# aging real bone



## jdubbya (Nov 6, 2005)

Looking for tips on how to age or dirty up real bone skulls. We have a few animal skulls we'll be using in next year's haunt. I have heard of just applying a brown wood stain to them and wiping them off but interested in other ideas. The ones I have so far are clean and bleached so look kind of sterile.


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## fontgeek (Jul 24, 2006)

I know that even for synthetic versions of bone, they tend to scuff the surface lightly, then soak or rub coffee grounds, tea, etc., in to give the aged, yellow-brown texture and coloring.


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## DonHBloomer (Feb 2, 2016)

*age real bones*

I have found that real bones do not do well with synthetic materials.
(The same goes for tusks.) I would not use paint or stain, (or bleach, for that matter).

I would try water and dirt first. See if you get something you like that way.
If you do not like the look, go with weak tea or coffee. Remember that dry bones are porous. You do not want to make them too dark. Go in little steps.


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## jdubbya (Nov 6, 2005)

fontgeek said:


> I know that even for synthetic versions of bone, they tend to scuff the surface lightly, then soak or rub coffee grounds, tea, etc., in to give the aged, yellow-brown texture and coloring.





DonHBloomer said:


> I have found that real bones do not do well with synthetic materials.
> (The same goes for tusks.) I would not use paint or stain, (or bleach, for that matter).
> 
> I would try water and dirt first. See if you get something you like that way.
> If you do not like the look, go with weak tea or coffee. Remember that dry bones are porous. You do not want to make them too dark. Go in little steps.


Thanks! Great tips. Going to try it this coming week and se how it turns out. Appreciate the input!


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## fontgeek (Jul 24, 2006)

Something else to consider, as time and nature age bones, out side of a living body, calcium tends to get leached away, leaving the bone(s) more porous and brittle, while you may not want the brittle aspect, you can start leaching or removing some of the outer surface using things like CLR or even vinegar to get the feel of the aged bone, this also makes it easier to stain the bone using coffee, dirt, etc.


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## partsman (Feb 26, 2008)

Age it the way you age a concrete repair, go to the garden center buy a small bag of peat, and a small bag of manure, mix in equal parts, add water make a nice loose slurry, and place your bones in that for a couple weeks. When you pull them out it'll look like they were buried for a hundred years. Then dump the slurry in the garden and have great tomatoes next summer


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## MikeBru (Feb 19, 2010)

Haven't tried it myself, and I would also consider leather dye.


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## Front Yard Fright (Dec 23, 2005)

MikeBru said:


> Haven't tried it myself, and I would also consider leather dye.


I second that! Tandy Leather Dye should do the trick!


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## englundisgod (Jul 3, 2008)

wood stain works great, choose your color grey for dusty mummy type stuff. or a mdium brown , leather dye will also work


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