Staining Bone

[TJ Jepson]

Hi everyone, I know this thread is kind of old now but I just wanted to say thanks to everyone that contributed to this forum about staining bone. I have a commissioned piece to create a black panther from bone and I was wondering if anyone has learned anything new about the staining process which would lead to an almost black bone? I know it probably sounds strange to make a bone carving black but that is what they want and I am just hoping I am up to this challenge. I do also think the carving could look great as the natural white and my patron is open to that but I said I would see what I could do about taking it all the way. To make things just a little more complicated, my patron likes a design I did where the panther would be on a tree branch and the idea was to have the panther completely black but keep the branch white! I can be overly ambitious at times. I am concerned also that some of the quality and grain of the bone surface will be lost in the process. I have also considered making the panther from a dark wood but my patron is set on bone for the spiritual emphasis.

 

Anyway, if anyone can offer some additional insights to the very valuable info posted above it would be greatly appreciated. I am only in the conceptual stage of this carving and I am a novice so I'm going to take my time and do some experiments and post the results in the appropriate place. Would it be best if I created a new thread for that or just tack onto this one to keep it all in one place? (I'm new here). Also I have yet to fully investigate the rest of the forums for tips but I will get there.

 

Cheers!

www.studiotapu.com

[Janel]

I have no idea if the technique used to ebonize wood could work with bone, since the material being ebonized generally has tannins in it. Bone does not, I would imagine. This web article suggests using something that contains tannins as a two stage process, sort of. Ebonizing Wood - Popular Woodworking

 

Janel

[Tony N]

there is a thing on you tube some where where a guys usees shoe polish i like the white look my self

[Tony N]

haha...nah brent, im learning to mate....its all very interesting.

 

What IS interesting is that im in NZ, a country fairly renowned for its bone carving....but do you think people want to share their information?? Not at all.

Ive emailed a few guys over here and i NEVER get replies.

I was very disheartened until finding this site.

 

So thanks to Natasha and thanks to you all for the support...

 

 

 

any time you want to ask any thing please do as i learn to carve bone my self would help if i can if you were in wellington we might even catch up and swap notes

[TJ Jepson]

I have no idea if the technique used to ebonize wood could work with bone, since the material being ebonized generally has tannins in it. Bone does not, I would imagine. This web article suggests using something that contains tannins as a two stage process, sort of. Ebonizing Wood - Popular Woodworking

 

Janel

Awesome, thanks for pointing me in the right direction. I'll let you know how I get on.

 

@Tony, thanks, I'll try and track that down on old you-chube.

 

Cheers,

TJ

[Janel]

Hi TJ,

 

I have no idea if it is a "right direction". It is one of exploration for sure. Please let us know what you learn about the staining.

 

Discussed in earlier posts/topics is the concept of using acetic acid (way stronger vinegar-like solution) to etch a fine surface in the material. Here is the gist of it, but read in the archives to learn more about it: Clean the material with acetone or denatured alcohol (I cannot remember which) to remove oils from handling which could act as a resist and cause blotchy staining; paint acetic acid on in selected areas or submerge in acetic acid; I use water to rinse; then stain. Please test, test, and test some more on prepared test materials identical to (same source) the object to be stained. You need to know how everything works before committing a finished piece to the rigors of this routine.

 

You know, the simplest would be to paint the color on, using acrylic paints, if you had not already considered and discarded that idea.

 

Janel

[TJ Jepson]

Hi TJ,

 

I have no idea if it is a "right direction". It is one of exploration for sure. Please let us know what you learn about the staining.

 

Discussed in earlier posts/topics is the concept of using acetic acid (way stronger vinegar-like solution) to etch a fine surface in the material. Here is the gist of it, but read in the archives to learn more about it: Clean the material with acetone or denatured alcohol (I cannot remember which) to remove oils from handling which could act as a resist and cause blotchy staining; paint acetic acid on in selected areas or submerge in acetic acid; I use water to rinse; then stain. Please test, test, and test some more on prepared test materials identical to (same source) the object to be stained. You need to know how everything works before committing a finished piece to the rigors of this routine.

 

You know, the simplest would be to paint the color on, using acrylic paints, if you had not already considered and discarded that idea.

 

Janel

Thanks again Janel. My patron wants to maintain the grain and texture of the bone and didn't like the idea of a coat of paint covering it. I am unsure as to how staining the bone will effect the quality of the surface so I'll have to take that into consideration as well. I talked to him today about the idea of making a white panther bone carving as opposed to a black panther in a white medium. The difference may seem arbitrary but it seems more appealing to both of us and I have come up with a more fitting design for a white panther. None the less, I still plan to continue with the experiements and I'll document my findings for this forum.

 

Cheers,

TJ

[Yuri]

There is a way of making bone incredibly deep brown, bordering on black, though not completely so. I discovered it totally accidently, when preparing a small potful of what is known as "Istambul eggs". These consist of any number of eggs sunk in water, with a dollop of finely ground coffee and some cooking oil added. The whole thing sits on a stove at low heat for, as far as I remember now, at least 12 hours, the water being topped up now and then. The result is something more resembling some kind of nut than egg. Try it, though the perfect setting is a log burner in wintertime. Well, to turn to carving from culinary recipes, I sunk a carving into this, on a whim, and forgot about it, so it stayed there for the whole lenght. The result is a very deep brown colour, complete with a really stunning lustrous sheen that comes from the oil. As to keeping part of the carving white, thin cyanoacrilate (superglue) is your friend. Paint it on the desired area, very carefully. I couldn't say if it could stand the 12 hour course, but it certainly can stand a short staining process with any kind of stain. In any case, the best way is to try whichever technique you decide on on a scrap piece of bone, imitating the actual carving. (I mean it is a good idea to finish the surface to more-or-less same finish as the actual carving. The carving itself is not really needed, of course, on this piece, but a couple of grooves or something like that helps, as it gives an idea of how the stain behaves on the cross-grain.)

[Stefan L]

well normal onionshell, what is left after peeling a normal yellow onion. use lot of shell n small water boil 4 a while n then after cooling a bit put the carving, beefbone, in 4 some time. more time more staining. check out my hoook done this way

 

[Stefan L]

Well i also tried what in sweden is called narvsvärta, is used 4 staining leather n u can c the result 4 urself under. i used red leathercolor

 

[Stefan L]

my third comment will b 2 u 2 try 2 use root nodules from an alder tree. scandinavian samic knifes pattern r stained red with this, or they use the bark fron the same tree. u can use a hammer n chisel 2 get some root nodules away from under water n then rub them on ur carving. after u can cut patterns or u can apply it on a surface with the patern already cut n then ssand the smooth part so the redness stay in the patterns. u can google samic knifemaking 2 learn more

 

links below:

 

http://www.google.se/imgres?q=samisk+kniv&um=1&sa=N&biw=1152&bih=734&hl=sv&tbm=isch&tbnid=cFD9zcc5JN9veM:&imgrefurl=http://www.visitsapmi.com/sv/Bild--och-filmgalleri/Bilder/Sommarturne-2012/Risfjell-Kniv-/&docid=5rFiUEANhmxDgM&itg=1&imgurl=http://www.visitsapmi.com/handlers/resizehandler.ashx%253Fpl%253D1396%2526mw%253D660%2526mh%253D660%2526f%253D/Global/Pictures/Kalle%252520J/Risfjell/Risfjell%252520-%252520Kniv%252520p%2525C3%2525A5%252520Sten.JPG&w=660&h=209&ei=WYDPUb33Coq54ASh4oCgBQ&zoom=1&ved=1t:3588,r:35,s:0,i:196&iact=rc&page=3&tbnh=124&tbnw=352&start=31&ndsp=19&tx=281&ty=54

 

or

 

http://www.google.se/search?gs_rn=18&gs_ri=psy-ab&cp=9&gs_id=93&xhr=t&q=samisk+kniv&bav=on.2,or.r_qf.&bvm=bv.48572450,d.bGE&biw=1152&bih=734&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hl=sv&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=UoDPUYTiLarx4QTn1IHoCw

 

those uys sure know how 2 carv.i got a contact up there who is really helpful if any1 wanna try 2 contact hin i can send u the mailadress, but i´m not sure of his english

[TJ Jepson]

Hi everyone, here are the links to my first attempts at staining bone black (for a black panther carving)...

 

Bone Dying Instructions and Results: http://studiotapu.com/blog/?p=283

Staining process photos: http://studiotapu.com/blog/?p=167

 

I had my wife (super scientist) look through my research and draw up an experiement to carry out. I haven't tried all the suggestions in this thread yet but it seems for the dying process at least that the rougher the surface the more effective the dying is. The dye did not really penetrate the bone as deep as I had hoped but I am not sure that would be a problem.

 

I'll post anything else I find out.

TJ

[Lachlan]

For black you can use permanganate, really a dark purple but it looks black. Can wash out to give a dark brown though.

[TJ Jepson]

For black you can use permanganate, really a dark purple but it looks black. Can wash out to give a dark brown though.

 

Great, I'll check it out thanks!

[Yuri]

Actually...Now that it has been brought up... I have done something a long time ago that resulted in black (sort of) bone. It was permanganate, but... The bone has been boiled in the permanganate, for some considerable time. Since the happening was taking place some 15 years ago, I really cannot say just how long, but it was on the lines of at least half an hour or so. The result is black, except that it was complete with a really pronounced metallic sheen. So there. Try it on a spare piece of bone, and see if it's your thing.

[Glenn Mc]

Hi everyone, here are the links to my first attempts at staining bone black (for a black panther carving)...

 

Bone Dying Instructions and Results: http://studiotapu.com/blog/?p=283

Staining process photos: http://studiotapu.com/blog/?p=167

 

I had my wife (super scientist) look through my research and draw up an experiement to carry out. I haven't tried all the suggestions in this thread yet but it seems for the dying process at least that the rougher the surface the more effective the dying is. The dye did not really penetrate the bone as deep as I had hoped but I am not sure that would be a problem.

 

I'll post anything else I find out.

TJ

Have you thought about using water buffalo horn for the panther. It's already black and polishes nicely