How to Carve Bone Into Jewlery

In this instructable I will be teaching you how to carve bone into tribal pendants, or anything really.
Carving bone is a cheap fun hobby that takes up a lot of time. After just a few days you may be able to make something impressive. But as I understand it takes many years to master.

Step 1 Tools and Materials You Will Need

You will absolutely need these items
A RESPIRATOR, BONE DUST... OR ANY FINE DUST FOR THAT MATTER IS  VERY BAD FOR YOUR LUNGS ABSOLUTELY DO NOT START THIS PROJECT UNLESS YOU HAVE A WAY TO KEEP YOURSELF AWAY FROM THE DUST. 
(YOU WILL ALSO NEED A STRONG STOMACH IF YOU USE A CARBON FILTER RESPIRATOR. BONE CAN MAKE VERY DISGUSTING SMELLS)
Bone
And a dremel with a diamond bit, a drill bit, and sanding bits with sand paper .

To make better designs you will also need:
Sand paper 300, (600, 1000 are optional. I don't have any and will explain what to do if you don't have any either)
A jewelers saw with the coarsest blade you can find
1 needle files (The one is the coarseness of the file)
a tooth brush
Baking soda
and a Linen towel

Comments

[Toa676]

For all of you that are starting up, all these tools to start up if you are in the US you can get the majority of the hand tools from Harbor Freight. Needle files, large regular hand files, to substitute the Jewelers saw you can get a coping saw. Almost exactly the the same except the Jewelers blades are much thinner and for finer cuts. Practicing with the coping saw before buying the other one, would be the best way. The Dremels are the best to get, kind of expensive Harbor Freight has a cheaper version more economical if you're starting out. And the burr kits at harbor freight are way cheaper with the same or more of variety of burrs that can help you speed up the process of carving bones. The burrs are the technical term for the little tips you put into the Dremel or what ever kind you're using to help carve the bones. As for where to get your bones the local butcher at your grocery store if you ask will give them to you, or a meat processor these are the places that pre- process the meat before coming to the grocery store. The local one here said I could have as much as I wanted. We're talking like full femur's with knuckles, only problem they still have tendons, meat ,hair etc. to be cleaned by you. There's sites that give you the ways to clean those. If, you need design ideas put bone carving in as a search you'll be amazed at what you see. I'm Polynesian most of the designs you'll see are Maori ( Natives of New Zealand ) designs. Many of them have special and specific meanings, my family is from another Island and my designs are focusing to the natives from our Island ( Tonga ). Hopefully this will help those of you that are starting out, I wished I had as much information as I have provided for you, I have more info just ask ? See ya

[hnrmcfadden]

Where/how do you get your bones? What advice would you offer in picking a bone.

[xanxor]

Petco, petsmart ect. the bone I used was a cow femur

they very greatly try and find own the the maximum amount of thick reasonably fat pieces
(please wear a respirator)

[cwix09]

Are jewelry saws different then normal saws?

[xanxor]

yes, they are a lot smaller and are made to cut corners

[scrapy magoo]

are the files seperate to the dremmel or do they attach? does it make a difference how fresh the bone is?
i got some good bits and some burnt bits still waiting for the fleshybones to settle...

[xanxor]

separate. they are jewlers file, if you can get diamond ones at 0 or 00 coarseness. they are kinda expensive tough. what you'll need most are a ound file a half round and a flat file.

I used a cow bone from pet-co. I think that you might want to use sun bleached bones if possible. or boiled and bleached ones


(please wear a respirator)

[Skwaab]

I noticed whilst dremeling it, the smell isnt too bad.

Smells like cheesy dorito's. And for the dust, its not too much of a problem, thats what mucus is for.

[xanxor]

Not really bone dust is horrible on your lungs up there with asbestos and that crap. It's your choice to wear a mask or something, but I'd recommend it.

[ParadoxBoy33]

get a rotisserie motor and some alligator clips and get some of the long drying 2-ton epoxy. its better than nail polish and will seal the bone, making it non porous and ensuring it will stay white. putting it on the rotisserie motor while the stuff dries will ensure an even coat. 2 ton epoxy is extremely tough. i use it on fishing lures.

[jtobako]

Did the file get dull or just filled with bone dust?  If all the grooves are full of white stuff that won't come out, use the edge of a penny or a brass brush (or even a steel one, but it will wear the file out more quickly) to push the bone dust out of the groves.  Let the 'teeth' of the file bite into the penny, and push the length of the tooth rather than the length of the file to clean them out.

[ParadoxBoy33]

could use one of the rubber file cleaning blocks. those work pretty righteously..

[xanxor]

no all the ridges are nill i use a tooth brush to clean my files.

[jtobako]

I don't think a toothbrush is going to be aggressive enough to dig out the compacted bone dust.

[xanxor]

It is. i can see my file like i said the ridges are flat, it has the grinding capacity of a normal piece of steel.

[Bodygard1117]

i like this setp. no pictures. four words say it all =)

[xanxor]

It's kind of hard to take a picture of yourself holding a 1bit jewelers saw without breaking something. XD

[flyingwaya]

don't make soup with it or it will lock in some of the fat. It's best if you slowly decrease it with a fish heater and soapy (Dawn ) water. I use a 100wt under water fish heater. Thats the best way to get a nice white bone, I know cause I'm trained to do taxidermy. I hope this will help you clean you nexted bone you get to work on.

[xanxor]

i only need the knuckle to make soup. a about an inch of femur.

[flyingwaya]

Where can someone buy the bone to make in jewelry.

[xanxor]

Um you can get some nice pearly white sterilized bone at most pet stores that have dog toys. make sure to look for a femur with lots of thick flat spots as these are the best to carve. I'm currently in the market for a nice big leg to try and sterilize myself... (after i make soup with it)