Drying leg bones question

[tryinhard]

I am thinking about saving the lower leg bones from any deer I get this season, is there a proper way to dry them for use in making knife handles?

Thanks,
Brian

 

[LRB]

The ones I get are dug from a processors ditch. I wait about 2/3 months after hunting season, and dig them out. Most will have a little stuff still on them, and if a lot, I re-bury at home. The bacteria and worms will clean them up. So will ants. After another month or so, I dig them up again and let them dry in my shop for a few more months, then they are usually ready to use. Do not dry in the sun. Most will crack. Some will crack anyway, but dry them in shade. You can clean them with bleach, but you have to be careful to not over do that. The bleach will eat the bone. When ready to make a grip, fit a wood filler shaft in the bone and anchor well with epoxy. When the epoxy is cured, you can make a slotted grip, or a hidden tang type, and have a reasonably strong grip.

 

[tryinhard]

Thanks Wick! I'm wanting to make some friction folders and small fixed blade knives. I will just hang the leg bones up in my fur drying area. No sun there!

 

[cynthialee]

If I bury them now (I got the legs from Matts deer) it will be about 5-6 months before I can get them. (As it will be snowing before mid November...)
So would burying them and waiting 6 months to dig em up still work or will they be too decompossed?

 

[LaBonte]

Cynthialee - not necessarily too decomposed - that depends on several factors such as soil acidity, etc. I've collected/used bones from critter kill sites, that were probably a year old and usually no problems, but there is another option and the one I use most often, especially in cold weather.

My process is: Clean/scrape off as much of the extertior meat/fat as possible. Cut the bone so that the marrow is exposed, put the bones in a large pot and cover them with water so there is about two to three inches of water higher than the bones, cover and simmer (DO NOT BOIL) until all of or at least most of the water is "cooked off" - keeping a weather eye is mandatory so you don;t burn the bones. Allow them to cool and then let dry for a week or two - hang them outside in the shade where the breeze can get to them - if it's too cold hang them inside where it's warm, but not hot and in front of a fan - the latter method usually only takes about 3 days to get it right.
The fats in the marrow will help keep the bone from easily cracking an it gives a nice a nice mellow sort of translucent yellowish color to the bones that can not be achieved any other way - if you want to engrail/scrim the bone you can bleach it a bit but as Wick noted bleaching can and will make the bone brittle as will boiling it. The bones can still be dyed if you so choose - I mostly use Fiebing's Spirit dyes (soak the bone for 24 hours), RIT, or natural dyes all dependent on several factors - such as look,being PC, etc.

 

[Birdman]

another option is hydrogen peroxide instead of bleach. It will whiten the bones as bleach will just takes a bit longer n is much easier on the bones, doesn't eat em up as much. I use it for turkey bones for wingbone calls n deer is much stronger n thicker so it should work fine.If ya have a clear glass container to put them in n leave it in the sun for a day or two will speen the whitening process n the bubbling of the peroxide can help get some junk out of the insides if ya place them open end up in the jug. just some thoughts YMHS Birdman
ps, DON'T cap the jug tight as it will build pressure from the bubbleing

 

[nc_cooter]

Ditto on that method. Works great.
Mike

 

[Black Hand]

I've simmered bones in BIZ laundry additive. It will remove adherent tissue and clean without the damaging effects of bleach.

I've used it to clean old mummified deer heads for european mounts.