Ivory Veneers

Bühlmann

Bühlmann

North Lake Forge
Joined
Jan 6, 2022
Messages
475
A friend of mine has a bunch of old (circa 1900) piano keys with ivory veneers that he has offered to me for supplemental scale material. He believes they would qualify for the De Minimus exemption, which I think they would if they remained as keys. However, I think they would fail the De Minimus exemption due to part VII of the rule, which states:

(vii) The item was manufactured or handcrafted before July 6, 2016.

I understand that to mean that if I used the ivory veneers to appoint knife scales that the manufacturing date would be (*insert any post 3/10/2023 date here) and therefor disqualified from the De Minimus exemption. Am I reading this correctly?

He's an older fellow, and has been very encouraging and interested in my little journey into knifemaking. I don't want to insult his generosity and thoughtfulness in offering, and those elephants are long long dead so I don't have any personal or moral qualms with using the ivory. But I also don't care to get myself or potential customers in any .gov jam ups. Anybody have any experiences with this?
 
What is the purpose for the ivory on the knife? A solid ivory handle is a lot different from an inlay or liner.
Will it be for your use, for sale in your local area, Sale in the USA, or for export?

The very thin piece of ivory on a piano key is not usable for much on a knife due to the thinness and small size. Maybe a spacer on a small knife at most. Used as a spacer you couldn't tell it was ivory, so there is no reason to do that.

Many folks in the USA over-worry about ivory. There are a few states that are ridiculously crazy about ivory laws and enforcement, but most places don't really care unless you are exporting the knife, sending it by mail to a state with rigid laws, or making them in quantity. Generally, the department of interior and game warden folks have way too much on their plate to stalk a small knifemaker and see if he used a piano key to put a small embellishment on a knife. Additionally, there are rules about how much of the knife is ivory. If it is a small embellishment, it may not be affected by the bans.
 
I don't have any specific experience with working with Ivory as a material, but I have lots of experience in worrying about things :) My reccomendation is listen to your gut, avoid the whole issue, and thank the man for his generosity but insist that you don't want any ivory legality issues. He will understand that, and you will feel relieved. My 2 cents...
 
SwissHeritageCo said:
Meh, I'm for repurposing them and giving them new life. Unless someone could still use them as piano keys.

Seems like a waste.
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I would repurpose them too, I understand that I am a bit anti-establishment. And don't like to waste things, and don't really care what others think (laws) sometimes...... This I do, and what I am comfortable doing is NOT the same as me offering advise to others saying it's ok....
I would collect/cherish/horde Much worse....

I do things all the time, and I wouldn't recommend of others to do the same. Not that I am better, but I understand the rules/laws, and I know that i have to wear my "big boy pants" and if I got caught there could be consequences. I do it still, regardless.
 
I've done lots of inlays with old piano keys, they work great for that...but it's strictly for personal stuff because I don't even want to deal with the headache.
 
Crag the Brewer said:
I would repurpose them too, I understand that I am a bit anti-establishment. And don't like to waste things, and don't really care what others think (laws) sometimes...... This I do, and what I am comfortable doing is NOT the same as me offering advise to others saying it's ok....
I would collect/cherish/horde Much worse....

I do things all the time, and I wouldn't recommend of others to do the same. Not that I am better, but I understand the rules/laws, and I know that i have to wear my "big boy pants" and if I got caught there could be consequences. I do it still, regardless.
Click to expand...
Atta boy, get in there ;)
 
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