I make turkey calls as well as powder flasks out of Box turtle shells. The trick to it is to remove and clean the plates, they'll peel up like a finger nail. As you are cleaning them soak the bone in bleach and water for a day or so. Once the bone is dry I "paint" the inside with a watered down solution of wood glue. then I glue each plate back on, this takes some time and is like a puzzle but the lines on the bone and the shapes of the plates go together so it isn't that hard. When the glue is dry I seal the plates and shell with a dull clear coat. For a turkey call I install a slate where the base of the shell would have been. For a powder flask I use a hardwood and shape it to fit each shell. For the spout I use bras or deer antler. I have pretty good luck with this method although never with a water turtle shell, I have found them to fall apart after they dry out. Seems like things that need to live in the water don't take well to being dried out like that. LOL
Sea Shells to hold powder?
- Thread starter jeffdrown
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