Seeking bone

[MeezerMama]

Where does one buy bone for a project (carving/turning)?   What do you ask for?    Thanks.

[WeekendMiniaturist]

Hi MM,

What are you making?

 

I think Bill Robertson posted in the FMF that he bought bone from the pet store... For a little box, I bought some bone from the grocery store, the bones that have something in the middle that looks like peanut butter.  I sanded it flat on the giant belt sander, and the shop smelled like a dentist office after someone's teeth were drilled.  They are all odd shaped bone, so I was trying to make them flat.  Based upon my experimentation, my band saw blade was wandering so I called Bill and asked what I should use to  cut it into slabs and I think I remember he suggested the 18 or 24 TPI hacksaw.  Now I'm not sure, will simply try what we have and then go to the store if that one doesn't work.   I haven't tried it saw it yet.  It is hard to hold in a vice since it is an irregular shape, and by far easier to use the belt sander to sand one side of it flat.  I bought the thickest, flattest piece I could find.  

I would love to turn it on a lathe - I want to make a box and chess pieces, and vases, and, and, and perhaps some little finials for a lid, oh there are so many things to turn.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[MeezerMama]

Thanks.   Do you have to "dry it" or anything like that?

[WeekendMiniaturist]

 I think it is processed to be safe for your favorite fur kid.... I cleaned out the inside of it, and since I don't have a fur kid, I rinsed it out.  If any residue is left you can certainly clean it with soap, water and an OLD toothbrush.  Of course it took me many months to decide how I would try and make it flat, so it had dried on its own.

https://www.kroger.com/p/red-barn-dog-treats-large-filled-bone-cheese-bacon-flavor/0078518440604?fulfillment=DELIVERY&searchType=default_search

This is the kind of Bone that I purchased, but I think mine were about half as long as this one that I have linked to.

 

 

[jaxenro]

what size bone? Knife maker suppliers usually has bone for knife handles and luthier suppliers sells done for saddles on guitars and violins

[WeekendMiniaturist]

Jaxenro, I'm guessing the size of the bone is dependent upon the project.  This looks promising and our shop would not smell like a dentist office.

https://popsknife.supplies/products/white-camel-bone?_pos=3&_sid=6fd2446cc&_ss=r

Thanks for the tip.

[awilliamson]

There are many online stores that specialize in selling bone blanks for carving and turning projects. Some popular ones include Woodcraft, Rockler, and Amazon.

[WeekendMiniaturist]

Is it possible to carve bone by hand?  Is Scrimshaw done on whale bones?  I have gravers, but can't imagine trying to carve on bones... I still have not done anything with the bone that I flattened.    It might be easier to mill if you can hold it in a vice that will hold something that is irregular in shape.  I would use my big disc sander but I don't want to get bone fragments into the next wood project that I am working on, so would have to change the disk - which is a pain .