mammoth ivory problem

G

Gene Martin

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Feb 5, 1999
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A couple of months ago we put a ceiling in my shop. A whole lot of stuff got moved around and is still being sorted.

Today I found a small bin with mammoth ivory in it. There was a layer of oil covering everything in the bin. It was pretty thick, so I'm guessing my nephew spilled it when he was screwing around with a scooter. It was well hidden with no oil anywhere else. It looks like chainsaw bar oil, which he was trying to use for 2 cycle oil.

So, anyone got an idea how to degrease mammoth ivory that looks to be fully saturated with oil? I was thinking paint thinner or turpentine followed by a couple of alcohol washes.

Any help is appreciated.

Gene
 
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Was it stabilized? If so, you might be in luck and only have to sand the surface off. Other than that, I'll let the real experts sound off.

Sorry to here that.
 
Since the ivory is old there is little worry about damaging the color by removing any natural oils. Soak it in a solvent (acetone) and change the solvent every day. After about three changes wash it well with dish detergent and let it dry for a week or two. If all looks well, Let it sit for a couple of months to dry out.
Stacy
 
Can you take some before and after pics of the clean up process? I'd sure like to see how well your mammoth ivory cleans up.
 
In fact the oil probably has acted as a stabilizer. Many makers vfor years have soaked ivory scales in baby oil for days before using. It helps to stop the ivory from moving. The motor oil is a lot thicker than baby oil so may not have soaked right through. I wouldn't try to dry it out but use it just as it is. Sure I do often soak my ivory scales before using. Frank
 
I am NOT any authority on ivory Hardly. But, I do know about oil messes. I was just wondering what would happen if you were to place it in a bunch of oil absorbent material like kitty litter. I have seen it suck the oil from concrete and other stuff, Whatever remained would probably work as Frank suggested. Another thought is that lighter oils displace heavier, so after a bit of clean up and a drying with absorbent maybe a bit of a soak in baby oil would displace the rest of the heavier oil. I have a lot of respect for Stacy, and he probably has way more experience than me with ivory, but I have to worry if the acetone would dry it out to much. I would hold that off till nothing else worked. Just my thoughts on the problem. Jim
 
I agree with the above advice. What I was replying to seemed to be a request to remove bad stains from a very dark oil.
Mammoth ivory is a dry ivory. It has lost all essential oils a few thousand years ago. Depending on the mineralization ,it can look a lot of different ways.If it is good and dry (moisture wise) it can soak up oil like a sponge. I have seen some nice looking ivory that was stained with oil stains (leather dye) to make it a golden brown. It looked good, but the stain was mostly a surface treatment. The seller is in Russia, and exports a lot of fairly low price mammoth. The real clue was that it is the same color on all sides.

As to this piece. I would assume that Gene has washed and wiped the pieces well already. A photo would help, certainly. If the staining (and perhaps odor) are too much to use as handles, then a more severe approach will be needed. Some techniques to consider are (in no particular order):
Boiling in a Non-solvent solution - plain WATER.
Boiling in a solvent solution - Tsp, soap,etc. and water.
Dry absorption - oil away, kitty litter, saw dust.
Washing in soapy water.
Solvent bath - any fairly volatile solvent that the oil is soluble in.
Grinding down the surface stains.
Dying the tusk to a darker color. ( I dye mammoth black with alcohol based wood dyes)
Oil displacement - soaking in a lighter oil (baby oil, light mineral oil)
Lightly degrease surface and leave stains as they are.

I would start with the simplest and least invasive, and progress to the most severe.
Whatever method is used, the tusk should be thoroughly cleaned, dried, and allowed to become stable (loose excess moisture ) before use. A professional stabilization (WSSI) after cleanup would be a good idea.
Stacy
 
I have pre-ban ivory that I had professionaly stabilized by who is considered one of the best (no name mentioned) and now 3 months later it has cracked. Is that acceptable? Should I send back and complain? I am thinking about having more done but am unsure. Wont be the same company.
 
Dan, in the last 12 years, I've use more ivory than any other handle material
and do not have it stabilized. I do keep it for one to two years before I use it,
and some, I soak in mineral oil.

Gene, wipe it off good and let it dry a bit, then just us it.
 
Well, you've also now heard about the baby oil - mineral oil - from one of the very best makers there is. Allow me to sugest to you another process with the ivory for preparation for use and that is a drying meathod. Microwaves heat from the inside. If you place your scales prefferably oversize and small pieces in the microwave and use it for drying, you will get much less problems. You want to get the ivory up to a temperature that is just above warm to the hand, let it cool and repeat another three or four times. In my microwave this only takes say 25 seconds. You do not want to give it much more than to get it to this temperature or you will see some bad results. I then size the scales if not already done and then place in the baby, mineral oil for several days. The mineral oil is available, of course, at any drug store. Contrary to what I have often read it's not dipping the ivory into water that can help create problems but getting it hot is what does that.
I have used this microwave drying meathod with good success on ivory that has been out of the ground for only a few months . It should help.
I had a maker friend use this same procedure on wood , in particular birch burls . In fact the dried pieces which required more drying than the ivory,he gave me that I did use worked great. I would suggest doing these as blocks or very oversized scales. You will see some amazing change in size on these. Frank
 
The ivory I used was pre-ban elephant. I have some tusks and cut it and had it stabilized. It still cracked. It this acceptable from the stabilizer? It seems that I will be trying mineral oil and the micowave trick in the future but now I need to resolve a problem with the stabilized ivory that is cracked. I put it on I full tang knife and sold it with letting the customer think it wouldnt crack as I thought it would not. Very reputable company did it and I still have a large pc. they did and it has crackes in it also. Should I contact them or is this just the nature of ivory and did I waist my money having it stabilized?
 
Dan contact them and see what they say. But I'm going to say, it's the nature of the beast.

I hate to say you wasted you money, but in this case...
Just don't do it again :)
 
I've had great luck with the microwave, even on green wood if not done too fast. I agree with Stacy on the acetone, nothing faster or cleaner that I know of or is easily
obtainable.
Ken
 
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