Mike Phelps Report post Posted October 12, 2007 Got tired of using that old nylon folder. I was always having to sand and polish it to remove stains and remove burs. So I thought man if I'm going to have to maintain one of these tools it might as well look good. So I picked out some left over pieces of bone and horn and made myself one. It's got an edge slicker down each side, an eighth inch and quarter inch. I'm kinda proud of it. Going have to pay the meat company across the road a visit and get some bone to cut up and let cure. Stuff like this is kind of fun to make. Feels much nicer in the hand and after it's sanded and buffed is just so much better looking than nylon or steel. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SmilinJim Report post Posted October 12, 2007 Really nice work Mike. I like your handles. Gotta try the bone. Is there a best choice, beef, pork etc and leg, rib or ? Just asking. Keep on Smilin Jim Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Phelps Report post Posted October 12, 2007 The Fid and Folder were both made from the ham bone of an old boar I had. As far as a BEST choice. Not that I can tell. The larger the bone, mature cows and bulls, boars and sows, will have greater thickness and less radius once they are cut. Most of what you will find at meat markets will be the lower leg bones. Most of the upper leg and ribs gets sawn up and sold with the meat. Don't use the bones from cooked meat. They get too soft. Green[fresh] bone and horn stink when they are cut, it can get stomach churning if you use power saws/sanders. Best to saw the ends off and let them cure for a month or more, let the marrow dry out. If you can get some live meal worms they'll do the work for you and if you have them confined in a container will give the bone a nice mellow yellow color, a faux relic sellers trick. A rib bone would seem to have the right natural contour but the end will be soft and have to be filled with epoxy mixed with bone dust and there is still the problem of all that marrow inside to clean out. I've found it easier to use leg bone. I can cut them into quarters or thirds a lot easier with a hack saw than trying to split a rib with a coping saw. Then just use a dowel rod with sandpapers stuck to it clean out the dried marrow and work it into shape. Bones don't have any flats. If you are making something that requires it to have a flat surface or two get the biggest thickest piece you can find then get another one. When you start working it you'll see what I mean. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
