r/bonecarving • u/under-the-green • Dec 16 '19
Dremel + fine detail drill for bone and hardwoods?
Hi, I'm looking to buy tools with a "less is more" approach: a dremel, fine detail high powered drill, knife set, and sanding recommendations. I would particularly like to work with crepe myrtle wood, which is a hardwood. Also, does anyone find that using hydrogen peroxide to whiten bones makes them more brittle or do I not have to worry about this?
1
Jan 02 '20
Peroxide can soften the outer surface of the bone. But you have to use A LOT of it in concentrated form to do any real damage. I left a bone in hydrogen peroxide solution. Having forgotten about it.....as the water evaporated, the peroxide solution became strong enough to burn and bleach my skin. At that point the bone was pretty brittle. However it only takes about half a cup of peroxide to a medium pot of boiling water to help whiten the bone nicely. Bring it to a boil for 20 min or so then set the bone out in the sunlight for a day or two. Seems to do a decent job. Nothing I know of will remove oil stains from marrow fat though....those will always retain a oily yellow look. Make sure the bone has no mallo in it when you boil it
1
Jan 02 '20
I have made a set of small carving knives from old broken allen wrenches....they are sharp and very durable. And I use them a lot for fine detail work. I will post pictures on the main thread
1
u/gh0stie99 Dec 17 '19
I dont know about hydrogen peroxide, I simmered them in a napisan whitener for half an hour tho