Questions about bone and antler tools

[fishshooter]

I was checking out the links in paleojoe's thread about the man named Storm. On Storm's website are some pictures of some tools he had made. I am interested in the blade made from antler:

Has anyone made one before? I've made spear and arrow points from antler before. They seem easier to work when fresh from the animal, and get harder as they age. I've seen stabbing knives made from antler and shin bones, but I don't know if I've seen cutting implements made from them before now. I'm thinking the key would be the serrations. I am going to try to make some, and any input or comments would be welcome. I have several smaller deer racks to use, but they are from animals I got last year.

 

[paleojoe]

I use the edges of angular rock, like gritty flagstone to create serrations or sanding with bone. Hold it perpendicular to the rock edge and notch away. Using machines like disc grinders work but bone and antler really smells and the dust goes all over... Files work too.

The knife is beautiful. Would require splitting off a piece and reducing unless already thin enough for just sanding. I imagine only one side has the beautiful bone/antler look, the other, sanded flat and smooth, but I could be wrong.

The tang was probably inserted and bonded with either a hide glue or pitch.

 

[MT Borg]

Am thinking a light coating of super glue on a finished blade might make it stronger... would it be a good candidate for stabilizing?

 

[Skimo]

Bone is good for awls and thick needles.

Interesting idea, but I think their use would end with cutting meat.

 

[fishshooter]

Thanks Joe! I've used a dremel and sander to work bone and antler, your right about the smell. I'll probably go this route the first try at this, and use an epoxy to bond it, see how it goes, then try it traditional. We don't have much in the way of rocks around here, mostly sandstone and limestone. All the flint the natives used was acquired through trade with tribes to the north. Never made hide glue before, what's the process?

 

[fishshooter]

Bone is good for awls and thick needles.

Interesting idea, but I think their use would end with cutting meat.

I'm wondering the same. I know it wouldn't carve wood well, but maybe for notching and scraping. I want to see if it will cut hide and meat mostly.

 

[paleojoe]

A bone-knife would fill the role of milder tasks that require less of a sharp edge. Scaling fish, working soft stones, skinning without cutting meat, etc.
Bone scrapers/fleshers are the most common. They can be resharpened.
They can cut hide, but will dull and need touch-up. The cleanliness of slice compared to a knife, or obsidian for that matter, is much less, but depends on the material being cut...
Convexing really adds to a stronger, less brittle edge...
For notching in fire kit hearthboards, a little serration goes along way, that's for sure. I will use serrated obsidian for notching. I like to mix it up. But a sharp knife convexed or scandied works best for me and is still my default.

I once made a bone folding knife. Kind of a drop-point sodbuster looking thing. Worked and was cute. Didn't last too long, but I also pushed it to see how far it could go.

I love bone tools. They add more to the use of an animal and make some of the best fish hooks, awls, needles, etc.



Hide glue can be made in a variety of ways. One is to take a fleshed, dehaired skin, that has already been broken down (i.e. pre-soaked in wood ash, uric acid, lime, tannins, etc. which would generally preclude dehairing) such as deer, and boil it (rock boil or camp pot over fire if out in the field) until the matter separates and floats to the top. Scrape it off. Add water and keep going until you get it all. This could be anywhere from 5-10 hours depending on the hide, smaller pieces take less... Scrape the floating matter and let dry in thin sets. Cut into small workable pieces like chiclets. Keep dry or will mold or go bad. Keep away from hungry animals! Heat up your piece when you want it and voila! Deer hide Glue!

The matter is composed of proteins and collagens, that form a strong bond with whatever they are glueing.

Horses, in the industrial past, were the most used for collagen-based animal glues...


Epoxy would probably have a longer shelf life, but as to length of bond over time vs. epoxy, I have no idea. I would say it depends!
As for whether it will cut a hunk of sirloin at the table, I imagine it's do-able. I don't know how do-able. I've used some dull stuff at restaurants!

 

[fishshooter]

I really appreciate the info Joe. Oh, and welcome to the forum, I hope you stick around.

 

[paleojoe]

No problem! Thanks for the kind welcome!


Here's a sharp one:

Scapula Saw


Maybe a combo field spatula too?