11-12-2014, 05:24 PM
Patrick has some really good advice but I'll add to that that for degreasing the bone I like to soak them in white gas(aka Coleman fluid). It can take a week to a month but it works really well and is safe for the integrity of the bone. I would also suggest not to boil the bone. Soak it in hot water that is just under boiling say 98 degrees or so. A light simmer. A full boil can make the bone more brittle. I have heard some stories on carving sites where people have talked about accidentally doping a boiled bone and it shattering. I have dropped mine from chest height onto concrete and have not had that problem so it might be worth thinking about especially for a scabbard chap whose primary function is to protect the end of a scabbard.
I get my bones from the butcher and prepare them myself so I know absolutely how they have been prepared. Raw beef bones are soup bones and technically a food, so they are safe to simmer in the kitchen in your wife's prized cookware without her getting upset. I like to add a drop or two of soap in the water while it steeps since it degreases it a bit quicker but if you don't you get some really nice soup stock in the process.
One last thing to note. All bones are different and and this means that you can't always be sure how thick the bone will be when you buy it. That one bone that might look perfect for one project might not be. I like to get and prepare bones once every couple of months and always have some on hand to select from for and project that might come up. Try getting a prepared bone and making a few nailbinding needles and see if working with bone is something you might like to continue before you invest the time( a lot of time waiting and several bones before you find that perfect one for said project).
Just my 2 cents
I get my bones from the butcher and prepare them myself so I know absolutely how they have been prepared. Raw beef bones are soup bones and technically a food, so they are safe to simmer in the kitchen in your wife's prized cookware without her getting upset. I like to add a drop or two of soap in the water while it steeps since it degreases it a bit quicker but if you don't you get some really nice soup stock in the process.
One last thing to note. All bones are different and and this means that you can't always be sure how thick the bone will be when you buy it. That one bone that might look perfect for one project might not be. I like to get and prepare bones once every couple of months and always have some on hand to select from for and project that might come up. Try getting a prepared bone and making a few nailbinding needles and see if working with bone is something you might like to continue before you invest the time( a lot of time waiting and several bones before you find that perfect one for said project).
Just my 2 cents
