Source foe cow bone for hidden tang knife handle.

Fatstrat

Well-Known Member
What I do is basically re-handle projects on old poor condition military knives. Basically I try to buy ones in such poor condition that they: A. Can be obtained cheap. And B. Have lost historical collector value. But I believe that they are generally made of great steel and are a worthy basis for a knife project. Often I re-shape the blades to non original profile.
At 1st I learned to do the traditional compressed stacked leather handles. But I'm starting to bore of that and am venturing into other handle materials. Currently working on an antler handle.
Next up I have a very used & abused Cattaraugus 225Q blade. What I have in mind for it is a kind of combination handle. Stacked leather with some colored spacers on the ends. And a piece of cow bone in the middle. And replace the pommel with a Ka Bar type pinned one.
What I'd like to find is a source for suitable cow bone. That is not hollowed out in the center so that I can drill and hollow to fit my tang. Any ideas?
 
All cow bone is going to be hollow in the middle as like any bone that is where the marrow is and once all that marrow is cleaned out it leaves a hollow cavity! :les::what!::biggrin:

Just fill the interior of the bone with epoxy and then bore out as needed but you will still need to fill the area completely with epoxy during assembly or the bone will move around once assembled. Alternatives might be derlin, check out this search on Ebay. Derlin is a plastic material

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odk...H0.Xdelrin+rounds&_nkw=delrin+rounds&_sacat=0

However you still end up with the need to make it physically contacting the handle area so you will need to fill any physical cavity left after drilling it out!
 
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Thanks. I knew I would need to epoxy the bone to the tang. Will the Derlin take stain? I'd like to stain it to an aged look. And perhaps cut some grooves.
I've seen dog chew bones on ebay. And believe I can them locally as well. How would one prepare a bone for making a knife handle? I've read there may be a need to degrease and stabilize. Thanks
 
Hunting season is starting up around the country, deer bones may be easy to get for a while and they would have a much smaller hole and outside diameter. Just a thought.
 
Derlin will take stain at the surface, it will not go very deep at all. Petsmart carries a bones in the dog section (chews) they have been bleached and the marrow is gone. They also carry antler for deer, elk, and sheep horn. Of course you are not looking to let the dog chew on it so look for the one that is perfect for your use. I bought two leg bones about 10-12" long with one side that was fairly flat and used as slabs for a knife! But I went thru a dozen or more to find what I wanted. Not all bones are the same size and shape so selecting something that is useable is a must. Make friends with one of the clerks and find out what day there deliveries on those type of items is. Get there first and pick thru and get what you need!!
 
One thing to remember when you cut or sand bone with power tools is that it really stinks. Also wear a respirator. I cut slabs from elk bone and it smelled up the house for a week. As far as a source try Moscow Hide and Fur.

Doug
 
Derlin will take stain at the surface, it will not go very deep at all. Petsmart carries a bones in the dog section (chews) they have been bleached and the marrow is gone. They also carry antler for deer, elk, and sheep horn. Of course you are not looking to let the dog chew on it so look for the one that is perfect for your use. I bought two leg bones about 10-12" long with one side that was fairly flat and used as slabs for a knife! But I went thru a dozen or more to find what I wanted. Not all bones are the same size and shape so selecting something that is useable is a must. Make friends with one of the clerks and find out what day there deliveries on those type of items is. Get there first and pick thru and get what you need!!

Is this it?
http://www.petsmart.com/food-health...36-catid-100050?var_id=36-21103&_t=pfm=search
 
One thing to remember when you cut or sand bone with power tools is that it really stinks. Also wear a respirator. I cut slabs from elk bone and it smelled up the house for a week. As far as a source try Moscow Hide and Fur.

Doug

If you ever have guests in the shop that have overstayed their welcome, just start cutting or grinding on some bone or antler!
They will suddenly remember that they have something they need to take care of, elsewhere!:biggrin:
 
If you ever have guests in the shop that have overstayed their welcome, just start cutting or grinding on some bone or antler!
They will suddenly remember that they have something they need to take care of, elsewhere!:biggrin:

That may work even better than showing them my Japanese Arisaka collection. And explaining all the variations & differences in what looks to them like identical rifles. :biggrin:
 
That may work even better than showing them my Japanese Arisaka collection. And explaining all the variations & differences in what looks to them like identical rifles. :biggrin:

I use to sell those old Arisaka's at a local gun store where I sold my knives as well. I thought for a strange pieces of history, The last ditch ones they made late in the war with less furniture and some crude machining. They still worked just fine even though by then they were made by 70 plus year old men and young school girls.
 
OK, I've got a bone Does the idea of prefilling the bone with epoxy and drilling it out for the tang sound workable? The tang will later be epoxied to the epoxy already inside the bone.
 
Heres the correct answer for the question of fill drill and epoxy? Lol

However you still end up with the need to make it physically contacting the handle area so you will need to fill any physical cavity left after drilling it out![/QUOTE]
 
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