Bone Tools

[TexasLady]

5/20/12

The butcher at a specialty grocery store gave me a big beef bone for free. I want to make a 'slicker' out of it. I've read that you shouldn't boil a bone that will be used as a tool, because this is supposed to make it splinter. But how do you sanitize it? And how do you remove all the spongy-looking 'insides' of the bone?... the boney part that's got bone, fat, and marrow mixed together.

I've also been saving some round, ring-shaped, pieces of bone from recent steaks that I've fried. So, these have been cooked, and I've eaten the marrow from them. But now they are all washed and clean. They are air-dryed. I'm keeping them in a plastic container with a net over them, so that they don't mold. Has anyone here made any nice bone tools for leatherwork from this type of bone? Thanks. - TexasLady

[dirtclod]

I'd bury it the ground for a couple of months and let the bugs clean it up. Then cut it on a band saw and scrape the marrow out or maybe cut before i buried it for the bugs. Not sure if would need to be cut to size or if it should dry first. I would think regular ole rubbing alchoil would kill any germs.

[BWL]

5/20/12

The butcher at a specialty grocery store gave me a big beef bone for free. I want to make a 'slicker' out of it. I've read that you shouldn't boil a bone that will be used as a tool, because this is supposed to make it splinter. But how do you sanitize it? And how do you remove all the spongy-looking 'insides' of the bone?... the boney part that's got bone, fat, and marrow mixed together.

I've also been saving some round, ring-shaped, pieces of bone from recent steaks that I've fried. So, these have been cooked, and I've eaten the marrow from them. But now they are all washed and clean. They are air-dryed. I'm keeping them in a plastic container with a net over them, so that they don't mold. Has anyone here made any nice bone tools for leatherwork from this type of bone? Thanks. - TexasLady

If you just set it out side in a protected area and let the ants clean it:Lighten:

[TexasLady]

5/22/12

Thank you both so very much for your suggestions. I don't have a bandsaw, dirtclod,... but I'd like to have one. I got to use one when I took the college sculpture class. Those are lots of fun and make quick work of jobs that are otherwise nearly impossible. Barbed Wire Leather, Texas has some vicious little ants,... quite warlike, even when unprovoked,... who would doubtless take on the challege of cleaning my beef bone. Actually, they've attempted to clean my own bones when I've walked through their territory while out cutting my grass. However, I fear that the cats, rats, and the occasional coyote might do a little re-shaping of any bone I would put outdoors. Oh! I've got an idea! I'd bought a rat trap at a Chinese grocery store a couple of years ago. Never used it. But I might try putting a bone inside the rat trap and staking the rat trap down out in the back yard. The metal grid is about a half inch square, and the wire is substantially heavy. And 'Lighten' with what? - TexasLady

[Sylvia]

5/22/12

And 'Lighten' with what? - TexasLady

LOL somehow his smiley got truncated... he meant to do this.

[TexasLady]

5/22/12

Oh, that's so funny. Thanks, Sylvia. - TexasLady

[chiefjason]

Deer antlers work pretty well too. A small spike or 4 pointer might be best. One of my boning/slicking tools is a spike antler about 6" long. Now I'll be saving ribs from the deer too. lol Oh, I think I know where some might be. Going to have to check.

[lightningad]

i made myself a folder/slicker from Black Walnut - shaped on a belt sander before a final smoothing with sandpaper - works really well, and no ants required!

[TexasLady]

5/23/12

chiefjason,

Good for you for using all parts of the deer. I'd been through south Texas one year when there was a drought and too many deer for the available resources. Still, I love animals and hate that people kill them just for sport. I don't have any antlers on hand, but that slicker sounds like a good use for them. Antlers fall off and grow back, don't they? As for the ribs (indicating the demise of this particular animal), I hope they were good eatin'. Barbequed? But, no, I don't think that the ribs would make a good slicker. (Somebody please correct me if I'm wrong.) The ribs would have too much marrow in them and too little thickness of actual 'bone' on their outter rim. They would look ugly. The bone that I got from the specialty grocery store is all white on the outside, with about a quarter inch of nice white bone on the rim, before moving to the marrow in the center. The butcher cut off the ends of the bone for me, so that the cartiledge is gone, and the hole to the marrow is open.

lightningad,

The Black Walnut slicker sounds very nice. Did you stain the wood or is it 'au natural'? I've got some pieces of Walnut wood at home, but it isn't Black Walnut. That's a very hard wood to work with. And, yes, 'no ants required'.

Thanks to both of you for the suggestions. - TexasLady

[lightningad]

no stains used - just rubbed in some beeswax after the sanding. Being a hard wood helps it to work as a slicker (i think!).