danish oil on mammoth ivory?

[P.K.Hansen]

Has anybody here tried to use danish oil on mammoth ivory? Being a light brownish colour, I don't mind it getting a little darker, but does it make any sense?

 

[Brett Mathews]

I have use somthing like like that it will work great and darken it some but as the oil dry's over time the add darkness will fade as well.

 

[Bill DeShivs]

Oil will soften the ivory. Much mammoth is porous and unstable anyway. Use paste wax.

 

[Horsewright]

Yep on the wax. Mother's brand car wax or any with carnuba wax as an ingredient.

 

[Brett Mathews]

Im sorry but I deal with hundereds of pounds of fossil ivory a year and a light coat of oil will not soften the ivory. I use and recomend 0to my customers use Howards wax and feed it is beeswax and orange oil.

 

[Bill DeShivs]

Ivory does not contain oil naturally. Some mammoth ivory is actually porous, unlike elephant ivory. I have seen mammoth ivory get almost mushy after being exposed to ultrasonic cleaning solution.
the dentin is especially susceptible to oil absorption. the enamel, if intact will not be affected by oil.
Plain old wax is much safer.

 

[Brett Mathews]

Soak it in vinager and see what happens to it. You can twist or bend it to any shape.