"Best Practice" for boning

[Martin]

Hi all,

 

does someone maybe have some helpful advice on how to handle the small bone pieces best (without getting blisters or a cramp after 15 minutes :D ).

Could this tool be of any help here? The only thing I fear here is that the piece of bone maybe moves and that one may hit/scratch the Tsuba surface with the metal tip...

 

best,

[Brian]

Hmm...never really thought about it..I just go the "blisters and cramps" route usually :D

Now that I think about it, there are probably better ways to do it.

Btw...I use ivory instead of bone.

I would hestitate to have any metal items near the tsuba. Also..your pressure should not be too great that you would gouge the tsuba if you slip?

 

How about a short piece of wooden dowel rod with a hole drilled in one end and the bone/ivory piece shaped to fit in there, where you can expoxy it in?

Kind of like a pencil with an ivory tip. Shouldn't be difficult to rig up.

 

Does everyone just go with the "B&C" (blisters and cramps :lol: ) method as Martin asked?

 

Brian

[Martin]

How about a short piece of wooden dowel rod with a hole drilled in one end and the bone/ivory piece shaped to fit in there, where you can expoxy it in?

Kind of like a pencil with an ivory tip. Shouldn't be difficult to rig up.

Brian

 

Hi Brian,

 

that sounds like a quite smart solution :D

I also use ivory chips cut off from old piano keys. And as they all have the same thickness your advice with the wooden dowel should work fine.

And the greatest advantage of this is that you won´t destroy the Tsuba.

 

thanks for your idea,

[rkg]

Hi,

 

I'm not sure I'd go with the pin vise - as you point out there's the potential

for disaster if you get too energetic (ivory "lead" snaps and you run a gouge across the tsuba, etc.,.).

 

I bought a big bag of ivory chips and chunks from a musical instrument maker sometime back, and can usually find SOMETHING in there that will work - I have a few pieces that are beveled and come to a point - these seem to work pretty well for fine work - so much so that I've taken to

occasionally "sharpening" them to maintain the shape...).

 

I like the idea of an ivory pencil - maybe I'll have to chuck up one of the chunks in the lathe and round it off sometime... :-)

 

Best,

 

rkg

(Richard George)

[Deron Douglas]

Hmmm... I heard of this but never tried it... what kind of rust (I assume) does it remove from the tsuba? Can anyone sell me small piece so I can give it a try?

 

Cheers,

Deron

[Henry Wilson]

I have used tough bamboo before and it worked quite well.

[Ed]

Deron,

Jim Gilberts site has good info on cleaning iron tsuba.

Link: http://home.earthlink.net/%7Ejggilbert/Cleaning.htm

 

I have some pieces of ivory. If you want one write and I'll send you one for nothing.

[John A Stuart]

Just be careful where you send ivory. It is illegal in most countries for import. Even the old stuff. John

[Ed]

John is right.

I wouldn't worry sending it state to state, but over the border into Canada probably isn't a good idea.

 

Why don't you come to the San Francisco Token Kai in August and pick it up there :D .

[Deron Douglas]

Deron,

Jim Gilberts site has good info on cleaning iron tsuba.

Link: http://home.earthlink.net/%7Ejggilbert/Cleaning.htm

 

I have some pieces of ivory. If you want one write and I'll send you one for nothing.

 

Hi Ed,

Thanks for the Link... I'll read it now. And thanks for the ivory. I'll send you an email a little later today.

 

Cheers,

Deron

[Deron Douglas]

John is right.

I wouldn't worry sending it state to state, but over the border into Canada probably isn't a good idea.

 

Why don't you come to the San Francisco Token Kai in August and pick it up there :D .

 

I'll give you my US address Ed :-) But I was thinking of arranging the San Fran trip this year. I'll tell my wife I need to pick up something, think she'd buy the excuse? :-)

 

Deron

[Ed]

I think if you tell her you are picking up something for her, she might buy it.

 

Of course that means you will have to buy her something, like a nice tsuba .

[Deron Douglas]

I think if you tell her you are picking up something for her, she might buy it.

 

Of course that means you will have to buy her something, like a nice tsuba .

 

Thanks Ed! Yeah, that will work!

Cheers,

Deron