Handles of shell

H

hellgap

Joined
Dec 17, 2008
Messages
1,189
I just bought some mother of pearl and some abalone scales and was wondering if I could get some tips on what to do with it. The abalone is over 4 inches long and will be large enough for a dainty type knife of some sort. The pearl is only 2 and 1/4 inches long and about 1 inch wide . Im thinking maybe inlay or laminate it in small pieces. The pieces would be awesome on folders and I know thats what they are for but the price was right and im excited to try something new. Please all tips would be a huge help as I know knothing about this stuff. kellyw
 
I'd go for inlay. Pure white in mokume woulde be nice.

Wear a resperator when working with MOP, the dust is toxic
 
I think you guys might have missed the point I really know nothing about the procedure of using the Mother of pearl . what do I use to cut it with out shattering it all to hell . What type of glue should I super glue the scales on or epoxy with acriglass. Should I restablize the scales with some super glue. What type of drill bit drills M/p the best with out shattering it. How much heat cant it take befor cracking ??? these are a few of the questions I think I should know before I get started. kellyw
 
Pearl is very brittle. It can be cut with a jewelers saw. If you cut it with standard methods, expect chipping. Use very sharp drill bits, and drill from the visible side of the pearl, as you can get chipping on the exit hole. Carbide bits in a Dremel at high speed work well. MOP can be wet-sanded effectively, and then buffed.
When grinding, go very slow, as pearl overheats and burns easily-especially with finer grits. Rubber abrasive wheels work well with MOP, due to their cushioning effect.
 
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