Cuttlebone Casting

by John Rasmussen on August 11, 2010

Working on a class project; I used a cuttlebone (usually used in bird cages) to serve as a mold for a casting. I made a wax model of a labrum (symbol uniting the Greek letter chi and rho), then impressed it slightly into the soft part of the cuttlebone. Then the form was carved from the cuttlebone using brass handmade tools. I then melted pewter in a crucible and poured it into the mold (gravity flow of the liquid metal). Now I am filing and cleaning up the rough casting. I will finish the symbol with a round stone to fill the space in the round part of the rho. This will look like an eye at the top of the
labrum. Will let y’all see it soon.

John Rasmussen
66 year old retired educator (geology and emergency medical care) and practicing paramedic. I came back to my passion, rocks and minerals, then making gemstones and jewelry with them.
John Rasmussen
John Rasmussen

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Jamie Hall August 11, 2010 at 05:11

Looking forward to seeing it. There’s an post about cuttllefish casting on my blog and a counter-blog by someone else, refuting what I said. Might be of interest to you.

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