Here’s a relatively easy method:
1: Take the animal’s corpse and place it in plastic box with holes, make sure its not easily opened by scavengers.
2: Find an ant’s nest that is out of the way or a compost. Place the box in there.
3: Leave it to be cleaned by the ants or maggots. Check back at least every month. I believe the skeleton should be cleaned at the 6 month mark, but I haven’t checked this method lately. Worked in 3 months for a raven.
4: Clean and disinfect the bones
You should find a more detailed guide if you do a google search
2 Likes
Where do you find people who do this? An athame would be nice. Although a little gruesome. Holding poor Sally’s little leg bone to make a circle with it or carve a candle. Poor poor Sally. She is a little trickster too. Ha! Knowing her she’d make all my spells Go haywire! Hehehehe!
1 Like
Thanks. I think that’d be do-able. I think I could handle cleaning bones. It’s just the getting there I (and my daughter) would have issues with. I don’t want to scar her for life.
2 Likes
It was a common practice amongst the Japanese warriors to have thier Swords forged by thier ancestors body (blood, bones etc). Thus why the Warriors always cared very well for thier swords and could fell a strong bond to thier ancestors when wielding it.
2 Likes
Fascinating, where did you learn of this? I studied Japanese swordsmanship for a few years, and weapons are kind of my thing, but I never heard of Japanese smiths doing this in anything but maybe anime, actually I cant even recall an anime where this was done. I’m not saying it wasn’t done but I cant imagine it being a common. I’d like to see a surviving example if you could provide a link, please.
2 Likes
Common might have been the wrong terminology. But this was a craftsmanship valued.
I heard from one of my Japanese friends that there are still a few craftsman who practices this. But I don’t know if it’s legal anymore.
1 Like
I’m relatively certain its still legal. If one can have their relatives body made into a diamond, why not some sword fittings?
1 Like
Exactly. I myself would like to have my remains made into something. A sword would diffenatly be something I like, because of it’s symbolic meanings and it’s cool memorabilia to have of your ancestors. Makes you fell powerful.
2 Likes
I’d consider leaving instructions for my apprentice/heir/son/daughter to sigillize my skull as a focal point to manifest in the material realm, though a sword handle made from one of my bones sounds cool.
2 Likes
In it would not put societal pressure on the bewielder. Since having a skull of your Daddy/Mom could… spread nasty rumours.
2 Likes
Its not exactly required by law to tell anyone what you did with your parents bodies (well you might have to tell some officials, but they are not the type to spread rumors about random people they don’t know). I assume my skull would be placed in a locked ritual room like what I have and not be mentioned in “polite” company. Possibly even placed behind closed cabinet doors
1 Like
If you know someone who would not mind doing it you could actually have the bones of the subject powdered and made into the steel of the blade, or the hilt, guard ect. Bones are made of mineral and calcium so the carbon from these could be used in making the steel directly.
Same applys to any other item you could make from said steel.
3 Likes
My personal preference would be for the item to be recognizable as bone, which is why I would opt for the handle. For a ceremonial blade the guard and pommel could also be made from fairly unaltered bone. Perhaps a bone or 2 ground to make this type of steel. Should make a blade of some caliber if properly concencrated
2 Likes
This is the fun part with bones. There are so many 
in the case of a sword you could have a few powdered and used in the forging or steel making process and then incorporate others into the hilt and guard. The entire thing would essentally infused with the essences of the spirit who the bones belonged to, the potency of this could be boosted further by working with the spirit of the owner of said bones to actively house their essense in all the pieces used in the project. A literal spirit sword if you will, made from and housing the essence of the dead.
3 Likes
My cat Tic-Tac likes to be all in my beeswax, sniffing everything when I set up for an attempt at a working, but once I start, he backs off and waits till it’s done. He was also taught as a kitten not to jump up on surfaces like counters and tables.
I also have a bag of tiny bones from geckos I had and loved for a number of years. Zahn Zephyr and Lil’Lamashtu. I merely buried them, and some months later, I exhumed them. There was still just a little bit of once-flesh “mud” on them, but it came off easily when I sterilized it.
1 Like
True, but having a skull on the mantle altar is so much cooler than an urn any day! But then again look who’s saying that! I am a little different than most! lol!
1 Like
See, this is why, if I fail to achieve physical immortality or ascend with my physical body like the Taoist masters, I plan on having my physical remains shot into the sun. Ain’t no one putting my skull on their altar, or my femur on their sword hilt! 
2 Likes
Damn this thread really took off while I was away.
I generally don’t fuck with legions. I don’t normally have a need for them cuz no one fucks with me and I keep it that way.