Bone Awl help

[Pignut]

All I would like to make an awl from bone,

What bone is recomended? is antler any good?

(Any how too's would be good )

Thanks in advance

Pignut

 

[stevo]

I would also like to know!!

anyone?

cheers

 

[jdlenton]

I made one recently from red deer antler and its fine i'll post photos later as i can't find any at the mo

As for a how too it all depends on what tooling you want to use a hack saw filesa qnd wetndry are what i used but you can go as basic a flint and rocks if you like what do you want to know

James

 

[Pignut]

Pics would be good!

I would like to use the awl for leather and bark work, and have no idea on design etc,

Is it just a spike or has it a hollow side etc?

 

[Toddy]

I find antler a bit too soft for very fine awls but a bit of shin bone, or even rib is good.
Think triangular. Cut in two parallel lines at about 60o angles so that they meet in the bottom of a kind of groove, the piece that comes out is the blank for making your awl or needles. It can be flatter than this if you want, but at 60o you can then round it off more easily, one of those spongey sanding blocks works quite well, but the smell of bonemeal will torment your cat and dog into a furry nuisance
The cutting/scribing lines can be tapered if you want, it's just easier I find to actualy get a suitable blank out of the bone/antler first and then do the shaping afterwards.

There *have* to be more experienced folks than me on the forum at this.

Drilling the eyehole can be done by a flint chip or you can just use a bowdrill or even a dremell

Cheers,
Toddy

 

[Pignut]

Makes sence!

Thanks for that!

 

[Hawk Hawkins]

Ive seen bone needles made by cracking the bone with a hammer and using the long slivers. I would assume you could do an awl the same way.
With a leather awl though I have learned ...metal, wood,bone, or other the best shape is a three sided awl.
A triangular hole in leather wont close up as quick when sewing by hand.
Hawk

 

[torjusg]

I made an awl of reindeer antler to stich my spruce-bark canoe. Used one of the thinnest points. But I agree that antler may be too soft for leather.

Torjus Gaaren

 

[Pignut]

This might be a daft question, but hey it is coming from me!!!

Should the bone be treated, i.e cooked, before it is used or should it be used raw?

 

[Nemisis]

Not certain but doesn't boiling soften the bones? Like shaping antlers for walking slicks etc?.
Dave.

 

[Pignut]

Yes I think you are right!

Wondered about roasting!

 

[Nemisis]

Thinking about it though they do settle back once cold so maybe boiling then shaping/cutting etc might be easier while its soft from a blank as Toddy suggested? Might also prevent it splitting when making the eye.
Dave.

 

[mikew]

The best way I've found for preparing bone is: after scraping of any meat, simmer (don't boil) for a couple of hours in napisan. Then cut to shape, file and sand. Some people use a mixture of bleach and detergent but I've yet to try this.

 

[torjusg]

Preparing bone raw without any treatment is always the best. Boiling do dry out and weaken the bone a little, but not as much as grilling will.

I would recommend using the narrow bone in the leg (don't remember what it's called in english). Break it and simply sand it to a proper point. Bone should be oiled to keep it from degrading over time.

Torjus Gaaren

 

[Toddy]

I agree with Torjusg, best used fresh, but that said, I have used the bit of shin bone that I'd just boiled up for soup and it worked fine.
Basically you want all the meat off and the bone clean but that's it. If you've got a good gnawing dog who won't devour the bone too, then let him at it then scrub the bone up under the tap and dry it off with kitchen towels or newspaper.
It's an incredible material; flexible as well as stiff and strong, I regularly use bone tools that are well over a century old and they are as good as new.

H & S might make the Napisan a really good idea too

Cheers,
Toddy

 

[Pignut]

Cant wait to get stuck into this, down to the butchers at lunch!

 

[Hawk Hawkins]

Bleach degrades the bone if its used to whiten it...thats from my experience.
It turns chalky on the outside then falls apart if exposed to it for very long.
If I do bone crafting most time I use the bone in the green state. I boil it in water and soap for about half hour it removes alot of the surface oil. I have heard of taxidermists using peroxide to whiten bone...but its not the topical stuff you buy in the pharmacy its a 98% solution.
I hope this helps
Hawk