milesofalaska
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
- Joined
- Dec 4, 2010
- Messages
- 514
Material isFossil mammoth ivory
Order code (use when inquiring so we be on the same sheet of music!) R-Mam-13oz-1210
Dimensions 5 ¾ x 3 ¼ x ½ to 1 inch thick.
Weight 11 oz
Properties attributes- Its 40,000 year old material so will always have old issues. This is not a good piece to practice on this is good high end. Looks to me like it will have some blue just below the surface. But good color going deep. There may be enough material here for 2 sets of ordinary hunter size handles. Do not get wet looks pretty stable Cracks are not serious flaws or weak spots. Some minor delaminating- but stable- has been aged for 2 years. If any questions about it ask.
Stuff to know Stable- been drying 2 years. If it were me cutting it Id still use superglue or resin in the back just to make sure I got as much thickness as I could. Surface will need no restoration and can remain all natural. I could cut this myself and get the scales made to offer and get much more money even twice as much but no time I have more material then I have time to work with. I want to move it as in a month I meet with my Russian supplier from Siberia and will have next years inventory (added to what I find myself here in Alaska). This is an end of the year get rid of inventory sale.
Personal story-- connection I often find my own mammoth ivory here in Alaska but not this piece. This is from my Siberian connection. Sometimes I feel like I live the life of Indiana Jones. Alaska used to be owned by Russia. We are only 50 miles across the ocean from Siberia. But somehow across that 50 miles the mammoths seemed to have lived longer so the ivory is newer looking. My Alaska stuff can have more color but tends to be older and more unstable. It took 10 years to gain my suppliers trust. Russians have a different way of thinking and doing business then us. I now understand his sense of humor, and what to expect and not expect. An interesting story about the ivory market world wise right now. A reason for the high prices. (I supose this needs a "In my opinion") China has been buying up and controlling the world market. Not totally, but good enough to drive the price up. Two years ago I watched a black limo pull up to a tent at the biggest show in the world in Tucson. A tent full of many tons of mammoth ivory. It was before the official show opening. Chinese get out with suitcases full of money and disappear in the tent just 2 tents down from mine. Huh. Not long and Chinese come out with no suitcases. Tent closes and never even opens for the show. A big truck shows up and loads up all the ivory. My friend would not talk about it. The American line might be If I told ya Id have to kill ya! But he remembered me and high graded same good stuff away from the Chinese. This is some of it. I started out with 200 pounds. Down to my last 10 pounds I was keeping to cut into scales myself. This is an especially nice piece being rectangular already and flat, nice wide scales can be made even pistol grips came off a big diameter tusk maybe 10 ft long and over 200 pounds. Dang- what a set of grips this would make! I forgot about that. Maybe I should not sell this. Hmmm.
Price $95 is about $140 a pound price. This grade can sell for $200 a pound if I wanted to sit on it. Or be worth twice as much cut into scales. I just do not have time.
A little about me and my materials. On blade forum here, I am both a dealer in raw materials and a custom knife maker. So you can expect to see me in both places. I began in about 1970 as an artist knife maker. Lived alone in the Alaska wilds as a hermit mountain man, trapping, living subsistence, out of touch with civilization. As part of my lifestyle I traveled a lot, living on a houseboat- so got known in most remote native villages. In time I got to be trusted as in the old times, a trapper trader. I also learned my animal parts, what they can be used for, how they hold up under different uses. Knife making being one aspect. In time I ended up with way more material then I can use in a lifetime, plus had knowledge. At art shows (never done a knife show in my life) I began seeing that other dealers became my customers. When the show is slow- vendors are a captive audience. When internet came along there seemed a great interest in the raw materials, so that part of business grew. I go to the big Tucson fossil show each year where my mother lives. I know most of the major players from around the world now. I advertize on my web site that I trade. This is now world wide. So I wheel deal barter sell buy restore design etc etc adaptable I suppose to changing times, and keeping it fun. Some material I find myself, like mammoth ivory and bison bones. (this allows me to write off my boat as a business expense- got it all figured out. Some materials I get locally like wolf claws and moose bones. Some items I have a great deal of knowledge about. Other items I carry and only know a little bit about. I am unsure how much I will get posted. I tend to be busy and need time away from the (stupid) computer. Im pretty much a one man operation. I have an in depth biography (even two books out) how to, and advice- sections on my web site- with extensive pictures of Alaska and where I get materials and such for those interested. Many of my customers like to have a connection in some way to the material and knife they build. www.milesofalaska.net
How to purchase or inquire
Pay pal miles@milesofalaska.net is my account and my email or request pay pal invoice be sent.
Credit card go through pay pal- not set up for credit cards
Check or money order After confirmation by email send to my address Or call me
Out of the US: inquire on any restrictions and payment options (pay pal preferred but Western Union is a choice)
Shipping and warranty policy Usually flat rate priority with delivery confirmation. Usually no more than $5 anywhere in the US for under 2 pounds. For Overseas inquire. Not set up to get creative with shipping. I live in a village of 300 people in the interior of Alaska. No UPS no FedEx no street numbers, just us savages and wild creatures. Ive never needed insurance, just proof to you it was sent, proof to me you got it. And my word that if there is a problem Ill make it right. We do not pay for that with money, but reputation. Be nice to me Ill be nice to you. Easy return if not satisfied. Been in business 40 years. Not even one in 500 deals gets returned. I have credentials satisfied customers , references upon request- and posted publically on my web site. I do need to be honest here.. in that due to my 25 years or so alone in the wilderness many of my beliefs and ways are unorthodox and out of sync with the rest of the world. Much of what I do- my whole lifestyle - is an art form- meaning can not be repeated meaning an experiment If there are any issues with me or my products please bring it to me and let me have the chance to fix it- make it right- before cussing me publically for crossing some line I may have never seen- was unaware of, and wow- now that you mention it ..
Order code (use when inquiring so we be on the same sheet of music!) R-Mam-13oz-1210
Dimensions 5 ¾ x 3 ¼ x ½ to 1 inch thick.
Weight 11 oz
Properties attributes- Its 40,000 year old material so will always have old issues. This is not a good piece to practice on this is good high end. Looks to me like it will have some blue just below the surface. But good color going deep. There may be enough material here for 2 sets of ordinary hunter size handles. Do not get wet looks pretty stable Cracks are not serious flaws or weak spots. Some minor delaminating- but stable- has been aged for 2 years. If any questions about it ask.
Stuff to know Stable- been drying 2 years. If it were me cutting it Id still use superglue or resin in the back just to make sure I got as much thickness as I could. Surface will need no restoration and can remain all natural. I could cut this myself and get the scales made to offer and get much more money even twice as much but no time I have more material then I have time to work with. I want to move it as in a month I meet with my Russian supplier from Siberia and will have next years inventory (added to what I find myself here in Alaska). This is an end of the year get rid of inventory sale.
Personal story-- connection I often find my own mammoth ivory here in Alaska but not this piece. This is from my Siberian connection. Sometimes I feel like I live the life of Indiana Jones. Alaska used to be owned by Russia. We are only 50 miles across the ocean from Siberia. But somehow across that 50 miles the mammoths seemed to have lived longer so the ivory is newer looking. My Alaska stuff can have more color but tends to be older and more unstable. It took 10 years to gain my suppliers trust. Russians have a different way of thinking and doing business then us. I now understand his sense of humor, and what to expect and not expect. An interesting story about the ivory market world wise right now. A reason for the high prices. (I supose this needs a "In my opinion") China has been buying up and controlling the world market. Not totally, but good enough to drive the price up. Two years ago I watched a black limo pull up to a tent at the biggest show in the world in Tucson. A tent full of many tons of mammoth ivory. It was before the official show opening. Chinese get out with suitcases full of money and disappear in the tent just 2 tents down from mine. Huh. Not long and Chinese come out with no suitcases. Tent closes and never even opens for the show. A big truck shows up and loads up all the ivory. My friend would not talk about it. The American line might be If I told ya Id have to kill ya! But he remembered me and high graded same good stuff away from the Chinese. This is some of it. I started out with 200 pounds. Down to my last 10 pounds I was keeping to cut into scales myself. This is an especially nice piece being rectangular already and flat, nice wide scales can be made even pistol grips came off a big diameter tusk maybe 10 ft long and over 200 pounds. Dang- what a set of grips this would make! I forgot about that. Maybe I should not sell this. Hmmm.
Price $95 is about $140 a pound price. This grade can sell for $200 a pound if I wanted to sit on it. Or be worth twice as much cut into scales. I just do not have time.
A little about me and my materials. On blade forum here, I am both a dealer in raw materials and a custom knife maker. So you can expect to see me in both places. I began in about 1970 as an artist knife maker. Lived alone in the Alaska wilds as a hermit mountain man, trapping, living subsistence, out of touch with civilization. As part of my lifestyle I traveled a lot, living on a houseboat- so got known in most remote native villages. In time I got to be trusted as in the old times, a trapper trader. I also learned my animal parts, what they can be used for, how they hold up under different uses. Knife making being one aspect. In time I ended up with way more material then I can use in a lifetime, plus had knowledge. At art shows (never done a knife show in my life) I began seeing that other dealers became my customers. When the show is slow- vendors are a captive audience. When internet came along there seemed a great interest in the raw materials, so that part of business grew. I go to the big Tucson fossil show each year where my mother lives. I know most of the major players from around the world now. I advertize on my web site that I trade. This is now world wide. So I wheel deal barter sell buy restore design etc etc adaptable I suppose to changing times, and keeping it fun. Some material I find myself, like mammoth ivory and bison bones. (this allows me to write off my boat as a business expense- got it all figured out. Some materials I get locally like wolf claws and moose bones. Some items I have a great deal of knowledge about. Other items I carry and only know a little bit about. I am unsure how much I will get posted. I tend to be busy and need time away from the (stupid) computer. Im pretty much a one man operation. I have an in depth biography (even two books out) how to, and advice- sections on my web site- with extensive pictures of Alaska and where I get materials and such for those interested. Many of my customers like to have a connection in some way to the material and knife they build. www.milesofalaska.net
How to purchase or inquire
Pay pal miles@milesofalaska.net is my account and my email or request pay pal invoice be sent.
Credit card go through pay pal- not set up for credit cards
Check or money order After confirmation by email send to my address Or call me
Out of the US: inquire on any restrictions and payment options (pay pal preferred but Western Union is a choice)
Shipping and warranty policy Usually flat rate priority with delivery confirmation. Usually no more than $5 anywhere in the US for under 2 pounds. For Overseas inquire. Not set up to get creative with shipping. I live in a village of 300 people in the interior of Alaska. No UPS no FedEx no street numbers, just us savages and wild creatures. Ive never needed insurance, just proof to you it was sent, proof to me you got it. And my word that if there is a problem Ill make it right. We do not pay for that with money, but reputation. Be nice to me Ill be nice to you. Easy return if not satisfied. Been in business 40 years. Not even one in 500 deals gets returned. I have credentials satisfied customers , references upon request- and posted publically on my web site. I do need to be honest here.. in that due to my 25 years or so alone in the wilderness many of my beliefs and ways are unorthodox and out of sync with the rest of the world. Much of what I do- my whole lifestyle - is an art form- meaning can not be repeated meaning an experiment If there are any issues with me or my products please bring it to me and let me have the chance to fix it- make it right- before cussing me publically for crossing some line I may have never seen- was unaware of, and wow- now that you mention it ..