Narwhal tusks

A narwhal has a tooth,(actually,two of them).It is an protruding tooth whose exact function is not clearly known.There is anecdotal information that it is used in defense,or for digging up food in the sediment,or for attracting a mate.Both males and females have these teeth,but in females it never grows out much.Sometimes there are two tusks on a narwhal,with both teeth extending.Usually one is longer..The ivory is very pretty ,with a sort of glow.The tusk can reach 8 feet long and can be 3 inches round at the base.
Stacy

Blade shown has narwhal handle and spiral forged ,three sided blade.
 
And I always thought they were genetically developed to be knife handles, just like sambar stag! :D
 
Boone trading Co..David usually has a some nice tusks and pieces.Call him and see what is in stock,or check it on his web site.There is a fair amount available in Canada,but it can't be brought into the USA legally.Prices vary,depending on how big the tusk is,and how good the condition is,but figure $75 to $100 per inch.I sold all the extra from my last tusk and am keeping the rest.It is the king of the ivories ,IMHO.One nice thing is that it already has a nice hole down the center (nerve channel).Big sections can be sliced into scales.
 
I spent 2 years living in a very small community called Arctic Bay on the northern tip of Baffin Island in the arctic. There were tonnes of Narwhal hunted there each year. I could kick myself now as I never bought a tusk. There were some over 10 feet long and some double tusks reaching over 6 feet long. Although if I had bought one I could never have brung myself to cut it up for knife handles, the tusks are too amayzing when you see one whole for me to cut.

The only thing I ever saw a narwhal use the tusks for was the males in competing for females, they would sort of joist with them to decide who was the strongest male.

Sean
 
I've seen em at Boone Trading, whole tusks around $10,000 - which is a chunk of change for sure but certainly worth the money. I've seriously considered going into debt to buy one - about the value of all three of my cars combined! :D But I guess saner heads will prevale.
 
Dave,Give David at Boone a call.He had some baby Narwhal tusks a while back that were 100% usable stuff for handles. They were about 2.5 to 3ft long and started at about 1.25 inch wide,tapered to 1/2".The price was almost too good to believe.I cut six handles from a 30" tusk and each was perfect.First knife I sold paid for the tusk (small quillion dagger - $900.00)
Stacy
 
Stacy, my wife would not like you very much. :D But I dig ya. I'll do it, I really like that ivory, it's so dang (if I may use this word) pretty. The grain is almost transluscent. Okay, I'll give him a call.

By the way mete, sorry I let this get off topic; I've been enjoying the stories about the tusk's sensory aspect too.
 
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