Miles of Alaska
Wild Dall sheep horn, various sizes and quality full curl best shape for display $200. Most are natural sheds. Scrap pieces selling by the piece- inquire. Very tough material for belt buckles, takes a nice polish for buttons, knife handles, etc. clik on thumbnails
Wolf Claws small $5 medium $10 large $15-20. . Extra large $25. Make nice necklaces, in medicine bags, dream catcher parts etc. These are not as easy to get as the lynx as most trapers keep the claws with the hide but I have 'some' The wolf is now a cites listedn species meaning endangered (In the world not Alaska) and overseas sales is restricted (needs permitts and fees)
Not just art----- but a way of life
mammoth fossil walrus ivory teeth claws horn antler skulls from lynx wolf moose wolverine tusks prehistoric and more!
Moose-Caribou Antler
From $10 a pound- or buy single tines - select parts by the piece. Antler is used as display as is- display racks to hang necklaces from- coat racks- It is cut up for knife handles- belt buckles. It takes a nice polish but is not as hard as ivory (or worth as much) Older antler takes on green and pink tinges.
Lynx claws are suitable for jewelry earrings necklaces. Sometimes used as 'dangles on dream catchers medicine bags leather fringed items purses zipper pulls etc. Strong takes a nice shine. I have large quantities of these as I am at the source. I can offer nice discounts on volume sales. to 50% of on 100
Wolverine or Wolf $75 Fox $30 Lynx $35 damaged or partials as low as $5.
Skulls
Most in supply are usually wolf lynx fox wolverine. Often have otter mink Marten. Can supply moose- bison any Alaskan animal that's legal to sell. Skulls used in native ceremonies- to be painted on- to display with driftwood natural rocks. Used for good animal medicine . for educational purposes. These are natural untreated by chemicals (cleaned by composting) Taken as a by product from remote people's food- source or trapping income etc- many retrieved from village dumps across the interior of Alaska. I can also sell raw, meat- on- frozen- skulls, to those who have a beetle tank or want a rock bottom low price and clean it yourself. Usually these skulls will need some minor work to turn into a 'retail' item These are sold as 'raw material' and may be fine as is for display but will not be pure white and plastic looking as many desire. You do that yourself. I specialize in the wolf and lynx and usually have a good choice to choose from.
Moose antler tines
Everything on this page is a raw material for sale. This is the animal parts-teeth claws page ++scroll down the page
The pictures may take a minute to load- here's something to read while you wait.
Tips on how to handle raw materials
Most raw materials require some knowledge on how to store work -resell them. This is why they are 'raw' and do not cost as much as 'finished' You save money but you have to have some skills tools knowledge. Teeth especially like to crack. Any change in temperature or humidly can cause this- soon after you acquire it. Right off- look at them and superglue any minor crack- then coat in mineral oil or even store in mineral oil for extended time periods before working. If I sell you 'raw and bloody' cut the tooth top off and pull the nerve out - replace nerve with glue- then coat in oil. Claws-- Claws have a bone in them. Sometimes the bone dries out and falls out. Check to make sure bone is in solid and run superglue along bone to make sure it never comes out (like after it is being worn as jewelry!) Sometimes 'hulls' (the claw without the bone) can be had cheaper- fill hull with glue and cap. Ivory hates water- never cut it with a wet drip (like to keep dust down--put up with the dust- or use a fan!) Bones are easiest to take care of. If a first time artist you might try cheaper bone before trying ivory. Capping for jewelry There are several choices and no set way -that is why you are an artist--you choose. Drilling holes in fossil material can take skill.There can be 'stress' internally and this stress can be relieved when drilled and it wants to crack. only experience can tell you the chances. If in doubt try it on cheaper material. Never get fossil material hot while drilling or cutting. Cheap 'bell caps' can be bought at craft stores that can be glued on. A true artist rarely does this but to keep the end price down and turn it out fast it works. A setting-- like a bezel can have prongs or a lip to crimp over the material or a wire wrap of some sort works well. This creates a 'certain look' that you may want or may not. Cast caps are great but require casting equipment. Other material can be set on flat sanded end of your fossil--then drilled and pinned with a scew eye--or a plain screw eye is nice sometimes but requires drilling a hole--but smaller hole then if you drilled to run a chain or jump ring directly through. Inlaying - first you need to cut it uniformly thin- allowing some extra for sanding. This requires a bansaw or cut off wheel or some sort of 'way' to do this or by hand in a vice. Slicing a fossil will usually relieve internal stress and can cause warp or cracking so right after slabbing I oil and set aside for maybe a day to see what it does before putting a lot of my time into working it. There are various stabilizers to strengthen softer or cracked material. Their type and use is usually a secret--but just so you know 'there are ways' (smile) But one fairly well known 'trick' is to save dust from the material while sanding and save it--use this dust to fill in cracks using super glue--sand over the crack while superglue is still unhardened and the sander will drop more dust in the crack and it might be a perfect color. Works best on darker materials. Works to help fill in microscopic cracks in imperfect inlays. Epoxy is the old stand by for inlays etc but takes longer then superglue--and do not buy it as superglue unless you don't know any better-- 'lock tight' is the commercial grade and it all has a shelf life and needs to be kept in the refrigerator to be trustable. There are various thicknesses from runny like water to thick like catsup--and the spray excelerator makes it set up 'right now' and is a big help. Don't contact me for free lessons though-- I'll tell you to make 10,000 more pieces and contact me for your second lesson. -- nothing replaces experience. Experts may read this and know better or different ways-- this is just tips for craft people to help keep you out of serious trouble. If you can't do it- maybe you should look at my finished product pages? (hint hint and smile) Anyhow hope the pictures are loaded now for you to view! - scroll on down----
Links
More raw materials
2 more catagories below
Right-- care must be taken when working with raw materials. Here I cap the tooth after cutting top and pulling out nerve- then I use a design that included a tight band around the tooth (partly covered by bear and holds bear to tooth) so tooth can not expand and crack
click here to go to my site directory with links to all my pages. Art - raw materials for sale- book- advice- tips-ordering- info- home page etc
Miles at Miles of Alaska
box 363
Nenana Alaska
99760
1-907-832-5442 miles@milesofalaska.net
I can do a custom special order necklace buckle etc from your matrial or mine. I can email pictures to choose from
Claws cut off you clean sort grade glue bone in $50cents--$2--$5 each
Grizzly claw special order for a customer. I can work on your claws. Not legal for me to supply Alaska claws.
Miles at Miles of Alaska
box 363
Nenana Alaska
99760
1-907-832-5442 miles@milesofalaska.net
Wolf toe bone beads
Drilled used for necklace accent $1.50 each Or 10 for $10
Shipping is $4 as they need good packing. If you buy other stuff to fill the padded envelope or box I can refund some shipping.
