Care and feeding of jigged bone

Tyson A Wright

Tyson A Wright

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Well, after owning/buying/selling many knives (at least half of them slipjoints) over the last 44 years, I just acquired my first knife with a jigged bone handle. What do I need to do to care for it?

I use mineral oil as pivot lube, and I know it's good for wood scales and bad for stag scales and indifferent for micarta scales. Any problems with mineral oil on bone?

I often carry my knife in the same pocket as my keys. With wood or micarta or whatever, I end up with very light shallow surface scratches (that don't bother me on a working tool). It seems possible to me that the effects on bone might be worse and uglier. Anybody have experiences to share?

Anything else I should keep in mind?

Thanks!

-Tyson
 
I've never done anything special to/for my bone handled knives, aside from witping the grease off when I worked in a shop, and wiping off the blood after peeling and gutting a critter or cleaning a mess of fish.
If really grungy, I might wash and scrub with an old toothbrush using toothpaste to clean them.

None have shrunk that I've noticed or cracked.

I know some use Lemon Pledge furniture polish or lemon oil on their bone handles.

I've always thought they were pretty much maintenance free.

No doubt those who know better than me will chime in shortly. :D

EDIT:
I only carry things like keys, coins (back when I had cash) one to three pocket knives, in my RFP.
Wallet goes in RRP. Because of a messed uo left wrist, I don't use left pockets.

I haven't niticed any damage to the bone. Then again, I really haven't looked all that close.
Like you said, they're tools.
 
Firstly, if was carrying my jigged bone in a pocket with keys etc., i would get a good quality leather slip. I apply mineral oil once a year on all my bone covers, but i don't carry them everyday as i have several. But if all i carried was one bone covers knife, i would not have to. There is enough natural oils expelled by your hands to keep the covers in good condition with having to apply any oils yourself. So it depends on you and your circumstances.
 
I've never done anything special to my bone-handled knives. They'll hold up, no matter what - save for cracks/chip damage caused by impact or drops, anyway. But they don't need anything special (or at all, really) for protecting their finish. Pocket carry will gradually smooth & pollsh jigged bone over time, which is a good thing as far as I'm concerned.
 
If your noticing scratches on wood and not caring, then you'll be fine to ignore the bone. Bone is the harder, more durable of the two, by far.

In almost 20 years of carrying bone handled folders, and a couple fixed blades, I've neverhad any damage I can remember. Heck, not really a mark I can remember.

Mine have always been in pockets with coins, keys, other knives, guns, tools, nuts, bolts, and other various accessories to life.

Some get the "pocket worn" feel (like Case does on purpose with some of their jigging) a slight softening of the crisp edges... more something you feel after a decade than ever see.

Some get a slight dulling of the glossy polish(if it startedcthat way), to a somewhat satin or flat, much the same as the bolsters get, but taking several times longer to do it.

Wouldn't recommend dropping them though, onto anything too hard(concrete) from any substantial height, even non bareheads, with the protective bolsters. I've never worried about it and have never cracked a scale, but it is a somewhat brittle material compared to others. It can happen.
 
Sometimes mineral oil will stain white bone, but aside from that they are fairly resistant to the elements and rigors of daily carry. As others said, they will wear and may change color over time, but are for the most part low maintenance.
Working on concrete floors I do fear dropping my knives however
 
This knife is approximately 85-years old with no apparent damage from either the previous owners or myself. Follow the advice of Obsessed with Edges Obsessed with Edges and you'll be fine.

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Ice Tigre said:
If your noticing scratches on wood and not caring, then you'll be fine to ignore the bone. Bone is the harder, more durable of the two, by far.
Click to expand...

Bone may be harder, but it’s not more durable than wood. It’s true that jigged bone’s appearance will wear better with time than smooth wood, but if a bone covered barehead is dropped, there is a good chance that the covers will chip or crack. That same knife, if covered in ebony or cocobolo will experience nothing more than a few minor dings.
 
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As kamagong kamagong wisely notes, bone is actually brittle stuff and dropping it onto hard surfaces will almost always result in cracks or chips, woods shrug it off :D Centre pins are weak places as well. That said, I don't think bone requires any special 'maintenance' it's much less susceptible to shrink from dry conditions compared to woods, horn or antler scales. Pocket carry ( I keep mine apart from keys or other things in the pocket though...) and regular use keeps it looking fine, occasional rub down with Lemon Oil furniture oil or wax brings up a good shine when fancied. The only thing I'd really avoid is prolonged exposure to sunlight-left on window sill etc that will leach the colour quite rapidly- think old display models of knives on cards in shops.

Thanks, Will
 
Double post, sorry.

(Has to be the only forum on earth that won't allow you to delete your own posts... :( )
 
kamagong said:
Bone may be harder, but it’s not more durable than wood. It’s true that jigged bone’s appearance will wear better with time than smooth wood, but if a bone covered barehead is dropped, there is a good chance that the covers will chip or crack. That same knife, if covered in ebony or cocobolo will experience nothing more than a few minor dings.
Click to expand...

Within the context of what I was replying to yes bone is more durable than wood; Talking about marring, scratching, and normal wear in normal use.

I disagree about ebony or cocobolo, wouldn't want to see either put to that test. They're both dense, hard and as far as woods go, rather brittle. Wouldn't want to drop either one any more than I would bone.
 
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