Pink Ivory Question

[CharlestonPenWorks]

What is the normal cost for a pink ivory blank. I know it depends on supply, demand, quality ... however, I don't see it that often in the classifieds and I don't want to get ripped off by some .com that just sets a high price. :wink:

Thanks!
DJ

 

[Dvoigt]

I paid $3 for one. And it cracked

 

[DCBluesman]

Keith (VisExp) has it for sale at $2.50. http://zambeziexotics.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=22 The stuff I got was amazingly beautiful!

 

[bcoyne]

I paid $12 for a 1 x 16. Beautiful wood. Made one Statesman Pen and sold it for $135. made 2 Cigar pens and sold for $45 each. Nice profit. Makes up for all my blowouts.

 

[Chasper]

I paid $3.50 each for 5 of them; made three pens, two of them cracked before I sold them. One of them sold and cracked several weeks later, the customer sent it back and I used half of the fourth blank to replace the wood on the cap. Yesterday he called to tell me the cap cracked again, I still have the other half of the 4th blank to fix it with. I'll save the 5th blank so I can fix the same pen two more times, then I will buy some more because it will crack again and again and again.....

My experience with Gaboon ebony is a little worse than pink ivory, but I haven't had any problems with the snakewood I've used.

 

[MobilMan]

Just be careful & make sure it's pink ivory. Some on ebay are selling red heart as PI. I was told by someone at the Woodworker's Show a few years ago that real PI is hard to get. But I bid on some on Ebay a couple years ago and it's easy to tell it's red heart. Pink Ivory is actually pink-not dark red.

 

[GoodTurns]

if you have other stuff to swap, post it in trades and I bet you get responses...then it doesn't cost anything but postage! :biggrin:

 

[GBusardo]

I believe Woodturningz has PI for 3 bucks a blank.

 

[hunter-27]

Just be careful & make sure it's pink ivory. Some on ebay are selling red heart as PI. I was told by someone at the Woodworker's Show a few years ago that real PI is hard to get. But I bid on some on Ebay a couple years ago and it's easy to tell it's red heart. Pink Ivory is actually pink-not dark red.

It is not as rare as some have made it out to be but it is as costly as those same folks try to make it ,IMO. Redheart is similar in color but having turned both I would say once u start turning it, you are gonna know what u have.

 

[VisExp]

Dennis, as Lou mentioned I do have Pink Ivory available on my site at http://www.zambeziexotics.com

I've made a couple pens from it. I haven't experienced any issues with cracking.

If I can help in any way let me know.

 

[Crashmph]

I recently bought a 10 pack of nice sized blanks from my local Woodcraft for $18. That's $1.80 a blank and a damn good deal to me.

 

[MobilMan]

WOW. That's a very nice pen & that is REAL pink Ivory. DJ, you might consider getting some from Keith. Nice lookin stuff. Just be careful, as on most woods, not to heat it too much while sanding/finishing. If you use a friction polish you need some heat, but let it cool off between coats.

 

[Munsterlander]

I've bought from Woodturningz mostly, but also The River's Edge Exotics on ebay, even got some with curl from them (paid a little more).

Incidentally, and I'm sure most of you know this, but pink ivory can range from orange to pink to a darker deep rosy color (really nice).