mammoth tooth/mammoth ivory

M

MCoughlin

Joined
Feb 1, 2005
Messages
471
Hi guys,
I'm making a knife for my friends 30th birthday and he mentioned if I ever make him one he would like mammoth ivory or tooth. He is a hunter and was wondering how versatile these materials are. He said he'd be real careful with it but if it's super brittle he should know about it and I have no idea. Any tips??

Thanks,
Mike
 
mikxx1 said:
Hi guys,
I'm making a knife for my friends 30th birthday and he mentioned if I ever make him one he would like mammoth ivory or tooth. He is a hunter and was wondering how versatile these materials are. He said he'd be real careful with it but if it's super brittle he should know about it and I have no idea. Any tips??

Thanks,
Mike
Click to expand...
It is very brittle and very difficult to work with. I am having a hell of a time with a knife that I am currently making for a customer. I have a beautiful piece of tooth for the bolsters but there is alot of super glueing to fill in any small voids. I wait a few days fior the glue to dry completly every time one shows up. Thank God for me the customer is VERY patient.

Go slow if you use it. Make sure it is stabilized and buy quality tooth. I bought the best I could find and I am on my 3rd set of bolsters for this knife. It is well worth the trouble when your done. I have a few examples of mamoth tooth on my website in the gallery section if you want to look.
 
I have made them with both, many others have too. Tooth is more rare I believe for knife handles and tusk rather common but I have made one full tang handle of tooth. Tooth is very brittle in my experience. Must be made with greatest of care and slowly doing. Tusk is also precious and requires that respect in making but not brittle, as a rule. Do not wet either and I have found short grinding with a plate quench as grinding progresses satisfactory. Tooth is very unforgiving and also exceptionally brittle in drilling. Use little pressure in working tooth, no water (none with tusk either), grind with fresh belts and for only short periods between quench, get flat, enjoy. Most esquisite material. Tooth is most beautiful, I think, and very touchy to work. My opinion.

RL
 
Some outfit at Blade West had some stabalized tooth that was alread cut in slabs. Pretty stuff and pretty expensive. I'll stick with stag, something I think I understand.
 
rlinger said:
I have made them with both, many others have too. Tooth is more rare I believe for knife handles and tusk rather common but I have made one full tang handle of tooth. Tooth is very brittle in my experience. Must be made with greatest of care and slowly doing. Tusk is also precious and requires that respect in making but not brittle, as a rule. Do not wet either and I have found short grinding with a plate quench as grinding progresses satisfactory. Tooth is very unforgiving and also exceptionally brittle in drilling. Use little pressure in working tooth, no water (none with tusk either), grind with fresh belts and for only short periods between quench, get flat, enjoy. Most esquisite material. Tooth is most beautiful, I think, and very touchy to work. My opinion.

RL
Click to expand...
I have to say that Roger has to be the leading expert here with working with tooth. Y'all remember that awesome Cave Bear Tooth knife of his? I am finishing up two hunters that I inlayed some ivory into the handles. It's some mammoth ivory I received from our very own Dave Larsen. The ivory seems to be pretty easy to work, actually. I do have one question, though. Do you fellars recommend I wet the ivory with some mineral oil before I send the knives to my client? The ivory inlays are actually 1/2" dia. plugs,1/4" thick, Acra Glassed into drilled holes in the stabilized buckeye burl handles.
 
If the knife is a user I would recommend the ivory. You can get away with using the tooth if it is stabilized and is on a stick tang knife.It is hard to beat the prices on eBay now for tooth and ivory.I do not know how Charles Turnage can sell his material so cheap.I only list my better quality ivory when I have it and sell the rest in bulk.
If it is properly cured and installed ivory makes very durable beautiful handle.
 
I bought 3 sexy tooth sets from him at Blade West. They are so nice I havent used them yet. I ran across him on ebay a while back. Same quality at the same price as decent ivory. I want to use mine as big inlays someday.
 
John, I'm not 100% sure, but I think you may to have at least a basic member ($10/yr) to do PMs.
 
akivory said:
I do not know how Charles Turnage can sell his material so cheap.I only list my better quality ivory when I have it and sell the rest in bulk.
Click to expand...

Chuck does indeed have some great prices and very high volume. Having said that, we sure do miss the wonderful offerings of AKIVORY when you go into hibernation every year. Excellent quality sir!

Rob!
 
Thanks Rob,
You can call Charles at 508-770-8072.He is probably at the Vegas show this weekend.
I do most of my buying and selling in the summer and fall.
Chuck
 
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