Flattening Mammoth Ivory Bark

R A Wilson

R A Wilson

Joined
Dec 5, 2000
Messages
54
How would i go about flattening Bark ivory? It is about 1/4' thick and concave, or convex.......depending on which way it laying :p :p
I want to use this for scales on some folder but have never worked with it before. Thanks for the help
Rob Wilson
Wilson Custom Knives
 
The best way to flatten your ivory is with a disk sander, taking light cuts and being careful not to let it get too warm.
 
Can you steam the bark and flatten it that way? It is kind of thin to grind flat......They range in thickness from 1/8" - 1/4". Here is a picture of the bark, the largest piece is 11"x 1 1/2"x 1/4". If I grind flat I am afraid i won't have a slab wide enough to use due to the curvature of the tusk.<br>
<img src="http://abacus.sj.ipixmedia.com/abc/M28/3e236eb0e8dfff879c14b44a34/i-1.JPG">
 
Here is a thought you can do stag this way to see if is flat on the back get a peace of marble that is flat or a flat pieace of steel will
work sounds to easy to work but it does.
clamp a pieace of sand paper to it and then by hand work it until you think it is close to flat.then get a magic maker and put a couple lines on it and sand again it will show you were the high and low spots are.My 2 cents worth.

;)
 
a friend of mine who does alot of inlay was working on some long curved lines. when I asked him how he cut the long curves so acuratly. he told me that they were bent. he had soaked them in vinigar until they softened and then bent them in place. he said that when they dried they got hard again.

he was using elephant ivory, in thin strips.

I know that there is a difference between a curved line in a table top and a knife handle, and I have never tried this myself, but that's all I could come up with concerning bending ivory. Eric
 
Often leaving the curvature very much as it is and just working the back is the way to go. You will also end up with the best looking side on the outside. Sure some cleaning and some leveling may be necessary on the outside but don't destroy the natural 15000 year old beauty of the material. If you can't keep the ivory cool when machine working, go to hand work. Frank
 
When flatening anything on sandpaper don't rub it back and forth. Only move it one direction. Just like you would if it was a file.
 
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