Bone Carving: Alternative Materials to Beef Bone?

Heya,

I got started bone carving a few months back, simply because I wanted a hei matau necklace and thought it would be more meaning full if actualy was to carved my own.

I grabbed the first bone I could, wich happend to be a 20+ year old bear femur and tibia that has been on my parents property for as long as I could remember. After scraping the mud, moss and mold off of the bone, I started and when I was done, I was very happy with the hook, I wore my pendant with pride knowing I had made it!

A few weeks after I made the first hook, I was at a local 'hippie' jewelry store, and the owner thought my necklace was really cool, I promised I'd make him one as well, and after a week I came back and proceeded to trade him for some odd $50 in tapers to stretch my ears a little bit.

After the hooks, I made some earrings, just small 10g hoops with a stopper on the back, and a honu and koru pendant for my wife and daughter, I really got into the carving and after a time, ran out of bone. I got some advice from a few forum regulars, and tried both fresh beef bone, hand picked and macerated, as well as a pet store variety. I carved a bit, and honestly, I've been realy unhappy with the beef bone. It's soft, bland, and has no real grain for the most part, honestly, it's just too easy and plain.

I tried to take some pictures of my hooks to show what I'm trying to say, but my camera takes poor macro shots up close, so hopefully when my wife gets home later, I can take better shots with hers.

Anyway, the bear bone is 2x as hard, grainy, cracked and semi-included, a real nightmare to carve and work around all of the problems, (it was very old weathered bone.) but after a decent rub down with 600 grit sand paper, and a bath in baking soda (I have no idea how you're supposed to polish these things, but baking soda really seemed to do a nice job.), it is amazing to look at, and really seems to have a much cooler vibe than the beef bone.

Basicly, I havn't been happy with the beef bone, it seems to finish poorly (The bone I macerated myself, I was very careful to clean, and I didn't use anything (boil/bleach/detergent) that would soften it, the beef bone is just naturally a bit soft and chalky feeling. I'm wondering what else is available out there?

I've seen a few carvings out of whale bone and teeth that looked a lot more like the bone I got used to, but that really makes me wonder how available the bone is, and if it's... I don't know, cruelty free, I think there are some laws protecting marine mammals? I've thought about trying my hand at carving stone, but I really don't feel like stepping up my tools right now, since I'm not doing anything commission or comercial, just having fun for the time being.

Can anyone recomend any other, available materials to carve besides beef bone? Anything harder, more like ivory? Also, something that is easy enough to purchase online?

I suspect you're using the wrong bone (anatomically), because beef bone is a near perfect carving medium. It is cheap, readily available, sustainable and easy to work with power or hand tools. It is incredibly strong and has a nice lengthwise grain that is easy to work with. If there was a better alternative the scores of guys here who carve for a living would have discovered it by now. Whale ivory is beautiful, but incredibly expensive and difficult to source. Regular whalebone is highly porous and often stained and crumbly - if you can find it.

If you get the right bones and spend a little time preparing them, there's no reason why you won't get good results. Just make sure to get the shanks, I think the lower legs are best from memory. Get them direct from the butcher with the joints cut off and prepare them yourself. Here's a couple of sites that have some prep tips:

http://www.aotearoa.co.nz/bones/
http://www.carving.co.nz/howto.html

I'm a little rusty on the bone, having not carved it for 7-8 years now, but I'm sure other US based carvers like GMAN and Basement Kahuna who regularly produce top-shelf stuff in beefbone can give you a few more tips. Good luck!

A lot of us kiwi jade carvers get a start with bone carving, heehee. Bear bone, now thats cool! Please try to post a piccy eh?

As above, beef 'shank' section of the leg bone is about the best I know of. I have carved a fair variety over the years.
Whalebone is often quite porus & a bit controversial like elephant ivory, while cows are abundant.
Most fishy horns/spikes etc small revolting when carved, I wouldnt go there...

Hope this helps. Tama

Additionally, the MMPA (Marine Mammal Protection Act) will get you jail time or huge fines - in the tens of thousands of dollars. I would recommend you stay real clear of whale bone, especially pieces without documentation, unless you have the proper permits to possess it. There are all sorts of people, both Federal Agents and others, who search the Inet looking for folks in violation of wildlife laws. I recommend the Beef - It's What's For Dinner!

On 2006-10-10 19:31, GMAN wrote:
Additionally, the MMPA (Marine Mammal Protection Act) will get you jail time or huge fines - in the tens of thousands of dollars. I would recommend you stay real clear of whale bone, especially pieces without documentation, unless you have the proper permits to possess it. There are all sorts of people, both Federal Agents and others, who search the Inet looking for folks in violation of wildlife laws.

Whoops! Hope you dont think Im out there harpooning whales Gman! I was given a small chunk years ago that came from one of the last commercially caught spermwhales in NZ (about 45yrs ago..?). Apart from this, it is NZ law that any natural whale strandings (unsuccessfully saved) are given to the local Maori Iwi of the area. In this way there will always be a little material for 'Cultural' use... Tama