- 1). Sketch a design you want to make out of animal bone, and visualize how the design will look in 3-D.
- 2). Obtain an animal bone, and cut it to the appropriate size for your project with a coping saw.
- 3). Scrape and clean the bone with a table knife. Remove all excess tissue and marrow from the bone.
- 4). Soak the bone for 24 hours in a plastic container containing 2 quarts of water, 1 cup of bleach and 1 cup of laundry detergent.
- 5). Rinse the bone and let it air dry.
- 6). Place a leather mat on a large, flat surface. This will serve as your workspace.
- 7). Outline the design on a cutting board or a piece of paper.
- 1). Create the bone into the shape you want by using an etching knife to cut off pieces you don't need and 100-grit sandpaper to smooth rough edges so the bone resembles the shape of the outline you drew.
- 2). Carve the bone with engraving chisels while referring to your sketched design. Use smaller chisels if you are working with a small bone or are carving an intricate design, and use larger chisels if you are working with a large bone or are carving a simple design.
- 3). Sand the bone to smooth the surface and remove the scratch marks left by the chisels. Start with 100-grit sand paper, switch to 150-grit sandpaper and finish with 220-grit sandpaper.
- 4). Polish the carving with a small hand drill with a 600-grit drill bit.
Preparation
Carving the bone
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