Deer bones for knife handle

[billk]

I am hoping to shoot a deer soon with my bow this season. Which deer bones do you think I should clen and save for knife handle and other projects? What is the best way to clean them and prepare them? Should I boil them or leave outside in the weather elements?
Thank you,
Billk

 

[tom hargrove]

the leg bones for sure makes wonderful knife handles id think if you just scrape all the tissue off and lay them up where nothing can chew on the the will dry on there own, im sure someone here know a proper method ,for this but this has worked for me ,also if you want you can put them in an oven and dry them on a low heat but this can cause cracking and splits. :thumbsup:

 

[gmww]

I'd be interested in hearing the proper way to do this too. I'm assuming the bone that is being used will be thick enough without the marrow..right?

 

[tom hargrove]

when i use a leg bone for a knife handle i epoxy a wood dowel inside and fill the open spaces with epoxy let dry then work the glued in dowel for the tang .

 

[gmww]

OK thanks, I was thinking in terms of cutting the bone into scales. I haven't made one with a whole bone or antler. I'll have to learn how to do that. I enjoy making handles for those blades you can buy. :thumbsup:

 

[tom hargrove]

for slabs just cut bone length wise sand flat and apply to blade. :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

 

[BillinOregon]

For the "whole bone" handle we're talking about one of the front leg bones, right?

 

[tom hargrove]

yes sir :thumbsup:

 

[RickD]

I just started a small damascus dagger that will have a deer leg bone handle when its done..I`ll post a pic when I get it finished..

 

[jasontn]

i posted a while back on one i made with a whole leg and a case xx knife.[url] http://www.muzzleloadingforum....php?tid/209540/post/444012/hl//fromsearch/1/[/url]

i clean mine up as best i can and then boil them, and after a boil soak em in bleach. my post was very detailed on this subject. i have built about 20 or so knives this way

 

[Andy Mueller]

I heard that bleaching the bones makes em more brittle. Is it really true? I've only boiled the bones so i don't know about the bleaching them.
scouter

 

[jasontn]

if you leave them in too long it will i just put mine in for a few minutes

 

[laffingman67]

I have used 20 mule team borax to dry bones out. I scape all off that I can, then put it in a shoe box and cover the bones with borax and put it in the closet for a couple months. Comes out dried and ready to use.

 

[shortbow]

I have done a number of these, I use the front leg bones, the ones under the knee.

If you are not in a hurry, just put them in your freezer for a year, then take them out, and with the aid of a pair of pliers, you can peal them like a banana. The bones will be nice and white, dry and ready to work.

If you are in a hurry, just skin them fresh. If you skin with the cut down the front of the leg you can tack out the skins with the dew claws attached and make cool stuff like shooting pouch flaps. Saw the bones in half at the length you want your handle. Boil them until you can get all the meat off.

When still warm, use sticks and wire to get as much remaining marrow out as possible.

I find the best way to bleach bone is with hydrogen peroxide, as it is easier on the bone and does not leave the bleach smell.

Now, make cutlers resin. 5 parts pine pitch, 1 part beeswax, 1 part dry moose skat or ash or powdered charcoal. Melt the resin and fill the bone when nice and dry with the resin. Heat the tang of the knife till bluish. A heat sink between blade and tang will preserve proper temper. I use vice grips with the teeth ground off. With the bone in a padded vice, slowly set the tang down into the bone. Between the fact that the resin was hot when you poured it in and is reheated by the hot tang, the resin fills all voids, drives out remaining fat through pores in the bone, re-enforces the knuckle attachment and gives you an egg shell fit. Before the resin is completely hard, use a dull knife and clean off the resin that overflowed.

For a redundantly secure job I usually drill a hole in the middle of the handle and peen in an iron rivet.

Hope this helps, good luck.

 

[billk]

Thank you all for your help.
Billk