

Subject: RE: BS: bone carving
From: Hollowfox
Date: 28 Jan 03 - 02:08 PM

Well folks, they're up on the chicken house roof, at least for now. Come warm weather I may bury them near an anthill, but not until the ground softens. I'll keep you posted.

Subject: RE: BS: bone carving
From: Naemanson
Date: 28 Jan 03 - 03:32 PM

Click (get it?) here for the Rhythm Bones Society website. Plenty of info and connections there.

Subject: RE: BS: bone carving
From: Hollowfox
Date: 28 Jan 03 - 07:01 PM

Wow. Thanks.