Ivory-phobia

Post by **tr4252** » Wed Jun 23, 2004 10:06 pm

Has anyone here ever worked with ivory? Had a delivery on the porch when I got home from work today; it's nice looking stuff, came with documentation, and is the most expensive material I've bought to date. I won't be using it for a while, but realize already that I'll balk at the risk of messing it up when I finally do. Any do's and don'ts I should observe in working it?

TomR

Post by **Bill DeShivs** » Wed Jun 23, 2004 10:42 pm

Don't get it too hot. Peen pins gently. Keep it dry. If it cracks, superglue it immediately. Sand it to 400 grit, buff with 0000 steel wool, polish.
Bill

Post by **tr4252** » Wed Jun 23, 2004 10:46 pm

Thanks Bill,

Should it be sealed in some way after I shape it? Recently you recommended sealing bone with paste wax (which yielded knock-out results by the way), and I wonder if the same might be appropriate for the ivory.

TomR

mr_edge · Post by **mr_edge** » Thu Jun 24, 2004 12:03 am

TR4252...it's been a while since we've seen one of your masterpieces. Is something forthcoming? Perhaps in ivory?

Post by **Bill DeShivs** » Thu Jun 24, 2004 12:25 am

Yes. Wax it often. Wax your car, too!
Bill

Post by **natcherly** » Thu Jun 24, 2004 1:43 am

Wax poetic three.

Post by **tr4252** » Thu Jun 24, 2004 10:02 am

I really should wax my car, how did you know?

Mr. Edge,
Yes, I've got a new one that's about 99% done; needs a little more polishing here and there, and some wax. It looks pretty much like the 2 I've shown here before, but internally is much different, and the proportions are more to my liking too. No ivory scales, but I've made 4 sets from other materials; ebony, eucaliptus, bone, and acrylester. Bolsters/liners are nickel silver, milled from 1 piece instead of built up. I'm borrowing a camera this weekend to photograph it, and then will be begging someone here to help me post the photos. At least I hope it'll happen, I'm worried about my old K6 computer coming unglued, as its clock loses about 20 minutes per day, and that has me concerned. I'm computer-inept, don't know what this implies about its future.

TomR

mr_edge · Post by **mr_edge** » Thu Jun 24, 2004 11:09 am

Excellent...I love that design. Nickel silver will look amazing. Can't wait to see it!

daddyloko · Post by **daddyloko** » Thu Jun 24, 2004 3:56 pm

Sounds like we're all in for a treat

Post by **tr4252** » Thu Jun 24, 2004 9:25 pm

My sincerest thanks for your comments guys, hope I don't disappoint you.

Would anyone here be willing to help me get the photos of this one on the forum? Mr. Guano was instrumental in presenting the last two, but I feel I've imposed on him a lot already, and think he mentioned that his website would not be available after July.

To say I'm a computer novice would be understatement; I tried photobucket recently with disasterous results, Gunnar (Mr. G.) practically spoon fed me the tactics necessary to present photos on the last 2. If anybody is willing to help, I'd be much indebted.

Got the camera today at work, and am going to try to put the finishing touches on this knife, and spruce up the other 2 in order to show you guys my first years worth of progress, all during the upcoming weekend. If my Rube Goldberg computer will hold up so long.

Regards,
TomR

Teddy · Post by **Teddy** » Thu Jun 24, 2004 9:40 pm

Mr_G has been kind enough to help me out of various difficulties also...

If you like I'll host them for you and send you the links.... I have a stack of web space.. all you have to do is email them to me...

Best wishes
Teddy

Pushbutton · Post by **Pushbutton** » Thu Jun 24, 2004 10:13 pm

To elaborate on Bill's answer I would like to add that the make up of the ivory itself makes it very prone to splitting,cracking and chipping.Which if anyother material besides MOP wouldn't be so bad but Ivory is expensive and you need to know your supplier because if you wind up with some nice tusks and a bogus certificate then you would be better off legally to be caught with a crate of switchblades.
PB

Post by **tr4252** » Fri Jun 25, 2004 3:48 am

Thanks for the heads up, PB.

I bought the ivory from Koval Knives. I admit, I wouldn't know how to check the legitimacy of the paper I got with it. The document says it's from Kenya, imported in '59, includes a "tusk I.D. number", and is from David Warther Museum, Dover, Ohio. what do you think?

I don't really need any extra headaches; it'd be nice to think the thing's legitimate, maybe more realistic to suspect I was not thinking this one through all the way. Your opinion would be appreciated.

TomR

Vagrant · Post by **Vagrant** » Fri Jun 25, 2004 5:08 am

tr4252 wrote:Thanks for the heads up, PB.

I bought the ivory from Koval Knives. I admit, I wouldn't know how to check the legitimacy of the paper I got with it. The document says it's from Kenya, imported in '59, includes a "tusk I.D. number", and is from David Warther Museum, Dover, Ohio. what do you think?

I don't really need any extra headaches; it'd be nice to think the thing's legitimate, maybe more realistic to suspect I was not thinking this one through all the way. Your opinion would be appreciated.

TomR

It's probably o.k.

Try working with some small pieces, if you don't like it, go to a craft fair/show and see the sizes used for scrimshaw. Cut yours into similar sizes and sell it to scrimshaders or other knifemakers [photocopy the "paperwork" to give them a copy

Bills ideas were great and accurate

To oversimplify work it like wood that can split easily and use care to avoid spots [but it does not spot as bad as some white micarta in my biased opinion

]

mrbigg · Post by **mrbigg** » Fri Jun 25, 2004 6:33 am

Bill DeShivs wrote:Don't get it too hot. Peen pins gently. Keep it dry. If it cracks, superglue it immediately. Sand it to 400 grit, buff with 0000 steel wool, polish.
Bill

mr tr4252 - i would like to add not to get any oil anywhere near the ivory..
i'm still busy kicking my own ass because i just ruined my brand new out of the box today ivory and damascus bastide auto by oiling it....(pictures in blade pics)

the button and locking mech was tight and was giving some squeel, so i instictlively reached for the 3in1 oil i use on all my italian horn stiletto's etc.,...

after a couple minutes i noticed the ivory was "sucking" up the oil, and now i have ugly greenish grey patches appearing all around the affected area

i'm sure hoping mr bill can help me here - can i fix it?