Finish on bone?

J

Jason Fry

Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
Joined
Jun 5, 2008
Messages
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I've got a bone handle sanded down to 400 grit and looking good. Do I need to apply any kind of finish to it? Maybe teak oil or mineral oil? What's the standard finish for bone handles?
 
The standard finish is no finish-just polished. Polish it with green rouge and a buffer.
If you don't have a buffer, scrub it with 0000 steel wool, and polish with Simichrome on a cloth.
 
We had a fella teach bone carving for a while at our high school. I don't remember him sealing the stuff, just sanding and polishing like Bill said. I'll check in with him (http://www.louiethefish.com) and see what he has to say.
 
I say to sand it smooth and if you must buff it use white rouge. If there are pores a colored rouge will stick in them and wont come out.
 
I just sand smoooth and a light buff with pink no scratch.
Stan
 
I have a buffing wheel that is dedicated for bone polishing. I take it off and store it in a clean bag when not in use. I made the mistake of using what I thought was a relatively clean wheel for a handle and it turned all the pits black and I had to re-sand it to remove them.

However, taking bone and horn to 800 grit makes it pretty darn shiney, and is usually more than enough. It doesn't take long for a hunter with a polished bone handle to develop a patina anyway.
 
The bone carver I mentioned said he takes the bone to at least 320 grit, polishes with white rouge on a clean wheel and that there's no need for a sealer/finisher.
 
I was thinking of dyed bone.
If you get compound in the pores, here is how to remove it:
Soak the bone with WD 40, and scrub it with a rag. Then, wash the bone with water, and a thick paste made of baking soda and liquid soap or detergent. Really scrub the pores with your fingers. Rinse, thoroughly dry and paste wax (Or neutral shoe polish.)
 
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