Mammoth ivory makes me mad

Hi Pat,
I have seen some of your fine work. We can not have that happening.
I have moved a copy of this over to the shop-talk forum also.

The other copy is over here
 
N

nijam

Joined
Aug 7, 2001
Messages
80
I'm trying to figure out just what the hell I'm not doing right here, or what I can do to fix or prevent this problem of my ivory wanting to curl up at each end. I use new sharp belts, slow speeds, ever so careful not to even get it the slightest bit too warm :confused: I take great pride in the fit & finish of my knives, as those of you out there who have seen my work, you know I can't have this. It just throws my groove way off! Help!
 
Sounds like it might be wet. If it hasn't been out of the ground/water for a good long time, it will do that with just the slightest amount of heat. Best solution is to get it stabilized IMHO.
 
nijam
I agree that it is too green. However I would let it set a year after buying to make sure it is dryed out then have it stabalized if you prefer or soak it in mineral oil. Mammoth is the less stable of the ivories in my experience.
jf
 
Yup I'll agree with Jerry it's probably to green to be working. It usually takes me several weeks to get mammoth ivory scales on a knife. First the ivory has to be well dried like Jerry said. Then I rough shape it and let it set another week or so. Then I shape it real close to actual size and let it set another week or so. Then I final shape it and put it on the knife. This usually works well. The only trouble I've had is going from my really dry climate in Nevada, to some of the more humid places like Atlanta or Eugene. Then I've noticed a slight swelling in the Ivory and sometimes you just have to explaine to the customer that it's a natural material and there can and will be changes in it.
 
Art, Jerry, Jerry; Question from a non-maker. Is there any reliable way to speed the drying process. Say like in a very dry low heat environment to remove the moisture more quickly or does this just cause a different set of problems.

Sorry if this is a dumb question but I am curious.
 
You are always walking on thin ice with ivory. If you get too rough or in too much of a hurry with it, it will bite you. It's called a "crack", usually right down the middle! :)
 
One warning about stabilizing. Do not be suprized if alot of new and sometimes unpleasant colors show up after stabilizing. The minerials in the fossil material can react to the chemicals in the stabilizing bath. This first happened to a piece of beautiful white Oosic I had. I came back with red streaks all over it. I was very ticked because it appeared that the stabilizer had screwed up. But after talking with several Ivory experts, I found that this is normal and that there is no way to prevent it or to know when it will happen.
 
First, thanks everybody. Don I tried it once and yep Jerry your right, right down the middle and off to the left a bit.
Thing is my supplier said it(stuff I'm working now) was rather dry and should'nt have problems........ also I've had it several months in my shop. I would figure it would be decent to work.
Never had much of a problem with elephant ivory or even the bark mastadon stuff but this inner tusk mammoth gives me the fits.
 
stab
No way to hurry it that I am aware of. However when layed out to dry it is best as described to me by Bob Egnath and it does seem to make a difference is put the ivory in a paper sack and roll it up. Never put it up in a plastic baggie.
It cannot breath that way.
Stabalizing really does not seem to help all that much with inner mammoth. I have had that to crack right down the middle as well as being stabalized. Bark is best.
jf
 
Hey guys, Just a thought, a friend told me he puts his natural handle material in his refrigerator for a while, It kinda threw me, but he said what happens to left overs when you don't cover them with something? I said, well they dry out, My point exactly he said, works for him, I've never tried it yet, with three teenagers & all their friends always digging through my ice box, I'm affraid one of them will eat my handle material but I'm gonna get around to trying it one day. Just a thought :rolleyes: Yall take care, Dwayne
 
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