cutting mother of pearl

[wbarnes]

I was wondering if anyone out there has cut up and flattened an abalone shell for mother of pearl and is so could recommend some hints or somewhere to find info---
Thanks Wendell

 

[Cougar Allen]

Flatten a shell??? You can't do that. I wish you could!

-Cougar Allen :{)

 

[C L Wilkins]

Wendall,
Cougar is right. The only way to flatten it would be to sand it flat. I would be very hard pressed to do this for two reasons. First, I have never worked with mother of pearl or abalone in the "raw". Secondly, the dust produced by these materials are very, very bad for your lungs. I hate to be a wet blanket but unless you know someone that has done this, I would recommend purchasing the mother of pearl scales that are already flattened. Even then, I recommend working with it outside and wearing a good respirator, not one of the paper painter's mask we see at Sears.

CWilkins

 

[Don]

Just to be sure you understand the dust is not just bad for your lungs its TOXIC. That means that if you breathe too much, you die. I think it has something to do with the dust and what its made of mixing with the muccus in you lungs and making glue real fast.

 

[Darrel Ralph]

Send it to Cullpepper to have it done. There experts at cutting up pearl.. Its hardly worth your time..

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[wbarnes]

Thanks for the input guys that's just what i needed to know
-wendell