Bone and antler carving

[Tipi]

i am looking to do a bit of bone and antler carving but wanted to ask some people with some experience first
firstly, what tools, will normal wood tools be ok or is bone/antler too hard? mine were a present and so don’t really want to ruin them
secondly which is the best bone to carve? cow, deer?
i have a small piece of antler so will prob begin with that, and any other advice would be appreciated

thanks alot
tp

 

[weaver]

I use a rotary hand grinder for bone. Some folks call it a Dremel tool, I call it a rotary hand grinder.

I find the small carbide bits made for grinding steel to work very well. Small files are great for cleaning up and smoothing the finished carving.

Fine carving tools can get chipped on hard bone. If you are very experienced and careful you can do a good job with them, but then you wouldn't be asking, right?

For large carving the shank bone of a cow works great. What ever you decide be sure to wear breathing protection to keep the bone dust out of your lungs. Nasty stuff!

 

[torjusg]

I use stone tools to carve with, it is slower, but it works equally well. I did however use metal tools before. These materials dull equipment quickly, so you should have a sharpener ready.

Soften the bone or antler with water, temperate water doesn't harm the quality as much, but is less effective. Hot water softens more, but is more harmful. Fresh bone is easier to work than dried.

Also:
Reindeer antler is the very hard and solid. Medium to big pieces.
Moose antler is hard (maybe not as hard as reindeer antler) and solid. Big pieces.
Red deer antler is slightly softer and has a big pith. Medium to big pieces.
Roe deer antler is hard (maybe even as hard as reindeer antler) and solid. Small pieces.

Don't if my observations are correct though.

Things of bone or antler can crack, to keep in moisture oil them.

 

[Tipi]

thanks guys, will give it a go at the week end, i have a dremel and some bits so will try with that.
my wood tools are quite fine and so will stick to the dremel and some needel files
thanks again
tp