Using Bone for Handle

[Mills]

TSP: TriSodium Phosphate Can be found at most any paint store. Used for cleaning walls in preparation for painting. Takes greasing stuff right off. Can take paint off as well but is pretty slow. Can be used as a neutralizer after soaking iron in muriatic to remove scale. Builds a very small phosphatized layer on the steel. Kinda like on the M-16, et al. good stuff.

[JPH]

Hey!!

Yes, TSP is trisodium phoshate..I use it as a cleaner prior to my hot caustic soda bluing. It will take your hode off in stronger concentrations so be careful...

The term "bovine ivory" I started oh some 20+ years ago..it spread rather quickly. I almost got thrown in the slammer for using it around some really inexperienced DF&G guy in California back in 1982..That was rather amusing looking back at it now...

I love using this stuff, in fact I am putting a bone grip on the PW composite blade I did the walk through on..Will be deciding on what kind of grip style to use later today and whether or not to dye it or leave it all natural. might do my "fossilization technique" on it and if I have a piece the right size and thickness maybe a fluted centre section...

Below is a three piece dyed bone with bronze mounts and studs.. This material is just oh so nice...

JPH

[Fox Creek]

Jim, I have always admired your use of bone. I have delved into bone processing only once with mixed success. I bought a bunch of raw big steer leg bones from a country packing house out a side road from Memphis out to about Arlington. 'cost $0.69 per LB. They apologized for the price, but said the Asian restaurants bought all the bones to make soup stock and drove the price up. I boiled the bones in a stong solution of SODA. Washing soda, Soda Ash, Pearl Ash, Salatus, Carbonate of soda; Sodium Carbonate. Much like TSP, it will degrease and clean nicely. Useful stuff to keep around the shop. I didnt end up with much useful bone.

[klickitat]

I almost feel embarassed for throwing this in here after the big dogs. I am going venture off the porch just a little though. I like to boil the bone in Lipton tea bags for "antiquing" and I have found that tongue oil is one of the best things in the world for coating bone with. The tongue oil soaks in real well and after several coats it polishes out absolutely wonderful.

[Matthew Groves]

I'm sure we'd all love some pictures of the process, maybe starting right after the boiling. Anyone?

[Dodge]

Originally Posted by JPH

Brian:
You may need to coat it in cyanoacrylate to staibilze the surface but that is easy enough to do..
JPH

Jim, Is this not the same as super glue? And would you need to vacuum to stabilize or just coat with brush??