Welcome

I'm lucky because my husband is an avid hiker and hunter so he's constantly finding bones for my projects.

I mainly work with elk bones, but also have a few cow, antelope, and deer bones. Unfortunately, sometimes the bones still have bits of flesh on them and spend some time in the maceration bucket. Trust me, you don't want to know more.

Once the bones are clean, they get degreased in a bucket of water filled with good old Dawn soap. This step draws out remaining fat in the bone. It also turns them fairly white.

Degreased and dry, the bones now go into a hydrogen peroxide soak. Not only does it brighten greys and correct staining, but it also disinfects the bones. All without causing damage.

The bones then either go into storage for later, or into the carving pile. The age and quality of the bone determines what it eventually becomes.

Dremeling, hand-sanding, and sawing takes hours and hours per piece. That's why I don't dare do the math on how much I make per hour.