[Regia-NA] Q re: bone working

[rmhowe]

If you figure out a way to use moose palm and separate one
side from the other let me know. The middle third of the
material is usually spongey calcareous bone tissue.

I would like to use some for a slots and holes tape loom
but so far I have not figured out a good way to separate
one side from the other successfully. The spongey layer is
sure to catch the thread fibers. What I would like to come
by is a plate roughly 5 x 5 inches when I'm done. I have
a good chunk of moose palm amongst my dead animal bits.
Most of it's curved in two dimensions like a boat.

I can see cutting it into comb-sized blanks and maybe taking
out the middle by splitting or an untensioned hack saw
blade in the smaller sizes.

Anyone know of a soaking technique that would usefully
soften the middle tissue? So it could be cut somehow?

I know about the soak for two days and boil for 15 minutes
but has anyone tried it? It's usually used prior to knife carving.

Magnus

J Hill wrote:
> I've contacted a relatively local [maybe an hour or two away] antler artist
> & he will sell us his scrap moose antler for the cost of shipping &
> handling.  :>)  Combs!
> & my hubby has some antler which will be turned into knife handles.  <G>
> It's coming along.  Beautiful?  Decorative?  Perhaps not.  But, I hope,
> useful!  Jennifer
> Jennifer Hill
> Ælfgifu
> Wes ðu hal.