I want to try some bone inlay. Are there special techniques? Who supplies the materials?
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Replies
"Who supplies the materials?"
Dead cows, usually.
Here's a company I came across a while ago: http://www.masecraftsupply.com/. I've never bought anything from them, so caveat emptor.
-Steve
Thanks, but that's not quite what I had in mind. I'm looking for bone as a substitute for ivory inlay.
I don't understand. Why wouldn't the "Smooth bone undyed slabs" be suitable?
-Steve
You're probably right about the undyed slabs, even though the pictures were'nt what I expected. I've order a couple of pieces to see. I hope this works cause I'm not particularly interested in rendering my own material. I'm familiar with the odor. Also hope this is'nt sparkey 2006's supplier. If this works, I'll post the results.
"I'm looking for bone as a substitute for ivory inlay." I think it would be pretty difficult to make bone look much like ivory. Some of the "faux ivory" products can be difficult to discern though. I'm thinking back on when I dealt in antiques and collectibles 10 or so years ago, and learning to tell the differences in items that had decorative ivory (or not) wasn't easy.
Try a Google search using faux ivory as a search string and take a look at what shows up, might be helpful.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
FG,
"faux ivory"
I didn't know you could get ivory from them French foxes. Ain't their teeth too teeny?
Ooops, did I just make another fox paw? French for, "you put your foot in it again."
Ray
Tagua nuts (spelling?) are an alternative. They are used in restoration to replace ivory elements.
I got some from Woodworkers Supply quite a while ago, I don't know if they still sell them.
They can be sliced on a band saw to any thickness although the centers will have a hole in them.
They can be polished well and have an inherent creamy white color.
Peter
I sure hope you don't use the same firm I used. !!!!
Jack
Troost,
Beef bones, from your local butcher. Sections of the leg bones are thick enough to flatten, and make escutcheons etc. Boil them first. Try bleaching them if you want whiter whites. Saw by hand, slowly. Bone is pretty stinky to work, moreso if it gets hot.
For info about whole animal skulls as architectural ornament, look at "bucrania".
Ray
Decorative bone is used in knifemaking. The most common is from the shin of a cow. Many knives use this material by dyeing it to color and jigging (shaping to perhaps a peachseed look). There also is antler-variations include genuine stag which is from the antler of a deer from India. Some knifemakers use sheephorn because of the curley waves. Giraffe bone is also used. Mastadoon Ivory is legal and can be found. French ivory is plastic.
A custom knife making supply house can get you pieces that are stable. Looking in this months "Knife World" I see [email protected] There also is the Sheffield Knife Supply 386 775-6453
A good scroll saw could be used for inlay. Some of the Asian furniture has pearl inlay. Cutting pearl was said to be bad for the lungs. True ivory yellows and changes shape with time. Some materials are said to smell when cutting. I know of no instructions regarding exactly what you seek. It can'd be that difficult to develop your own technique but you have to know the material.
If you do a search for "knifemaking supplies" something is likely be found.
I use ham bone sometimes. After the ham has been eaten and then I make some soup.
The bone is rather white after pulling out of the soup. Let it dry, then have at it.
J.P.
Alternative Ivory as it is called is manufactured by GPS Agencies in the UK They will direct you to a supplier.It is in fact a cast polyester with a grain similar to ivory.It is mainly available as rod but they do supply sheet as some hand gun makers were using it.One point to watch for is it softens with heat so too fine blade is a problem.I turn it for restoration.Stain with cold tea to antique it, polish with auto buffing compound.Another point "it ain't cheap" but really authentic looking.
The last time I used bone, I just bought a nice looking chew bone in the pet-food department at the grocery store. I cut it to a rough shape on the band-saw, then started sanding with a little disk sander that I have adapted using a little Proxxon tool made for the arbortec mini-cutter, followed by more sanding with a right angle die-grinder, then finally some hand sanding followed by buffing.
One little tip. When you plan your shape, it is a good idea to leave a little stem connected to a larger piece of the bone for as long as you can, so you have more to hold onto through the various stages, then when you part it off near the end, you only have to finish a small area where it was connected to your handle.
The "chew bones" in the pet store are the best. I've used them for knife handles for a long time. They're from South American cattle, the bone is denser than bones from the USA and it's been properly dried and sterilized. Just go through the packages until you find one that'll fit your project.
Why not use fossil ivory as in Mammoth or Mastodon? Lots of sources on the net.
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