stabilizing bone

[dcmeckel]

I have a piece of bone(mineralized walrus penis) that a friend wants me to make into scales for a knife handle. The man he bought this from in Alaska told him to mix one part super glue to two parts MINERAL OIL. This didn't seem right to me but I tried it on a small section with inconclusive results. Anyone out there that can give some advice on how to stabilize this old Oosik?
David

[Ray Hammond]

That mixture won't STABILIZE it....but the oosik I've got doesn't seem to need anything- its like rock.

Doug Campbell made a bowie with oosik and displayed it here...if you wait til he gets his chores done I'm sure he'll find this and tell you his more extensive experience than I have with it.

If you want it stabilized you'll need a vacuum and some resin to pull into the material using the vacuum pump.

Is your stuff 'punky' looking in the center like a caribou antler?

[dcmeckel]

Ray, this particular Oosik is SUPPOSED to be 300 years old. Not old enough to be hard like rock (no pun intended) but it is sand like, and crumbles easily. I have a vacuum sealer , do you think I can use that to stabilize materials with?
Thanks for the input, it really helps,
David

[Ray Hammond]

Check out tip pits thread on cactus juice stabilizing here

[JMR]

So how old does a walruses oosik have to be before it gets hard?       Sorry I couldn't resist!