need advice with mammoth tooth.

laramieknives

laramieknives

Joined
Mar 6, 2006
Messages
307
I recently had a customer provide me with some really nice looking green mammoth tooth scales for a knife.
It was the first time that I have ever used it. I backed the scales and fit and ground them out.
I used epoxy to fill in all areas that needed it and then sanded and polished them.
They look great but... They have a texture to them where the material has natural hard and soft areas.
The customer wants them very smooth w/o that textured feel to them.
For all of you experienced in finishing mammoth tooth, is there anything I can do to correct this.
Thanks for all advice!
 
Not saying that this is the right way to do it... But iv'e seen a pair of mammoth tooth scale handle knives which had some clear lacquer / resin over them that had some body / thickness which was polished clear and smooth. It may be safer at this point to add some sort of clear finish to the outside to 'build up' the low points than to do it any other way.
 
Mark,
Sand them to a higher grit finish, maybe up to 2000. This will lower the amount of time and buffing needed, thus giving you a nicer, smoother finish.

How were they finished when you received them? Did they have the texture then?
You could also do a superglue finish on them.
 
Thanks Chuck. I did try sanding to 1500 but still had the texture.
I think I may have to go the super glue way.
 
Glue a piece of 1/8" rubber to a wooden paint stirring stick(cut it to the desired length) and use it to back your sand paper and block sand your handle by hand.
 
I was going to suggest hand sanding too. I use a block backed with hard leather.Use thin CA to penetrate and harden the softer areas, and slowly sand to a final polish. This is one of those jobs where the 3M polishing papers (those colored sheets of cloth like abrasives) up to 8000 grit really shine (pun intended).
FWIW, mammoth ,bone, and many ivories will all have some amount of natural texture in the final finish.
Stacy
 
Like the others have said, the texture is there and will be there unless you cover it with something. Mine have it too but I would rather see natural texture than a fake gloss. I use super glue to fill every nook and cranny and block sand it to 4000. Give the glue allot of time to dry on it own. I dont buff it because it could dig out the filled softer areas. Lots of work but beautiful results. I like the "God given" texture.
 
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