How to Carve a Bone Flute
A bone flute is a small instrument carved from an animal bone used to play songs. You can carve your own flute from an animal bone using a knife. Once created, it can be used for ornamental purposes, as part of a prop in a play or display, gifted to someone as a novelty or played like a regular wind instrument.
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Instructions
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Purchase or locate a long, undamaged arm or leg bone. Ask your local butcher for a leg bone from a lamb, cow or deer, for example. If a butcher isn't available, you can purchase a long bone as a chew toy for dogs at a pet store. There are no specific width, length and diameter requirements; various bones sizes will produce different sounds. Consider making several flutes from differently sized bones to find the tone you prefer.
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Saw off the ends of the bone using a hack saw; this will give you a straight, smooth edge. Smooth the edges using a nail file if they are rough. Press the nail file gently onto the bone's edge and draw it towards you, repeating this process around the bone's circumference. Discard the end pieces.
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Hollow out the bone by boring through the marrow using a nail file. Insert the nail file into one end of the bone and twist it while applying steady pressure. The marrow will have a texture similar to pumice. Once the marrow is removed, rinse the bone with water to remove the dusty residue.
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Bore three small, evenly-spaced holes down the length of the bone using a sharp knife. Press the tip of the knife into the bone and turn it slowly. Once the knife penetrates the bone, replace it with the tip of the nail file. Twist the nail file slowly until the hole is about 2mm in diameter. You can use a drill and small drill bit instead of a nail file, but that may cause the bone to crack.
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Carve a shallow crescent shape on one end of the bone using a sharp knife, then smooth it using a nail file. This is where you'll press your lip when blowing. Press your fingers against the holes one at a time and in combination while blowing across the end to alter the flute's pitch.
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Tips & Warnings
You can add more than three holes to the flute.
