Elk leg bones.

MountainmanJack · graduate Joined: 02 Sep 2009 Posts: 184 Location: Arizona

I have 2 upper leg bones from an elk. Besides a caveman club what can I make out of these? Any ideas would be great. Thanks.

Jack

ArizonaBushman · Posted: Mon Nov 02, 2009 2:27 am Post subject:

Well I have worked bone before and I know of some pretty cool things you can do with those. Score them in a design like a large needle. Then break them. They should break along the score marks. Then you have your rough needle shape and you can shape it and smooth it from there. You can also score arrow point shapes in them and shape some nice bone points out of them.
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OzaawaaMigiziNini · Posted: Mon Nov 02, 2009 9:13 am Post subject:

John's got it.

Bone was the first material other then wood that I learned to shape. Grinding, scoring, cracking and carving can all work with the material. Things I've made in the past with bone include;

-Harpoons for both fishing arrows and fishing spears

-Tougher deadfall trigger pieces (Figure Four works especially well with bone triggers, even better if you polish the joints.. makes them slip faster)

-Knife blades

-Needles

-Awls with glover needle-like edges on the tips, to help with birchbark basketry or even canoe building

-Buttons and toggles for little projects

-The long "shank" bone on the forelegs of the animal make amazing needles for when you are thatching a shelter or weaving grass mats. These look tiny on a deer, but are huge on moose and elk.. though since it sounds like you have the femurs instead of the "canon bones" I doubt you'll have the little shanks.

-Chisels for working wood and soft stone

-Auger for cutting through ice (bone doesn't freeze like steel does, and makes bone auger chisels the prefered ice-cutting tool in remote northern regions.)

-Hollow out the marrow and make plugs, viola a primitive hard case that won't lose all of your little stone tools or other little goodies.
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j_wilson (howlin wolf) · Posted: Mon Nov 02, 2009 7:44 pm Post subject:

Very nice!! Hoping for pic of what you decide to do with the bone(s)!!
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samcolt · Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2009 8:13 am Post subject:

you could use them for the cutting part of a rudementry springpole lathe.
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ArizonaBushman · Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2009 9:57 am Post subject:

That makes sense actually! You could even make a larger spear point from then then haft it to a hand drill spindle. That would make a drill that would be good enough to bore through the pithy center for your agave quiver.
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MountainmanJack · graduate Joined: 02 Sep 2009 Posts: 184 Location: Arizona

Well pith!!!! I already removed the center so I won't make no bones about it! Laughing

Sorry, could not resist.
So explain this springpole lathe thingy please as I've never seen one.

Jack

samcolt · Posted: Wed Nov 11, 2009 2:53 pm Post subject:

The springpole lathe is shrouded in mystery- it was used by many advanced primitive cultures. the basic idea would be to take a green sapling as a spring - tie a rope to it and to an anchored stick to act a foot pedal and loop the rope ( like a bow drill- in a vertical position) and use this for drilling, hollowing, shaping anthing from bone to wood.
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j_wilson (howlin wolf) · Posted: Wed Nov 11, 2009 4:19 pm Post subject:

Sounds pretty cool man, are you planning on making one?
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samcolt · Posted: Thu Nov 12, 2009 11:18 am Post subject:

um maybe? I have been kinda busy- working on trying to get into a tattoo apprentice spot. when I can get the time I will tho.
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God made man, Sam Colt made them equal

ArizonaBushman · Posted: Thu Nov 12, 2009 5:35 pm Post subject:

Dude?!?!?! You do tattoos??
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j_wilson (howlin wolf) · Posted: Thu Nov 12, 2009 6:19 pm Post subject:

Right on bro, I used to do tatt's lotsa competition in that field, be prepared!!
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samcolt · Posted: Fri Nov 13, 2009 1:42 am Post subject:

I am trying to start to do them, I am drawing and studying as many styles as i can get my hands on. I havent done any yet- I want my art and drawing skills to be perfect before I start digging into people. I have seen to many mediocre tattoos. I am doing it because i want to express myself in a popular medium, not for the money or lifestyle. I dont feel competitive with others only myself. If you got any tips on tattooing I would love to hear them.
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God made man, Sam Colt made them equal

OzaawaaMigiziNini · Posted: Fri Nov 13, 2009 3:33 am Post subject:

Brother, if this works out for you, I'd be a proud customer. When I finally get my @$$ down there, I'd love to get you to scar me for life in a good way (not like what Mary keeps threatening her and John will do to me).
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Only an idiot brings a knife to a gunfight. Well sir, I am that idiot.

j_wilson (howlin wolf) · Posted: Fri Nov 13, 2009 7:55 am Post subject:

Practice on grapefruit, oranges, and when you are ready go to a butchers and get a pigs rump, they are about $80 but it's near perfect skin to practice on!! When you feel you have a steady hand give your self a tattoo. Other than practice alot there really isn't much else I can tell you, it's one of those either you got it or you don't kind of things. Too bad you aren't in Az or else I could hook you up with a couple of old schoolers.
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"Respect is the one thing money can't buy, it takes a long time to earn, but can be lost in the blink of an eye"

samcolt · Posted: Fri Nov 13, 2009 1:05 pm Post subject:

Thats cool thanks. I still got to get all the tattoo suplies still. I will be up and running with my tax return. Any tips on what kind of inks and guns to use? And Oz I would be happy to practice on you! What did you have in mind for a tattoo?
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God made man, Sam Colt made them equal

j_wilson (howlin wolf) · Posted: Fri Nov 13, 2009 2:20 pm Post subject:

I used to use inks made by the ink factor in Az, actually I got everything from them. My whole setup cost about $1400.00 but I had it all paid back by the 5th tatt I did. I would reccomend finding a supply shop or 2 and talk to them about what they reccomend. Just don't skimp on the power supply, the better one you get the better your tattoo's will be.
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"Respect is the one thing money can't buy, it takes a long time to earn, but can be lost in the blink of an eye"

samcolt · Posted: Sat Nov 14, 2009 10:32 am Post subject:

thanks, I have to get everything online, because until this last year tattooing was illegal in Oklahoma.
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God made man, Sam Colt made them equal

ArizonaBushman · Posted: Sat Nov 14, 2009 9:07 pm Post subject:

j_wilson (howlin wolf) · Posted: Sun Nov 15, 2009 9:48 am Post subject:

samcolt · Posted: Sun Nov 15, 2009 6:30 pm Post subject:

I dont know, it was an old law on the books and they made money enforcing it with the fines and all, so it took somes years to get it overturned. And now they have a sh!t ton of hoops you have to jump through to do it legally. But I live 10 minutes away from a large city in another state , so its all good for me.
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God made man, Sam Colt made them equal

j_wilson (howlin wolf) · Posted: Mon Nov 16, 2009 8:23 am Post subject:

LOL, work those politics brother!!
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"Respect is the one thing money can't buy, it takes a long time to earn, but can be lost in the blink of an eye"

OzaawaaMigiziNini · Posted: Mon Nov 16, 2009 10:49 pm Post subject:

OzaawaaMigiziNini · Posted: Mon Nov 16, 2009 10:51 pm Post subject: Re: Elk leg bones.

OzaawaaMigiziNini · Posted: Mon Nov 16, 2009 10:53 pm Post subject:

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