I recently made an Emperor from white paper phenolic micarta, a/k/a alternate or faux ivory. I posted the results here, a search will find it for you.
This was the hardest material and hardest to work with stuff I have encountered in a long time. It makes Lignum Vitae look like warm butter. For one half of the pen, I had to resharpen my high quality, high speed steel, skew three times.
As noted, this material is popular for knife handles and pistol grips. I have material left over for two more pens. After that, never again.
That said, it is a far more realistic looking 'faux ivory' than the alternate stuff sold by CS and others.
It is obtainable from Jantz, a supplier of materials for knife makers.