Australian Saltwater Croc Jaw Pens

**dai sensei** · 2nd May 2011, 11:25 PM

It started many months ago when I saw an Alligator jaw pen on the IAP forum. I thought I could do that, but with Australian salt-water croc jaw bones, but unfortunately it’s not so easy in Australia

. I rang up a friend from Darwin who works at a croc farm, he said he may have some, but I’d need to arrange the permits. Yes, in Australia they are protected, so you need permits to send them and another permit to receive them

. I few months later, and with all the necessary permits, I had a dozen jaw bones to play with. My friend was also interested in selling my final high end pens at the park shop, should be very popular with the asian tourists

.

These jaw bones are from the crocs bread for meat/skins/teeth/bones etc, not from wild ones, so are only 1.5m long when slaughtered. Not very big and full of holes from veins or similar, and hollows natural to the jaw shape. Drilling to get solid bone is very difficult for the smaller pen kits, impossible for the high end larger kits.

I started filling the teeth holes with coloured resin, then casting the remainder on clear resin. I found there were too many holes and hollows, filled with clear resin exposed after turning, so went to complete casting with a suitable coloured resin.

I finished 2 Cigar pens, one with 24krt gold filled resin, the other with my blood red resin, and a Sierra with the blood red resin. I few issues I had to overcome with the gold, and a few others with the red, but a good learning experience. These are so my friend can take his pick, a little thank you for the effort at his end.

I have now cast more blanks using the largest pieces I had in gold for a couple of Cambridges, and as these are the largest I have, jaw bones cast back to back for a Majestic (like worthless wood croc bone blanks

). They are drilled ready for the tubes, hopefully I get a chance to turn them next weekend.

Cheers

**timberbits** · 2nd May 2011, 11:42 PM

Hi Neil

They are magic. I found it hard to imagine what they would look like when you were describing them to me, but a picture speaks a thousand words.

I like the red one. The pens remind me of octopus tentacles.

Thanks for sharing.

Timberbits

**gawdelpus** · 2nd May 2011, 11:48 PM

I saw these in the flesh today ! and although Neil's photo's do a fair job, they are really much nicer in hand

. Challenging indeed as I saw the bones before they got worked over by Neil's wizardary ,who would of thought from such stuff these would appear , cheers ~ John

**stevo81** · 2nd May 2011, 11:49 PM

WOW these are amazing, every time i see your work im amazed at your creativity

. if i had half your talent i wound be happy

stevo,

**Touchwood** · 2nd May 2011, 11:51 PM

They look really great! You could make a matching pendant with the little teeth I see in the bottom the picture!!!! What ever will you do next?? Currently my chook shed if full of feathers and I think of your feather resin pens when I see all these feathers.
Well done!

JD

**Ironwood** · 3rd May 2011, 06:55 AM

Very creative Neil, well done

**wm460** · 3rd May 2011, 07:09 AM

That is amazing,well done.

**RufflyRustic** · 3rd May 2011, 08:17 AM

they are a bit freaky - in a good way that is. they certainly grab your attention

**MitchB** · 3rd May 2011, 10:47 AM

Well done mate, Im sure they will be SNAPPED up quick!

**seriola** · 3rd May 2011, 11:13 AM

Love 'em. terrific job and thanks for sharing

**Penpal** · 3rd May 2011, 11:42 AM

Neil hullo again,

From the look of the the bones it makes it appear like a dentists nightmare to get to even that stage. I have some ideas with the teeth if they are surplus.

The finished pens are beaut and I agree with David that red one screams. All of them should make for a long cottage industry for you and the Croc Maan.

All the best Peter.

**BoomerangInfo** · 3rd May 2011, 03:16 PM

You never cease to upp the bar do you? Nice job, bet they'll sell well.

Next challenge for you - do them with the croc still attached

Russell.

**artme** · 3rd May 2011, 08:15 PM

Stunning Neil!! What else can I say?

**Simomatra** · 4th May 2011, 09:48 AM

Great work Neil, well worth all the trouble of the permits and I hope it becomes a big mover for you.

**_fly_** · 4th May 2011, 09:53 AM

So many great ideas. I'm always amazed at what people come up with. Nicely done. Come here dog, give me that chop bone....

Thread: Australian Saltwater Croc Jaw Pens

Thread Tools

Search Thread

Australian Saltwater Croc Jaw Pens

Similar Threads

Large croc spotted in the Yarra River

Croc Hunter goes to heaven

Ponting - Australian or Un-Australian

Croc Hunter

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions