Ivory?

[Randy Simmons]

So, I have been moving into some higher end materials lately, and I was looking into making a pen out of ivory. I was wondering if anyone had some legal, pre-ban sources that you know are credible.

Thanks!
Randy

 

[GoodTurns]

Guitar Parts - Pen Blanks of Mammoth, Ivory & Horn

have done business with him several times, good quality "reasonable" prices

 

[paintspill]

wow see those prices. wouldn't want to blow one of them up.

 

[ed4copies]

Also remember they are "natural" products---cracking can and does happen (not always, but often). Even long after the pen is made (months to years)

 

[GoodTurns]

Also remember they are "natural" products---cracking can and does happen (not always, but often). Even long after the pen is made (months to years)

VERY important to manage buyers' expectations! they are fixable and just have more "character"

 

[ed4copies]

I couldn't agree with you more, Jon!!!

Just hoping to save someone from the "wrath of a customer"!!

 

[Bigj51]

I have been using the alternative ivory. Turns out really nice without the problems/expenses of the natural ivory. Just my 2 cents...

 

[terryf]

I've turned a lot of ivory and of all the pens I've made I think only 5 haven't cracked. Unless you really want to try it or have customer requirements I would suggest alternative ivory.

If you want to turn it because you want it for yourself, by all means, grab a piece and give it bash - its a huge challenge and very satisfying when you finish but do your homework re turning and finishing and prepare yourself for a very long winded project as it hates heat of any kind.

Heres a picture of a Majestic in full ivory
http://www.penturners.org/forum/att...ull-size-majestic-elephant-ivory-img_8496.jpg

Looking at the picture you wouldnt know if it was real or alternative. In person you will definitely know!

 

[firewhatfire]

I may be on the list to turn some Ivory in the near future also. How does one finish Ivory? I assume it does not get CA finish on it.

Phil

 

[terryf]

I may be on the list to turn some Ivory in the near future also. How does one finish Ivory? I assume it does not get CA finish on it.

Phil

Well for one I only use a skew when turning ivory. The idea being to get it as smooth as possible before starting to sand. I resharpen regularly throughout the process. I dont think this is really necessary if you're using a carbide tip but my HSS skews dull quickly.

I usually start with 600 and I spend way more time sanding than I would with other materials to ensure that I dont miss anything and have to come back and start again.

Once I start using MM I make sure they are properly washed and clean - any dirt that gets into the grain will be very difficult to get out DAMHIKT
Once I've finished with 12000 I buff with a white paste thats equivalent to about 20000 - dont use any other colour than white.

I then place the finished blank in a little tub with glycerine for about 24hours, wash it with ethanol and assemble. I learnt this trick from an old man that used do a lot of scrimshaw work.

Of the five pens that havent cracked, three were done this way. Who knows if it works, I do it anyway!

I put no coating on the outside whatsoever - natural material needs to breathe

Keep the turnings in case you need to fill a chip or crack.

I normally drill the blank over two or three days with no more than about an inch per session and I go through the entire rack of drill bits from left to right.

If your workshop changes temperature dramatically from one day to the next only work on ivory when the temps are pretty close to each other. Think of hot and cold liquid on your teeth - generally unpleasant.

Also try and pick a kit that has lots of meat on it, the thinner the ivory the more prone it is to cracking although even an Imperial has cracked on me.

All in all its a terrible material to use for pens!

 

[PTsideshow]

Tagua or any of the vegetable ivory, it is now coming back into fashion.

Vegetable Ivory
A very good description of most of the types. One World Projects - Tagua Nut Main Page. Fair Trade.
another site
Tagua Nut Very Large Jumbo Whole Polished Seeds
and yet another site. I haven't used it for a pen yet but for other things it works well and since it is chemically the same material it works like ivory, and is a lot cheaper to practice on.
:clown:
​

 

[NotURMailman]

Man... bummer! This thread had me all ready to order a few from that last link just to try it out. But when you add it to your cart it says the item is unavailable.

And the second site only has small in stock (1 1/4").

I wonder if you could have any success stacking sections to build a blank?

EDIT - I guess I'll find out soon. I went ahead and ordered 20 of the small ones. At .30 a piece I don't have much to lose...

 

[terryf]

I have recently ordered some more warthog tusks for a lil project. If there are extras left over, I'll toss them in the deals n trades. I don't at this stage think there will be but you never know.

 

[NotURMailman]

I got the plant ivory nuts. I couldn't wait to throw some on the lathe. So, I made a few Christmas ornaments real quick. I think I'll try to glue up some segmented pen blanks using a few of the others with brass foil in between.

It's really not bad to work with. The outer shell is pretty hard. It's a little weird to turn. You have to be really careful and take very small bites. The first one I did, I accidentally let my tool get below center and when it got pulled in to the material chunks flew everywhere. The noise it made when it crashed into my face shield made me very glad I had it on. So, I just turned it a little smaller than I had planned (very slowly).

The first one (shorter one) I turned, sanded with 80, then 120, then 220, then 400, and then wet sanded with all 9 Micro Mesh pads and polished with Hut Plastic Polish.

The second one I turned, sanded the same way, but added 3 quick coats of thin CA prior to the Micro Mesh and polish.

The second one is not any more shiny or glossy than the first, it just doesn't "feel" like natural material anymore. I won't use any finish on it in the future.

It is absolutely beautiful and I am very happy with it for the ornaments! I can't wait to try it out on pens...

Only time will tell how stable it is

Sorry for the crappy cell phone pics, they don't do it any justice. That is one of the "nuts" between the ornaments.

BTW - Don't drill too fast or it stinks like heck and discolors the ivory. Luckily I didn't turn that deep into it.

 

[jdmyers4]

I just went to a dealer yesterday in Brinnon, WA who has ivory (elephant, mammoth, walrus, hippo, etc). He deals primarily with internet sales, his workshop is out in the sticks, in the middle of nowhere. But he gave me a tour of his shop. Nice supply of pre-ban elephant ivory and such - all legal. Very nice guy. I bought some ivory chunks - thinking of using them to make segments for pens. He makes a lot of ivory gun grips for customers, ivory beads, carvings.

Boone Trading Company - Ivory and Scrimshaw