Making Mastodon tusk pen help

[Chuck B]

Guys this is the Mastodon tusk I got from our vet. it's probably 1/4 of the tusk & it's 5" across. This means it was probably like 20" when it was still attached to the Mastodon. That is so amazing. She wants me to make a pen out of it for her. She got it when she went on a working vacation to Alaska.

Question:

Most of it is 1/4" thick then I do have some thicker parts. As you can see from the pics below it looks like their in layers of about 1/4" thick. I know if I try to drill through it they will split for sure.

So what would be the best way to make a pen out of it???

I was thinking of taking some of the layers off & sanding then roughing them & glue back together. I think if I stack them on top of each other I will have better success instead of gluing them lengthwise. Also I am in need of the type of glue to use.

Any help is appreciated.

Thanks


Click for full size

 

[Curly]

You need to send a PM to Alejanders . He has done a number of pens with it.

 

[hewunch]

You could cast little pieces. The one I made cracked big time. it was solid though.

 

[Monty]

Looks like it may be a candidate for stabilization. PM Curtis about this.

 

[Russianwolf]

You could cast little pieces. The one I made cracked big time. it was solid though.

+2


what he said

 

[thewishman]

Hey Chuck, from your pictures it looks like you have already made a tape measure from mastodon tusk. Just do it the same way, only pen shaped.:clown::clown::monkey:

 

[crabcreekind]

There was a couple thread on here where a guy glued little pieces together from tusk, it looked pretty good too.

 

[Chuck B]

Thanks for the help. I sent a PM to Alejanders. & Rick Martin. Hopefully they can give m,e some advice. I have a real good size tusk but want to use as little as possible. She has other pieces but this is the biggest & thickest one & she wants to do some scrimshaw on what I have left over.


Wish,
That was totally by accident. LOL

 

[Alejanders]

That piece of tusk not big enough to make pen blank.
I think, best that you can make with that tusk - fill cracks with colored resin and make pen with natural cracks. I suppose, it will be very interesting pen, much more interesting than pen from pieces.
First, mix epoxy with black colorant (you may use laser printer toner, pen ink) and fill cracks.
Then saw that piece of tusk on pen blanks, fill opened cracks, when wind string around pen blank and poir it with CA or epoxy.
String enforces tusk enough good for drilling.


I made my mammoth mosaic pens (you may find links in my profile) with Titebond II glue.

 

[Justturnin]

I would clean it up some and cast it in Clear Resin and reverse paint it black.

 

[BlackPearl]

I've seen that somewhere else. Hi Chuck ya TWIT!

 

[MrWright]

Cliff... "Black Pearl"... I have been trying to get your address to send you a little gift I made for you. Answer your PM and I can send it to you. It is FREE, and pen related.
This is from a WW2 Marine. Have sent you two request. So if anyone is in hears from Cliff let him know I would like him to answer Frank