Questions about bone for handles

[tombear]

I've just heard that a blade I've asked to be made in the style of a Roman knife dug up in London

http://wpmedia.news.nationalpost.com/2013/04/roman-iron-knife-museum-of-london-archaeology.jpg

Is ready to be shipped for me to finish, handle and sheath. It seams that the original has bone handles, something I've not made before, and I'm wondering if anyone has any practical advice on working bone and where to source the best material to make scales.

ive got a copy of Arthur McGregors "Bone, antler, ivory and horn, the technology of skeletal materials since the Roman period" to read but I'd be grateful for any pointers from those who's done it.

ATB

Tom

 

[crosslandkelly]

That's a cool looking knife, I'd to see pics of your finished copy.

 

[tombear]

Cheers! Will do.

Having done some more research it would seam that there is a time element to cleaning and especially stabilising bone from scratch and since I want to bash on as soon as the blades arrive I'm now considering buying some pre prepared scales.

Being excessively cheap, who sells bone scales for reasonable amounts, please?

ATB

Tom

 

[ozzy1977]

I think brisa sell bone scales

 

[Shing]

Bone is quite easy to work, a bit smelly though. You can get stabilized giraffe bone or camel bone, just google for sources. Bone has tiny pores so dirt can lodge in them and make it look spotty. During finishing, coat with very thin super glue to fill in the pores.

 

[Hibrion]

Brisa do camel bone scales. I've not bought these but found Brisa a good company in general.

 

[VaughnT]

Bone's easy to work with, being similar to any hardwood, but it can chip and crack when you're not expecting it. Nothing really awful, but watch the thin areas and work them lightly. Also note that it doesn't take much at all to split the bone. If you rivet the scales in place, prep the holes well and peen the rivets very lightly.

As mentioned, watch out for staining the bone with metal dust, sweat and dirt. Once it gets into the pores of the bone, it's almost impossible to get out. If you get fresh bone, not stabilized, I would recommend you coat them with superglue to seal the pores before working. Even sanding the bone to blend it into the knife will impart metal dust. Sometimes it looks nice, giving the handle an old look, and sometimes it looks awful.

Keeping the bone wet will cut down on the airborne dust and smell, but expect a little stinkitude regardless.

 

[Toddy]

The pet shops sell really clean white bones. They look like sections through the middle of the femur. I know folks who have bought them for carving, etc., and they seem to work very well indeed.
Cuts neatly with a small saw into flattish sections.

There are always the shoulder blades too though. They don't turn up in pet shops but the butchers will have them.....I have a couple of roe deer ones in my compost heap just now, but those are very small. The worms are doing a sterling job of cleaning them up though So if you can get hold of some then a few weeks buried in the active topsoil will clean them up nicely. They will need dried out and rubbed down afterwards though.

Looking forward to seeing what you do with them

atb,
M

 

[tombear]

Cheers! the blades I have had made should be here Tuesday or Wednesday so i will wait till then before sourcing some bone to make sure its big enough.

Heres a pic of them, ready for me to work my dubious magic on. It's the middle one that I need the bone for. Thankfully the shape is pretty simple. the small seax I will handle with yew I think like my sons but with a horn plate/ferule thingy. I've not made up my mind about the Frankish Longseax. More research is needed and I the middle son has some books on order for his birthday that may help me decide. It will mainly be wood and not that fancy. Boxwood possibly but I'm vain enough to want something prettier so I may go for yew again or perhaps that hawthorn heart wood I used for my stick.

I refound a absolutely lovely block of birds eye maple, i think its called, I got about 20 years back but unfortunately I think thats a North American wood so wouldnt be very historically accurate.

Anyway better crash.

thanks again for the info

ATB

Tom

jj

 

[British Red]

I've not made up my mind about the Frankish Longseax.

ATB

Tom

That's a stunning blade Tom - really very nice indeed. Reminds me of one of mine which is bone handled (and original)

 

[tombear]

Uw Niiiice! Any makers mark on it?

Theres a specialist pet food shop in the village, where we got the cuttlefish bone when I needed to fill the pounce pot and the giant dog rawhide bones to edgfe the kids shields with, and I think they do very clean looking long bones. When the blades arrive Ill trace the Roman style one (rather than pulling it out over the tins of pedigree chum) and take the tracing to make sure the bones as near to correct size as I can get it.

ATB and thanks for the encouragement folks!

Tom

 

[British Red]

Uw Niiiice! Any makers mark on it?



Tom

Nope - too old I suspect - clearly the sheath is a modern one (a beaut too that Singteck made for it). The knife has been assessed as being "age measured in the hundreds of years" - probably North African in origin. I suspect that is pure guesswork tbh

 

[tombear]

Well they have arrived and I am delighted with them! They are just the job for my requirements/pocket and i will really enjoy fettling, handling and sheathing them.

Thats 20 inches of 2 inch wide EN45 goodness, the 5 1/2 inch blade ring knife, which already fills the hand very nicely, was made from a British made 1950s shear blade and the 4 1/2 inch seax from a old landrover spring.

Im one happy bunny! I'll start on the small seax first as I may have the materials to hand.

ATB

Tom

 

[crosslandkelly]

Very nice looking blades.

 

[tombear]

Cheers! I got them from this chap, made to measure so to speak,

http://www.knivesbynick.co.uk/

I decided to remove the black stuff and most of the tool marks on the small seax and gave it a quick polish. After tea I will see if I can find something to make the handle from

ATB

Tom

n

 

[British Red]

Thats 20 inches of 2 inch wide EN45 goodness,
ATB

Tom

Dear Gods thats 20 inches of sheer stonking loveliness. I am really looking forward to seeing it take shape Tom - I know you will do it justice.

I'm coming over all Uthred just looking at it!

 

[Macaroon]

That's a great link to his site - he's got some great stuff there and good prices, too...............Thanks for a very handy linky...

 

[tombear]

Cheers! I'm starting on the smallest first, partly from LMF and partly as I've the materials to hand.

I'd kept the rest of the bit of the seasoned on the tree dead yew branch I used to make the handle on the lads knife and after I'd trimmed the ends flat there's ample for this one. A while back a kind gent of this parish gave me a piece of (buffalo?) horn and I'd like to make a spacer/ferrule from a piece of it. I've not done that before so any tips would be appreciated.

ATB

Tom

 

[mr dazzler]

I really like the little seax blade. Very interesting to me. I am sure it will be a knife with great character once it is complete, looking forward to more pictures..

 

[tombear]

The one I did for the middle son came out ok,

http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=87344

He's been using it this week after digging it out since he last used it in the summer.

ATB

Tom