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Using the real deal

SantiagoGT15

SantiagoGT15

Jun 22, 2010
313
1
Disclosures
Praise & Worship Group Leader/Director
#1
Well I just had this idea today so ...it''s still an idea , so I wanted to hear some more input about this :

Instead of using synthetic bone , can I use .. you know natural bone?

I have some antlers from a whitetail , and I thought It would be nice to give them a better use (they have been decoration since I got them :hmm:)

I intend to make the nut and bridge from them , but I wanted to know before doing it , is it going to somehow impair , or affect the tone in any way?

:help:

-S
 
#6
Some antlers are more porous and the material is softer than cow bone, they will sound fine but may wear faster than cow bone. I made some stuff out of an antler before and whooo golly that stuff stunk waaay worse than cutting and shaping bone... I would recomened going to Petsmart or a large pet store and look for the unbleached cow bones they sell for dogs to chew on, that's what I use. I like the unbleached bones because they have a slight yellow color and look a little aged. Sometimes you have to pick through them to find a nice one. It's easier to buy bone blanks but I like making stuff.

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#7
I heard giraffe bone is great - i'm not kidding, i found it here and asked around: [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

edit: oh, btw, my luthier once made nut from cow bone that friend gave him - he prepared it (boiled or something, i forgot) and when he started to saw it, he said the smell was just horrible, sorta burning stench that ate your nostrils...
 
#8
What do you guys use to cut bone? Hacksaw? Bandsaw?
I've been using premade nuts on my builds, but it's very limiting in that you are restricted to the width that is available. Every time I've tried to carve my own, it hasn't come out so well.

Is there a secret to success when carving the nut?
 
#10
Most luthiers around here use a standard cow bone, left over from preparing soup. Gives the nut special flavor and tone. :D

In all seriousness, that's what a lot of people use. It's relatively dense (non-porous), saws rather easily (no wonder, after being cooked in the soup for a few hours), no idea about the smell, nobody ever mentioned it.
 
#12
Hi.

The antlers may not be a good option, but if it's free, what's there to lose? Except the contents of Your stomach ;). The stench can be horrible.

I'd use cow bone.

Our lab puppy may lose one or two of its cow bones in the near future :).

Rip Topaz said:
What do you guys use to cut bone? Hacksaw? Bandsaw?
I've been using premade nuts on my builds, but it's very limiting in that you are restricted to the width that is available. Every time I've tried to carve my own, it hasn't come out so well.

Is there a secret to success when carving the nut?
Click to expand...

Bandsaw.

The secret is a lots and lots of practise.
If You don't have a master luthier to teach you that is. In that case it just takes practise ;).

Regards
Sam
 
#13
Mmmmm I'll tr to get some "fresh" antlers for the job , maybe I'll get better results , also I'm gonna try and get some different animal bones and try them out , maybe I find something interesting who knows :D

Oh and I almost forgot : I will post info about "the burning stench that eats your nostrils"
 

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