All About Pocket Knives

So yesterday I was tinkering around in the garage, and I have a big 'ole femur bone from a cow I had found last year hunting. So I cut the ends of with a Power Miter saw, and have been working on cutting it length wise. Been using a hand saw, tried a jig saw as well, but that only went in about a 1/4 of an inch. I figure if I had a band saw that would work great, and get the desired width I am looking for, but I do not own one of these as of yet.
So just wondering how you custom guys go about this?

Bandsaw with finer tooth. Maybe a hacksaw with an 18 tooth blade, or coping saw, larger frame.

If I didn't have a bandsaw I would have to go with a hacksaw. Good luck

For bone, deer and elk antlers, I've been taking a piece of 1/4" masonite and after lowering the blade on my table saw below the top, I clamp it to the top. Then, I slowly raise the blade up cutting a slot only as wide as the kerf of the saw blade. I "freehand" cut the bone as long as I have enough to hang on to safely. Same as with deer or elk antler. You will have to sand each back side flat so it will lay properly on the liner, but this method has worked fine for me. Use extreme caution if cutting a small length of material though.

No one has said anything about the smell of the dust from the bone cutting. I cut a piece of bone and the smell was horrible so I quit cutting.

Some things we just have to let you learn on your own, wouldn't be fun or a challenge if we told you everything.

Make sure the blade is new whether by hacksaw or bandsaw, belts or sandpaper are fresh and cutting, not merely rubbing.

Always were at least a dust mask, but A RESPIRATOR is preferred. They can be purchased for $30.00 with replaceable cartridges. That way you can buy 1 respirator and have it work for dust or fumes by buying the right cartridge.

TIP 1: If you really hate the smell you can put some Vicks under each nostril to relieve the smell.
TIP 2: Place a fan so that it blows the smell away from you while you're working.

OH, BTW, There are things that smell much worse than bone. Keep up with the work, you will find it very rewarding, hope Vicks or fans help, usually does.

redferd wrote:No one has said anything about the smell of the dust from the bone cutting. I cut a piece of bone and the smell was horrible so I quit cutting.

If I want piece & quiet, all I have to do is go into the garage, and start cutting, sanding or jigging some bone. It helps to use a respirator. No one will come out there (for long) and bother me. The smell is a small price to pay for piece & quiet, IMO.

Actually I have gotten used to the smell of bone and it really doesn't bother me as much as some of the woods. I cut up a desert iron wood burl that smelled like petrified puke. It was much worse than the bone.

Dale
-holding my nose

"smelled like petrified puke."
I don't care who you are, that's funny right there.
I was a Livestock Officer for many years and one of the less desired duties was autopsying dead livestock, in advanced states of decomposition quite often.
While not having a weak stomach myself, it was an unpleasant job, especially on hot, still days.
The Vicks deal works, bandana around the nose and mouth kinda helpful.But, an old guy who broke me in suggested a super cheapo cigar, fire it up and keep it smoking as close as you can. Really helped, but the sights were often worse than the smells. I hate maggots, haha.