Trio of Mammoth/Ancient Kauri Emperors

SteveRoberts · Aug 18, 2006

Drilling $100 per inch Mammoth Ivory with a 37/64" bit in 48/64" (3/4") stock can be nerve racking, as it was today.

These are going to a special customer and are executed in Mammoth Ivory and 50K year old Kauri wood. The Kauri on the cap isn't an "oops ring" as it was important to carry the wood across the middle. A strict two-tone with two different materials looked too disjointed.

This mammoth is HARD and stinks to high heaven on both saw and DP. Anyone else like the proportions?

Penmonkey · Aug 18, 2006

Wow! That is one big order there! Very very nice![

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smoky10 · Aug 18, 2006

All Three look great Steve, but I think I like the one on the left best. [

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elody21 · Aug 18, 2006

Very Beautiful! Did you save the shavings from the ivory? I cannot bear to throw them away!

Texas Taco · Aug 18, 2006

I like'em Steve. You can be proud of the way they turned out.

Since Tom likes the left one the best, I'll pick the right one. When should we expect delivery. [}

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Daniel · Aug 18, 2006

Man, you had a mountain of nervewracking in these. I am extremely impressed. I am not usually a fan of the two tone cap thing but you pulled this one off with extreme style. very good job. not sure how much $100 per inch material motivated you to get it right. but I sure think you did. Have your hands stopped shaking yet?[

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ashaw · Aug 18, 2006

Steve
All three look great. You did a wonderful job.

Boomalia · Aug 18, 2006

The Ivory looks rich, very nice job on the pens.

chigdon · Aug 18, 2006

I have been wanting to try the ivory and love the idea of that combination. How much are you selling them for with all that material cost (and stress)?

SteveRoberts · Aug 18, 2006

Chigdon,
Feel free to steal the idea, I am hesitant to discuss the exact selling price as it was substantial and that has the potential to cause incredulity and/or hard feelings for some of our members.
Daniel,
Yes my hands stopped shaking, in fact the turning was a cool-down compared the DP where I kill more blanks than anywhere else.
Elody21,
I did save shavings from both Ivory and wood, it goes with each pen in tiny envelopes along with the certificates of authenticity from each vendor and one from me on it's production date and series number.

Thanks for the kind words all.

Steve

DWK5150 · Aug 18, 2006

I know the feeling with drilling ivory. I have a few blanks here and have used 1 before and its scary.

Jim15 · Aug 19, 2006

Beautiful pens, nice work.

Kaspar · Aug 19, 2006

Steve, any worries about the ivory cracking? I hear that's a problem with it.

I want to give this a try myself. That's pretty precise drilling. I have been able to get Statesman Junior IIs out of 5/8ths Hut micapearls, so I think I can handle that part.

SteveRoberts · Aug 19, 2006

Originally posted by Kaspar
 Steve, any worries about the ivory cracking? I hear that's a problem with it.

I want to give this a try myself. That's pretty precise drilling. I have been able to get Statesman Junior IIs out of 5/8ths Hut micapearls, so I think I can handle that part.

I have had some crack, some did not. It is an educational issue for customers. "10,000 years old can show some signs of age, be prepared for the possiblity". I have gotten Barons and Jr. II's out of 5/8ths.

It is easier when the blank cost $3. Just like putting is easier if you are with your buddies vs. needing a 22 footer to win the Masters.

Kaspar · Aug 19, 2006

Originally posted by SteveRoberts
I have had some crack, some did not. It is an educational issue for customers. "10,000 years old can show some signs of age, be prepared for the possiblity".

Do you give any kind of guarantee? Maybe include enough in the purchase price to make a second cap, should the first one crack?

SteveRoberts · Aug 19, 2006

Originally posted by Kaspar
 

Originally posted by SteveRoberts
I have had some crack, some did not. It is an educational issue for customers. "10,000 years old can show some signs of age, be prepared for the possiblity".

Click to expand...

Do you give any kind of guarantee? Maybe include enough in the purchase price to make a second cap, should the first one crack?

Making a second cap would likely involve a second kit and with Emperors, that is costly. I epoxy my pens together and taking them apart, especially the cap coupler is a real bitch. No, I don't guarentee against nature, I tell people that it can happen, and that neither they nor I control that. If they don't understand it, I don't sell them an ivory pen.

OSCAR15 · Aug 19, 2006

Absolutely beautiful. Fit and finish as well as design are awesome. You should be proud!
Oscar
P.S. I wish I had that much talent.

Kaspar · Aug 19, 2006

Originally posted by SteveRoberts Making a second cap would likely involve a second kit and with Emperors, that is costly. I epoxy my pens together and taking them apart, especially the cap coupler is a real bitch. No, I don't guarentee against nature, I tell people that it can happen, and that neither they nor I control that. If they don't understand it, I don't sell them an ivory pen.

I glue mine too, but a debonder can weaken that sufficiently to pop out the parts when absolutely necessary.

But caveat emptor it is. If I get a mammoth ivory customer I will make sure I have an email on file that says they understood the risks.

Any chance that covering the ivory with a thick coat of CA could mitigate against cracking?

SteveRoberts · Aug 19, 2006

Originally posted by Kaspar

Any chance that covering the ivory with a thick coat of CA could mitigate against cracking?

It might, of course you wouldn't be able to feel the ivory, the ends must also be perfect (something hard to do on bushings) and like snakewood, sometimes a little knowledge is better than a lot of planning. Look at it this way, leather comes with "range marks" because cows were alive, Ivory like Buffalo horn can crack, I suppose you could turn the pen, cast it in PR and turn back down to 1/128th over.... but I just tell people, "now you know how to tell it from white plastic".

mrplace · Aug 19, 2006

Steve, Where did you get the mammoth ivory? You have a personal source or is it someone you could share?

SteveRoberts · Aug 19, 2006

Originally posted by mrplace
 Steve, Where did you get the mammoth ivory? You have a personal source or is it someone you could share?

I am happy to share the source. I have had great service.

http://www.ivoryworksltd.net/

johncrane · Aug 19, 2006

G'day Steve great work mate [

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penbros · Aug 20, 2006

Woah![:0] Wow i just realized how bad it would be if you had a chip out.[xx(]

ed4copies · Aug 21, 2006

Nice concept and excellent execution!!
I like the "save the shavings" touch as well-marketing "genius"!!!

Good job, all around.

Rifleman1776 · Aug 21, 2006

Supelatives fail. Simply elegant. Craftsmanship speaks for itself.

mrplace · Aug 21, 2006

How did you finish the pens? Did you coat over the ivory?

SteveRoberts · Aug 21, 2006

Originally posted by mrplace
 How did you finish the pens? Did you coat over the ivory?

Sorry, all finishing questions are politely ignored. [

] I have developed a method I don't see discussed here and for all I know I am the only one doing it, most IAP members are not competetion but a few are or could be, some things a fella has to keep under his hat.

Rifleman1776 · Aug 22, 2006

Originally posted by SteveRoberts
 

Originally posted by mrplace
 How did you finish the pens? Did you coat over the ivory?

Click to expand...

Sorry, all finishing questions are politely ignored. [] I have developed a method I don't see discussed here and for all I know I am the only one doing it, most IAP members are not competetion but a few are or could be, some things a fella has to keep under his hat.

Gee. All this time I thought these forums were for sharing and learning.

Rifleman1776 · Aug 22, 2006

I got to wondering about that "$100.00 per inch" cost. Checked my Favorites and found a site I had visited some time ago. Mammoth ivory pen blanks can be purchased for about $12 to $15 per inch.
http://www.mammothivory.info/index.php?cPath=29

SteveRoberts · Aug 22, 2006

Originally posted by Rifleman1776
 I got to wondering about that "$100.00 per inch" cost. Checked my Favorites and found a site I had visited some time ago. Mammoth ivory pen blanks can be purchased for about $12 to $15 per inch.
http://www.mammothivory.info/index.php?cPath=29

Misfire Rifleman, those are 1/2" blanks... good luck trying to get a 37/64" bit through that.

GBusardo · Aug 22, 2006

Steve, I might be missing something, but even with your supplier, the pen blanks come in at under $30 an inch. Did you mean you sold them for $100. an inch? That might seem reasonable to me. Also, you don't feel right sharing your finishing secrets, which is fine with me. I don't see myself turning anything that expensive ever. Heck, I can't even put down a decent CA finish. Whatever finish you do use, I don't see how you can get the feel of real ivory with a covering on it, besides, how many people know what mammouth tusk feels like?
The pens are beautiful, real works of art.
Thanks for sharing
Gary

Gary Max · Aug 22, 2006

Steve those are outstanding pens--your level of workmanship is perfect.
Thanks for taking the time to share them with us.

SteveRoberts · Aug 22, 2006

I guess the "inch" needs revisiting. I paid $70. for a 3/4 x 3/4 x 2 1/2 inch blank plus shipping.

The $100 was a rough estimate of CUBIC inch which I see I didn't say but thought was implied since most of us buy wood by the board foot which is a cubic measurement. So.....75 x.75 x 2.5 is 1.46 cubic inches which is $47.94 per cubic inch. I can see that my rough estimate was too rough, as I must have multiplied the total rather than dividied. At the time I was riding the high of getting them thru the drill press stage intact and not all that clear on the math. So.... ok... "Drilling $48 an inch mammoth ivory was 51% easier than I thought it was"...

Steve

Originally posted by GBusardo
 Steve, I might be missing something, but even with your supplier, the pen blanks come in at under $30 an inch. Did you mean you sold them for $100. an inch? That might seem reasonable to me. Also, you don't feel right sharing your finishing secrets, which is fine with me. I don't see myself turning anything that expensive ever. Heck, I can't even put down a decent CA finish. Whatever finish you do use, I don't see how you can get the feel of real ivory with a covering on it, besides, how many people know what mammouth tusk feels like?
The pens are beautiful, real works of art.
Thanks for sharing
Gary

Rifleman1776 · Aug 22, 2006

Originally posted by SteveRoberts
 

Originally posted by Rifleman1776
 I got to wondering about that "$100.00 per inch" cost. Checked my Favorites and found a site I had visited some time ago. Mammoth ivory pen blanks can be purchased for about $12 to $15 per inch.
http://www.mammothivory.info/index.php?cPath=29

Click to expand...

Misfire Rifleman, those are 1/2" blanks... good luck trying to get a 37/64" bit through that.

Grant you that. A larger size would run about $20 an inch. Here is another interesting source http://www.coastivory.com/index.htm
They also supply oosik and giraffe bone. Still priced a long way from $100 an inch.
No matter. I still think your pens are knock-outs.

Johnathan · Aug 27, 2006

Very special, what a conversation piece those pens will be.

Trio of Mammoth/Ancient Kauri Emperors

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