Treating with wax

[akivory]

I have been expermenting with treating fossil teeth with wax.A friend in Bali has been doing it for years.He uses a double boiler and leaves the ivory or teeth in for 24 hours.I have been using a crock pot and it seems to work.It drives the moisture out and prevents
cracking.I like to let the people who buy my handles treat thier own.
My web site should be up after Christmas.
Chuck

 

[Bruce Bump]

I had a bad experience once with parrafin that I used to soak mammoth ivory in. The parrafin wax made its way onto a couple of my sanding belts which in turn made its way onto an expensive piece of Devin Thomas Damascus. I didnt know it until the acid etch. There were terrible big spots that were resistant to the etch. I didnt know it was the wax and tried everything to make it etch. I almost ruined the blade from overetching. I finally put resist on the etched spots to make the spots blend. I threw away 5 or 6 belts that were contaminated from sanding the waxed ivory.

 

[tom mayo]

Butch Beaver used to slow cook his ivory in mineral oil. It soaks in nicely.........and drips out just as nicely. Best bet......rub it with some nose oil on occasion.