Laws re: importing exotic handle materials

[jsaund22]

I don't know if this is the place for this, but here goes. Feel free to move the post if necessary.

A good friend of mine is a photographer, videographer, missionary, and one of those guys who plans expeditions for people with more money than brains. He goes to the North Pole once a year (!!!), he's an honorary Russian cosmonaut (and will be getting the training for free. No space ride, though.), and he spends a couple of months out of the year in the Amazon.

I call him "Indiana Jones".

We were talking about knives, and he said that he could bring me some pieces of wood from the Amazon (palm heart, rosewood, etc.). He also said that when he goes back to the North Pole, he would bring me some fossil walrus ivory and mammoth ivory. (He says it is just laying on the ground (tundra) up there. You just have to pick it up.)

The question is, are there any laws he may run afoul of by doing this for me? I don't want him to get in trouble, and I don't want to get in trouble for possession. Any insight is welcomed.

And no, he's not taking orders. Sorry. He can only bring back what will fit in his pockets.

 

[shootist16]

I'm going to move this to the shop talk forum. I have no idea about this, but am sure some knife makers have some experience.

 

[shootist16]

I'll give this a shot, but really am not sure. I would think that you wouldn't have any problems. With the exception of maybe the mammoth ivory. I don't know if this is true or not, but someone once told me that you had to be a native to get it. That may or may not be true.

 

[jsaund22]

Thanks for the reply. If you think the post would be better in Shop Talk, by all means move it. I would like to get all of the input I can.

Thanks again.

Jamey