Giraffe bone

akadave2

akadave2

Joined
Jun 21, 2008
Messages
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Im not a maker but I find that I really like the knives Ive seen using Giraffe bone as the handle. As I understand it, its the hardest bone on the world? It almost looks like Mammoth ivory. First, is it contraversial or illegal to use in certain circumstances? Does it make a good handle and, is it so hard to work as to make knives using the material a lot more expensive?

Thanks

Dave
 
Hi Dave,

It is good stuff - I don't know if it is the hardest bone in the world but it is pretty tough - you can imagine the tensile strength needed to support a 2 metric ton body - a big bull will weigh up to 4500 pounds. You can do all sorts of things with the coloration - and get it to look pretty close to mammoth ivory too! It makes a very nice, very good handle - but it does take some preparation - you need to remove the fat and marrow from the bone before you can color and I like to stabilize it too. I have never tried carving it but shaping it on the sanders is not difficult at all. I think the reason for the expense is that the material itself is relatively expensive and you have quite a bit of waste when working it.

Here's a few different effects:

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utf-8BSU1HLTIwMTIwNjI4LTAwNDA3LmpwZw.jpg


IMG_7767.jpg


Messealgemeen033.jpg



I hope this has helped?
 
Like any bone, it stinks when you grind it. Maybe more than cow bone.
 
Oh yes, Bill you are right - it smells when you work it with any high speed equipment, particularly abrasive equipment, especially if it has not been cleaned of all the fat and marrow properly.
 
From what i've read, there seems to be a stigma associated with giraffe bone in the American collector market.
A lot of people seem to view it as imitation mammoth ivory
 
FTO_dude - have you perhaps some links I could read up on this too? It would be a real pity if this is indeed the perception, or if someone has been trying to pass it off as mammoth ivory, because it is such a nice medium and material in it's own right.
 
These threads have some discussion on the subject
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/455875-Giraffe-Bone
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/545880-Giraffe-Bone
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/454538-Giraffe-Bone
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...hat%B4s-your-opinion?highlight=giraffe%20bone

Both reference this thread where giraffe bone is mentioned several times but without any justification
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/453628-Dealbreakers


Its not that makers are using it and then selling the knife as 'ivory handled', I believe its more that buyers think makers are buying it specifically because it looks very much like ivory but is much cheaper, rather than using it for the beauty of its own qualities
 
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Thanks Dude - I had a look there and I think you are right - some people don't like it and that is their prerogative, but many seem to shoot it down just for the hell of it, instead of giving credit where due. I find it a very nice medium - all the bone I have has not been dyed - I color it myself when I feel the need to.
 
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