Organic modelling components?

[Evil Eye]

So in the wake of the new traitor Knight update, I've been brainstorming Knight and Armiger conversion ideas (despite having trillions of models to finish anyway) and I came up with an idea- a Knight with a crustacean claw, made from an actual crab or lobster claw.

 

As far as I'm aware, they're easy enough to get hold of, however something occurred to me- are they perishable? And if so, is there a way of preserving/sterilizing/sealing them so they won't rot? Obviously I'd only be using the shell components, sans any soft matter, but I don't know how crustacean shells work like that. I know mollusc shells (clams and the like) are pretty much "safe" and won't go off thanks to our own sizeable collection, but crabs and similar critters are another matter altogether.

 

So TLDR: Bits of crab shell on models; a good idea or a recipe for self-destructing, bad-smelling models?

 

I'd also like to know the same with regards to bone. Sterilized(?) bones are easily acquirable from ethical and affordable sources, and I can imagine they'd make for some really impressive parts to Chaos or even Tyranid conversions, but obviously I don't want my models biodegrading.

[Canadian_F_H]

I wouldn't use anything biodegradable. Because it's inevitable even if it takes a decade.

[Kinstryfe]

If you try to go that route, I would make sure to seal the whole thing with something just to be safe. If I were doing it though, I would probably get the claw/pieces you're going to use and make a mold of them, then cast them in resin or something else. Alternately, look for natural looking toys of crabs or other crustaceans whose claws you could use.

The real deal may work, but I'd always be concerned about weird stuff happening.

[Canadian_F_H]

Casting is a good idea

[Grotsmasha]

They absolutely will rot, they'll go software pretty quickly. Casting would definitely be your best bet :tu:

[Midlight]

I used to have a pet crab, and still have a couple of his molted shells. Whilst they have not rotted they have become incredibly thin and fragile over time.

So I would echo what others have said, make a cast or get plastic.

[ShinyRhino]

You can buy full sized plastic replica lobsters and crabs. The tourist shops here in Maine sell them all the time.

Real ones will rot, stink, and turn to papery thinness in short order.

[D3L]

I once tried to use disposable chop-sticks as terrain (think timbers)

I must have handled it, or perhaps it a was from an unsanitised batch (they're bleached), but after 2 months my Deathshroud were standing on a cloud of white mold, which although hilarious, it was fortunate I hadn't primed and could easily remove the offending biohazard from the base

if that was just a clean unused chopstick, I hate to think what * could * happen from true animal residue

as someone else said, take the interesting piece, and cast from it

[Exilyth]

There are multiple ways to make organic materials last longer.

• Sanitizing is usually done by soaking the object in chemicals like formaldehyde - not something you'd want to do at home (toxic fumes). This method is often used for bones (after cooking them until the meat, sinnew and other tissue comes off).
• Sterilization is usually performed using UV light, but commonly found UV bulbs don't have enough intensity. UV radiation isn't good for the skin and eyes, so proper protection is required.
• Another method would be using an autoclav for sterilization, but as theese are specialized medical devices, they tend to be very costly. Fragile materials like leaves or flower petals can be destroyed by the heating/cooling cycle.
• A huge factor in the decay of organic matter is moisture, so drying the material in question completely and coating it to prevent the surface from taking on fluid would be required.

 

The best option would be imho

1. Making sure the material is completely dry when you pick it up in nature (e.g. go search for stuff on hot & dry summer days, not wet/foggy spring/autumn)
2. Drying the material in the oven (low temp - beware of dry wood catching fire!) or on a radiator
3. coating the material in varnish or another protective layer before painting

 

Alternatively, many art and craft stores and some other places tend to sell prepared natural materials like leaves, sticks and exotic flower seeds.

 

 

Fish and other sea organisms tend to go bad relatively quickly after their demise (and then smell strongly), so I would strongly second the "get a toy or cast it instead" sentiment. The big exception being the shells of clams - if properly cleaned and treated, they tend to last quite a while since they're mostly chalk/lime.

[Razblood]

Remember seeing a German bloke in white dwarf 100 who used a lot of animal bones in his dioramas, however crustacean shell would be far too fragile.

 

Therefore I'd echo what others have said regarding casting or finding premade plastic claws.