Thread: cutting horn and bone

So anyway, I have a few project razors that need new scales. I don't much care for the looks of wood scales and decided to work with horn and bone. So that brings on my new toy. I decided since I went overboard on my drill press (which resides in the bedroom lol) that I would just get a scroll saw instead of a band saw. Well I had almost convinced myself to get a dewally but while sitting in wally world parking lot waiting while swmbo spent up my check, I was cruising craigslist and found a working saw for 15 bucks about three miles from where I was sitting at the moment. Lo and behold I became the proud owner of my first used tool in my life. So the questions are has anybody used them to cut bone and horn ? How fast should I set it ? (It's a variable speed) and what kind of blades should I get ? Thanks

When I use my scroll saw for cutting horn I tend to go with a medium to fine blades with a fairly fast stroke speed and a very slow feed speed. It can chip fairly easy and a bit of extra time spent cutting can save more time sanding and shaping. As for bone, one of the things I have learned is that it heats up quite easily, and you can easily burn the bone, which is not that easy to remove. I have not yet carved bone but it is on the project list.

Well if you plan to do all your work in your bedroom your wife is going to kill you with all the smelly dust you will generate.
Divorced in due time I predict.
Sorry

Originally Posted by Tarkus

Well if you plan to do all your work in your bedroom your wife is going to kill you with all the smelly dust you will generate.
Divorced in due time I predict.
Sorry

Lol no I do not plan on cutting bone or horn in the house. That will be a unheated garage thing. I am pretty sure I'm crazy but I don't generally do stupid things intentionally. That's one of the reasons I plan on staying away from the exotic hardwoods is because of health hazards of some. (Which if my friends heard me say something like that they would bust a gut). But no I don't plan on cutting them in the house and I'm even debating wether I would do the final finish sanding on them inside. I know the drilling and peening will be inside.

Rez dog; thanks. that's just the kind of info I was looking for. Appreciate it!

Take care of your lungs first

I love finding and restoring old tools. This is my latest $10 find. Built like a tank and uses a magnetic drive.

If working bone I recommend doing all the cutting and sanding outside and wear a mask. Bone dust stinks and poses a health hazard if you are breathing it.

i would ask this question for a few months but i did not, i am glad somebody did, ok guys i bought some bone and horn from usa, and bought a Dremel moto saw, first question, dose it work like scroll saw, and my horn are little bit thick about 8 mm, is it difficult to cut them to 2 pices of 4 mm because 8 mm is to much, i already did many scales with wood but never dare touch the horn yet, how difficult it could be, you do it in bedroom, i live in apartment and i bought greasseless compound too when i was in usa and i do all the things in my kitchen but i dont have wife to kick me out LOL

Originally Posted by jemmo

i would ask this question for a few months but i did not, i am glad somebody did, ok guys i bought some bone and horn from usa, and bought a Dremel moto saw, first question, dose it work like scroll saw, and my horn are little bit thick about 8 mm, is it difficult to cut them to 2 pices of 4 mm because 8 mm is to much, i already did many scales with wood but never dare touch the horn yet, how difficult it could be, you do it in bedroom, i live in apartment and i bought greasseless compound too when i was in usa and i do all the things in my kitchen but i dont have wife to kick me out LOL

Just do it, if the tool cuts, it cuts,back in the day (pre wife) I rebuilt an entire matchless Motercycle in my living room,parts, oil, grease everywhere.
No issues.

Originally Posted by pixelfixed

Just do it, if the tool cuts, it cuts,back in the day (pre wife) I rebuilt an entire matchless Motercycle in my living room,parts, oil, grease everywhere.
No issues.

i hope it was a Harley Davidson LOL, ok one more question, the horn i have some of them is not stright, i herad i can worm them up to get them stright is it ture?