Victorinox with bone scales.

[kosmo]

I'm attempting to make some bone scales for a Victorinox project.  I'm thinking of making a simple two blade (large blade & small blade) from a cellidor Recruit with no back-side tools.  I'm planning to pin it through the sides with either nickel silver or brass pins. I'm still in the process of sanding flat two pieces of bone.  If anyone who has experience working with bone scales has some tips, please let me know.

I'm also wondering about any recommended treatment for preserving or strengthening the bone?  I would like to keep the white look.

[Michel M.]

As the bone is porous it is possible to treat it with some cyanoacrylate glue for a better result.

The bone can be sawed and sanded with no problem at all but it is necessary to use a mask, dusts are harmful besides the unpleasant smell.

This one is a camel bone Climber done a few years ago :

[PTRSAK]

Bone Recruit

[Zed]

These look  i look forward too update   

[zoidberg]

These look  i look forward too update   

+1 

[Sparky415]

These look  i look forward too update   

+1 

What they said 

 

[Zed]

No pics yet   

[kosmo]

No pics yet   

This may be a slow process.  Don't expect daily updates.  I don't have experience with this material.  With some basic wood working tools, I slowly make progress.  I got two slabs roughed out from the original piece of bone.  A table saw with a small thin demolition blade can cut it OK.  But the original bone, being an awkward shape is not easy to get the thin flat slabs from.  Being very small pieces makes it awkward as well.

The donor knife I am using is an old Vic with blades that are pretty worn.  It may have solid scales.  It is proving difficult to remove the scales.   (As another possible project: If it does have solid scales, I may try to experiment with it later to put it back together with brass pins all the way through the original scales.)

Broke my box cutter blade trying to get it off.

[HankSolon]

I like to use the watch tool of Victorinox. It's perfect to remove old scales.

(As shown here)

[Zed]

I like to use the watch tool of Victorinox. It's perfect to remove old scales.

(As shown here)

me too,or vics tin opener 

[kosmo]

I was able to get the scales off with a can open blade.  The scales were solid and did fracture around the bushing holes.  I made a support block using a 3/4" thick UHMW sheet with the holes deep enough (at least on a two layer knife) for the pins to fall free.  I completed taking apart the knife.  I now need to clean and document these parts before I forget how they went together.  I took photos along the way.

[victor7000]

Very nice scales on the two knives shown before. 

Good luck for the one you are doing 

[kosmo]

I've gotten stuck.  I can't decide if I want to proceed with attempting visible brass rivets or fixing the scales with epoxy and no visible rivets.  It will determine how I continue to sand down these scales.  I'm concerned the bone will be too brittle to drill and set with rivets and will chip.

[kosmo]

Continuing on my project: Bone scales on a 84mm probably a Recruit or a Recruit without opener layer.

If I choose to have exposed pins visible through the bone handles (and no epoxy):

a) Can I assemble the Cellidor Recruit using only the pins and no bushings and the bone handles held on only by the pins?

If so (not needing bushings), it would be easier for me to obtain 3/32" (~2.38mm) tools like carbide bits and reamers.

b) Can I use a reamer to open up the holes in the stainless steel parts or will I need to use a carbide bit?  Would be reaming from 2.2mm up to 2.38mm.

[Michel M.]

For a) there's no problem. You may just to have to tighten the pins like bone is a natural material.

Stainless steels parts are heat treated so good quality carbide bits with a drill press are necessary. Even carbide may break, you have to sharpen often. It needs work time.

[kosmo]

For a) there's no problem. You may just to have to tighten the pins like bone is a natural material.

Stainless steels parts are heat treated so good quality carbide bits with a drill press are necessary. Even carbide may break, you have to sharpen often. It needs work time.

Thanks.  I didn't consider the expansion and contraction of the bone might loosen them.  I may still consider epoxy, but at least I can move forward and decide later.