Cleaning bones: secondary projects
Not sure this is in the right place.
First off, I used a modern bucket for this experiment. Other than that, all you need is bones and water! Bacteria do all the work for you!!
The last deer of last season, I decided to take the advice of a fellow WSF member and look into "maceration" to clean bones. It's really simple, but really gross.
Basically, you just put your bones in a bucket with a lid. fill it up with water, and wait. Put the lid on, but don't close it all the way, or make a hole so air and bacteria can get in. Leave it in a warm or sunny spot, and once a week, pour out half the water, and refill it.
I did this for roughly 9 months now, and when I poured the water off the last time the bones were all clean!
http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/g...s/DSCN5074.jpg
The ulna-radius bones will be my new hide scrapers. All the tools you need to successfully tan a deer are already there when you harvest the deer, except for the scraping beam. I will wrap the ends with rawhide to bind them back together, then add some padding for handles.
http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/g...s/DSCN5075.jpg
I intend to use these femur socket pieces for an atlatl handle. Will probably embellish it a little and add some extension handle, and probably a sliding weight. It's a future project as tanning and hunting season are upon me!!
http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/g...s/DSCN5076.jpg
The scapulas will become a saw and a hoe/shovel. I will definately have to come up with a handle structure for these, but they are already perfectly shaped for several different projects.
http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/g...s/DSCN5077.jpg
When you harvest a deer, please take into consideration all the resources that come with that animal, and be respectful of that animals life. Thank the animal, and say a prayer for it. Thank the Good Lord for your blessing and treat the animal with the dignity you hope to be treated with when you transcend this life.
