deer leg bone knife

[RDavidP]

Here is a deer leg bone knife I made. I used the back thigh bone from a deer a friend of mine killed. I simmered the bone in water to help clean off the meat and cartlidge. After cutting off one end, I scraped out the marrow. I ordered the blade from Crazy Crow Trading. It is listed as the 6" Solingen old time trade style. I melted down some pine pitch and a little bit of beeswax, and poured that into the cavity where the marrow was. I then sat the tang into the bone, and let the pitch harden. I also gave it the bone a few coats of olive oil.

 

[rabjr]

Cool! :thumbsup:

 

[PitchyPine]

Very nice. :thumbsup:

 

[windwalker_au]

i realy like that i love that bone, i got the same blade they very good qualty blade.
bernie :bow: :bow:

 

[bwhoffman]

Thats nice!

 

[gmww]

That is very cool! Pine pitch? Learn something everyday. That's what I like about this site. How well does it hold? Where can I get some?

 

You can purchase rosin (aka pitch aka brewer's pitch aka resin) from several places - two I use are:[url] http://jas-townsend.com/product_info.php?cPath=26&products_id=373[/url]
[url] http://www.earthpigments.com/products/index.cfm?SubCat_Id=16&product_id=10[/url]

From that you make a mix called cutler's resin (there are various recipes - this one works for me) - cutler's resin was THE glue for knives and swords, etc since the time of Cro-magnon man. It was used extensively by cutlers up until the "modern" epoxies came into being.....Once set it is VERY durable - just don't leave it setting in the car on a hot sunny day or such as the pitch can/will soften
In a double boiler or crock pot melt - you just need to be bring it to a thick melt stage - too hot and it will burn or get brittle:
5 parts rosin
1 part beeswax
1 part filler - can be sawdust, metal grindings, ground up charcoal or the like.

This stuff when hot is like napalm so be careful. Store you're extra for later use - just remelt.

BTW - 4 parts rosin and 6 parts beeswax makes a better thread "wax" for sewing leather than plain beeswax - it's stickier and the stitches lock better - plus rosin has anti-bacterial properties so it helps keep thread from rotting...........

 

[RDavidP]

Yup, Gray Wolf's instructions are what I used.

 

[RickD]

I really like bone handled knives..you did good

 

By the way RDavidP prepped his raw bone the best way possible - most commercially prepared bones are cooked too hot and bleached making them at times very brittle - when using a commercially prepared bone, after finishing up and then dying, etc. I soak in mineral oil or similar for a few days. Do this once or twice a year if possible or at least wipe it down with some.

 

[gmww]

While quail hunting a couple of weeks ago I stumbled across a pile of Coyote bones. Looks like someone exterminated a whole bunch of them. Not sure if my wife would appreciate me bringing some of the bones home but it sure would be tempting. :hmm:

 

[laffingman67]

Very nice knife! :thumbsup:

 

Excellent work.
Very nice.