green bone

[Blacktail]

does any know how long green bone takes to dry out for knapping..thanks john

[Sparrow]

 I did'nt know you could knap it. Don't mean cut and file it do you ? I'll be an interested watcher for an answer.  Frank

[Keenan]

John, most antlers will require about 2-3 months befor they are considered dry and shrunck when it comes to scoring so with that in mind I would think about the same.  Why not use already dead dry bone or antler? I find big leg bones and other odds and ends just outhiking around. Deer or elk sheds are already dry and thats the best to use if you can find some.  Keenan

[madcrow]

I read your other post about using the lower leg bone of a deer.  You may be able to speed up the process by boiling the bones in a big pot of water with a little dish detergent to degrease them.  It usually takes a couple months for bones to dry out.  I have a few that have been setting around for a couple years and they still feel green because I never degreased them.

[JackCrafty]

Madcrow...that's interesting....the part about the grease.  I've tried heating bone (to dry it out) and noticed that sometimes it "oozes".  It didn't occur to me that there might be fat or grease within the bone.  I think I'll try the detergent thing.

[Blacktail]

hey keenan,the reason for this....a coworker of mine went muzzleloader hunting in the heppner unite and shoot a nice 4x4..he gave me the legs so i could get the sinew..i thought it would be a nice gift to try to make a point from the leg bone from his deer and give it to him..later john