A Bone of Contention?

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Scott

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Not Really! No contention here.

But I am interested in everyone's take on turning pens from bone.

Have you turned a pen from bone? What kind of bone would you use? What kind of finish did you use? How did it turn out?

I have turned plenty of antler, and I suspect it would be somewhat similar, but softer. I think the biggest challenge would be to find a piece large enough for a bigger pen. Or what do you think of the idea of using a smaller bone, close to the size you want the pen to be, and just drilling out the center and turning it?

I am looking forward to your opinion on this!

Scott.
 
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JeffM

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I've tried to turn antler one time. I say tried because I didn't even make it to the lathe. The smell was AWFUL! It hung around for a day or so. Is this normal or am I an antler weenie?[xx(]
 

Mattmck

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Smell: normal.

Antler is formed from Keratin, the same stuff that makes up hair and fingernails. The first time I turned antler, I thought my dog had gotten wet and then backed up against an electric heater. NASTY. My wife didn't like the smell coming up from the basement either. But it DOES make a beautiful writing instrument.
 

its_virgil

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Hey Scott,
If you've turned antler you've turned bone. Antler is bone. Read on...

From Wikipedia...
Antlers are the large and complex horn-like appendages of deer, consisting of bony outgrowths from the head with no covering of keratin as is found in true horns. Each antler grows from an attachment point on the skull called a pedicle. While an antler is growing it is covered with highly vascular skin called velvet, which supplies oxygen and nutrients to the growing bone; once the antler has achieved its proper size, the velvet is lost and the antler's bone dies. This dead bone structure is the mature antler. Antlers are shed after mating season and regrown each year.

Do a good turn daily!
Don


Originally posted by Scott
<br />Not Really! No contention here.

But I am interested in everyone's take on turning pens from bone.

Have you turned a pen from bone? What kind of bone would you use? What kind of finish did you use? How did it turn out?

I have turned plenty of antler, and I suspect it would be somewhat similar, but softer. I think the biggest challenge would be to find a piece large enough for a bigger pen. Or what do you think of the idea of using a smaller bone, close to the size you want the pen to be, and just drilling out the center and turning it?

I am looking forward to your opinion on this!

Scott.
 

rtparso

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If you smoke a good cigar while turning antler you don't notice the smell. Really I use a Sears shopvac with a gortex filter as a dust colector. No smell.
 

KenV

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I do work a bit with bone. The part you want is the outside, dried, and well cleaned. It will be a mosiac process as none of the pieces of bovine leg bone is large enouth to provide a solid blank. I can get pieces about 1/4 inch square and 5 inches long. -- or pieces nominally an inch square and about 1/4 inch thick. Bone would be a good center band material. I do not have access to elephant bone or the like (that is likely really thick stuff). Bovine and Moose do not cut it.

Where the center part of antler is spoongy, the center part of bone is marrow with a high fat content and no structure. Allowed to ripen the pen would likely provide a lasting proof of origin in olifactory stimulation (stink).

Bone has a special odor, especially if not cleaned and dried in a good way.

Scraping with high cobalt tool steel works pretty well. Otherwise sharpen and resharpen.

Bone has been used for decades for lace bobbins, crocheting needles, decorative items, etc. You can usually find lots of small items pictured on EBay.

Ken in Juneau Old Foopus Apprentice
 

Scott

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Thanks Everyone!

It sounds as if bone (as opposed to antler) is just not used much by penturners. I didn't think so - I have been around penturning a while (as some of you know) and hadn't seen much. Just to be sure I did a search over at the Yahoo group with the supurb search feature we have here at IAP (see the front page of the site), and didn't really find much about bone. One interesting mention was about Giraffe bone as yielding a piece thick enough to turn, but it was just a mention.

Of course, I have something specific in mind, in addition to the possibility of a future topic for my column at More Woodturning. And while antler may essentially be bone (thanks Don!), it is still antler, and the typical human reaction to "antler" is not the same as to "bone".

There are probably a number of suitable alternatives I could use, but again, a bone is a bone. And yes, I could make centerbands all day out of bone, but I'm looking for the overall impact of a completely bone pen. [:)]

So if you have turned bone, even centerbands or inlays, please post here and let us know how it was. And thanks Ken for the information you provided on bone.

Scott.
 

KenV

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An additional thought -- you might look for smaller undulates with a total bone diameter in range of a pen with the marrow area being the pen recess. I am remembering some small deer femurs that just might have been small enough -- I am thinking of "Leg of Lamb" or "leg of veal" at the meat shop where you might get the butcher to be slective as to what is sold to you.

Cut both ends off, and get the marrow out as soon as possible. Scrape off all meat and connective tissue. Soak in warm water with bleach and dishwasher soap scrubbing to get the blood and grease stains off.

Some suggest cooking the bone, but the raw bone takes a more translucent polish and has more resiliance to my way of thinking.

Just a thought that I will keep in mind next time I get to a butcher shop.
 

Scott

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Originally posted by KenV
<br />An additional thought -- you might look for smaller undulates with a total bone diameter in range of a pen with the marrow area being the pen recess.

Hi Ken,

Yes, this is what I was wondering. A smaller bone that you could use whole, taking out the marrow first. Since the marrow needs to be removed, I wonder if that would leave the inside opening too big.

And I wondered about cooking it as opposed to leaving it raw. I guess I'll have to try both and see which I like better.

Thanks!

Scott.
 

Rifleman1776

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There is a smaller bone on deer that is often used for tools. It is solid all the way through. Might be too small for turning pens but from a larger deer, maybe ok. I think it is called the cannon bone, not sure about that. Turkey and chicken bones will work ok if you choose one that is near your finish size..
 

wood-of-1kind

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I have used bovine (cow bone) as a centre band for a few of my pens. Has some resemblence to IVORY, but it stinks real bad when turning. I make passing reference in my photo album when used on my pen(s).

-Peter-
 

Scott

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Hi Russ,

You're right, that would be a good alternative name for bone! Kind of like calling bloodwood "Satine"! I do have to admit though that my purpose here is the opposite - I am designing a pen for those that will hear it's made of bone, and say "Cool!" [8D]

Frank - I did a Google search on "deer cannon bone" and came up with all kinds of interesting information. From the looks of it, it might be long enough and straight enough to fill the bill. Know anybody who might be able to come up with one of these? I'll ask around here as well.

Scott.
 

ctEaglesc

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To all who don't like to turn antler I sed you my address an You cab ship it to0 me I LOVe working with the stuff.
Scott-
I sometimes get raks that were mounted and have the skull attached.
there is a marke difference when you are turning with the transition of the part above and below the "pedicle"
there is also usually a distinguishin line that makes it easy to call a pair of pens made from this section off the same skull a matched set.
I am workin ong two now that will be Christmas gifts to a customers 2 sons.
 

KenV

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In some circles, the ultimate bone for a pen would be Ooslic (penile bone from a walrus). The Marine Mammals Act makes these hard to come by unless you are an Alaskan Native.

A biologist I used to work with advised that racoon also had a penile bone, so if you have a friend with dogs and headlamps, it may be possible to gain access to such body parts.....
 

Rifleman1776

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Originally posted by Scott
<br />Hi Russ,

You're right, that would be a good alternative name for bone! Kind of like calling bloodwood "Satine"! I do have to admit though that my purpose here is the opposite - I am designing a pen for those that will hear it's made of bone, and say "Cool!" [8D]

Frank - I did a Google search on "deer cannon bone" and came up with all kinds of interesting information. From the looks of it, it might be long enough and straight enough to fill the bill. Know anybody who might be able to come up with one of these? I'll ask around here as well.

Scott.

With hunting season here, you can hang around deer check stations. The cannon bone is from the lower leg. No meat. I'll betcha most hunters would let you cut off the lower leg and keep it for free. Bring a hacksaw and small hatchet. Also the lower leg of a smaller deer might work OK for pen blanks, they are small to start with. Hard to imagine all the abuse they take from running and jumping but deer bone is VERY strong stuff.
 
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