Mammoth Ivory care

Ben B

Ben B

Joined
Jun 16, 2006
Messages
413
I've been searching for info on caring for mammoth ivory scales. The only thing I've been able to find is to periodically soak the scales in baby oil or mineral oil. Are there any other suggestions out there for keeping mammoth ivory in good shape? Anyone know if Ballistol is safe on ivory? It's great on everything else.
 
Don't use oil. Wax them with paste wax. Any kind of moisture can wreak havoc with the ivory.
 
Thanks Bill, I'm glad to learn that. I just picked up a Dozier folder in elephant ivory and a Dozier Companion in mammoth ivory. I had put a light film of mineral oil on the scales due to the dry winter weather. I'll take it right off.

Do you have a preferred wax? I've heard Ren Wax touted here.
 
Kind of goes to show there's all kinds of school for though.

I have used camellia oil twice a year for years on my ivory handled pieces and have never had a problem. In fact, I have a Fisk Boot knife with antique elephant ivory that's over nine years old with absolutely no cracking or shrinking.

IMO, it's more about how and where it's stored and the maker's preparation and working of it. It must be correctly stabilized before utilization and the maker has to be experienced in working the ivory patiently and slowly under low heat.

This is just based on my experiences.
 
Great. Others please weigh in and maybe we'll have a good, helpful thread on ivory care. From my Google searching last night, a light coating of mineral oil (lemon oil was also recommended to me) is fairly common advice. You also do see wax. I ordered some Ren Wax. The wax seems to be more of a barrier to moisture, while oiling seems to help condition the ivory, maybe not dissimilar to wood.
 
Barty said:
Great. Others please weigh in and maybe we'll have a good, helpful thread on ivory care. From my Google searching last night, a light coating of mineral oil (lemon oil was also recommended to me) is fairly common advice. You also do see wax. I ordered some Ren Wax. The wax seems to be more of a barrier to moisture, while oiling seems to help condition the ivory, maybe not dissimilar to wood.
Click to expand...

That would be my assumption too. Wax is for protection, from outside elements (however probably not heat, which is ivory's worst enemy), where oil is for conditioning it within.

I coated a ivory Tim Hancock handle with Ren Wax at the advice of a fellow collector, however afterwords I realized that the wax will most likely have to be removed before applying oil as the wax will probably keep the oil from penetrating.
 
Elephant ivory and prehistoric mammoth ivory are two different things.
If the mammoth is cut from the fresh dentyn of the tusk, maybe it can be treated like common elephant ivory. Can you tell if it is?
Mammoth ivory has been through being frozen and buried for thousands of years. The outer surface may be mineralized (fossilized) to some degree, the inside may be dried. I once put a piece of what looked like very stable mammoth ivory in an ultrasonic cleaner for about 10 seconds. What came out was a spongy mess, like wet cardboard. It's properties are very unpredictable, unlike modern ivory.
In my experience, Rennaissance wax is OK for something tha t will sit on a shelf. For anything that will be handled, neutral shoe polish or paste wax holds up much better to use.
Mineral oil does not penetrate elephant ivory.
Bill
www.billdeshivs.com
 
Bill, I was mainly addressing ancient mammoth ivory as I have only owned the one elephant ivory piece.
I must admit that I'm a little confused now as you are the only maker, collector, dealer, or ivory vendor that I have heard say that ivory should not be oiled??
 
Use Minwax, shoe wax, or anything other than Renaissance Wax. Save the remainder of the money you saved for more knives. I'm not against it, I've used it, I'm against the price of something the other things listed will do every bit as well if not better.

I saw a BRKT knife or two with mammoth ivory. Expensive but beautiful!
 
Mammoth ivory has a much coarser grain than elephant. If it is properly dried it is porous enough to soak up liquids, including oil. Whether this will harm it or not, I don't really know- but I wouldn't chance it.
I don't think oil or lanolin will hurt elephant ivory, but I really can't see any reason that it would help it.
Bill
 
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