How do you clean bear claws for a necklace? have a 6yo that wants a necklace made. do I cook them or let them dry and scrape them clean?
thanks all!

Simmer them and keep close watch. When the flesh peels clean and easy they’re done. Set of grizzly claws here

I usually crock-pot them fresh. Overnight in a crock-pot, they'll clean up real nice. Don't overcook them, as the sheaths will slip from the bone if they're overdone. If the sheaths do come off, Elmer's glue (water soluable) to put 'em back together. Once they're clean and dry, spray them down (several thin coats) with clear acrylic spray paint.

Jack

Awesome Job...

I dry them then use a file,then a dremel to clean them up-then polish the claw to show the grain.

once i get claws cleaned i use my reloading tumbler and put clean corn cob media and couple good squirts of lemon oil furniture polish and let them tumble for a day or two. they come out beautiful. we do coyote, badger, bobcat and mnt lion claws same process.

ok simmered them 2 hours, meat is still tough but the claws are coming off, so I took thee claws ooff and am boiling the bones to get the meat off. so how do I get the grease out of the claws to glue them back together? will water soluable glue still stick?

I did not want to fool with my Brown Bear claws and end up doing it wrong. But after I had them cleaned I enjoyed pairing them with Vintage Glass Beads.



* I did not dbl. drill the claws to Dbl string them with Beads. I came up with a non damaging method to create loops.

That is really awesome, I don't think bear claws could ever be done wrong, but man that is incredible.

Thank You MattLA

Thanks for this thread.

I got a set of claws a bit ago. They were cleaned pretty good, just some tough stuff still on the knuckle. I had no idea how they were handled previous, so I've been scraping with a pocket knife. They are turning out well.

Clean on top, what I am starting with on bottom:


The plan (before I started cleaning):

Hmm not sure I've encountered greasy claws sheaths....I guess by now you got the bone cores cleaned off nice but go easy on the boiling...
I would let them dry a bit I guess then reassemble and let them get good and dry then go from there. If needed, super glue or elmers should be fine.
Hopefully your not fighting a bunch of grease...

Nice claws everyone

good read guys thanks

Awesome speckled beads k snow

I just made divit with an awl and drilled the holes with a ryobe drill

I just used a small dill bit in a cordless

How'd they turn out?