walrus tusks

[rustyrazor]

I have a chance at two great looking tusks about 12" long each. The guus asking $450. Does anyonr know if I can gwt better deals on tusk than that or do I jump on em?

Thanks

Royce

 

[Bob Ohlemann]

Two 12" tusks for $450 is pretty cheap if they are useable for your knives. If they won't work for your knives, then they're just expensive, useless stuff.

Bob

 

[Don Hanson III]

Yeah that's cheap if they are any good.

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

What I do in evaluating a tusk is to figure how many handles I will get and decide what the cost will be. Two 12" tusks will likely make 4 handles (unless the shape or curvature is not good). That would be about $115 a knife for the handle. IT will add about $200 to the knife value, so it is worthwhile ... if you have customers who want a walrus handled knife.

FWIW, the smaller tusks are often better for knives because there is much less waste, and the diameter is more in line with a handle size. The great bu=ig bull tusks that are 24-30" long may have a lot of less desirable pieces, with only the tip end being really great for a knife handle.

 

[Frank Niro]

A reminder that in Canada it is only legal to buy here and sell here will all ivories that havre come from the water.
Frank

 

[rustyrazor]

thanks guys... I decided to leave them due to the shape of them. could have gotten two handles easily but the rest would have been questionable at best so I think that money could be better spent on other things considering as Stacy said, I don't have anyone beating my door down for a walrus handled knife in particular so who knows when I would use it anyway.