Working with mammoth ivory for folders.

[Frank Niro]

A lot of good stuff has come my way through this forum. I have tried to participate and at times because I have not been able to send pictures have felt a bit strangled for not being able to be involved. I pretty much use either pearl or mammoth ivory in the knives I make which are all liner lock folders. Since the first time I used the mammoth ivory I started to look for and try treatments to help stabilize this material. The meathod I now use is I feel a simple excellent way to get fine results. I'm sure this meathod can be used on wood as well as other ivorys. It will not fill in cracks, holes,or act as a glue. This will still have to be done with the CA type crazy glue and is the third of the three essential things that must be done when working with mammoth ivory after this "stabilizing" has been done. Apply the glue in holes and cracks in either the thick or thin types and use the spray to speed curing. As you work the ivory, stop when any more cracks are seen and contiue to fill with the CA glue.
The first step in the treatment is to make sure the ivory is dry. I have used ivory out of the ground six months ago and some that dug up four or five years ago. I treat it all the same. I place the pieces that are still oversize in an old microwave I have. A microwave heats from the inside not the outside. I put the machine on defrost for just two minutes. I then feel the pieces. You want to feel the pieces a little more than warm but not hot. Add or remove time as necessary after letting the pieces cool off. Repeat the drying at least three times.
Now for the stabilizing part. It is so simple that unless you try it you will say it just won't work, but it does and what a fine job it does. The ivory smells completely different when being worked which is the smell of the dried wood hardener that is used. I often start with 60 grit and then to 120 and then to 400 on the machine. Of course I then go to hand sanding as necessary to 800. I then buff with the white compound. You will now see another advantage of going through this next proceedure and that is the finish that will be accomplished with almost no buffing at that. You will need a glass sealer of the type for home preserves or one of those spagetti sauce bolttles. It must have a rubber seal. The bottle must be about an inch taller than the pieces you are going to 'stabilize". Place the pieces in the bottle and fill to above the pieces with Minwax Wood Hardener but leave an air space at the top. Put the lid on but do not tighten down. Now this must be heated until it boils. It is an extremely inflamable product so direct heat is probably a mistake. I place the bottle a short distance from a strong space heater. A double boiler with water will probably do a good job. When the hardener boils, tighten down the lid. I sure hope you had some gloves on when you did this, and put it aside to cool which will take an hour or two. Now that has cooled you can now open the jar which may require you to use one of those rubber type wrap around wrenches. After removing the pieces allow them to dry. This will only take another hour or two. They are now ready for use. Leaving them in the jar longer has not seemed to help for the size I use for the folders. Seal up the remainder of the hardener to be toped up and used for the next pieces. No vacuum pumps or bleed off valves are needed. It's that simple. If this is as effective for you as for me and there is no reason why it won't be, I believe you will be extremely pleased with the results. I hope this is understandable. If you have questions I will be pleased to to reply. Frank

[SharpByCoop]

Very clearly described, Frank. This will be invaluable to many, and it's a hard-learned effort that makes short work of a tough task!

Thanks for giving back!

Coop

[badboris]

Frank
do i have this right?
sequence is microwave --> fill cracks --> stabilise

i'll try that on wood thanks for the simple method

Andre

[Frank Niro]

Andre, I'm sorry if I confused you. It is dry, stabilize and then fill. if you have already done the fill, it won't hurt but you will end up doing it over because the wood hardener will cause it to get soft, but it will dry with when the hardener does but cause it to take longer to dry. Coop, did I see you say you were going to Vegas? Will you have a table? I am going as a visitor but will be bringing a couple of my folders for show and tell.

[Messinger]

Frank,
Thank you very much for posting your ivory stabilization method. This is a real gem and I'm sure many more like me appreciate it. While in Vegas please twist an arm or two to get some pictures of your knives taken for us to see here.

-Ben

[SharpByCoop]

Frank,

I will be in Vegas and setting up to do photography on friday afternoon and possibly some on saturday. I'd love to meet you and see your work. Maybe give me a holler on my cell. Check your PM.

Coop

[Dan Metsker]

Frank's described process works. Nice work describing it Frank. It also works on horn as well. I found, independently this past weekend, that after jigging a bone, dyeing same, then letting dry for 12 hours, then heating the bone with a heat gun on the end (to draw), then placing the warmed bone in a mason fruit jar full of Minwax, I was able to obtain the desired result. A completely sealed horn in which my dyed effort enhanced the previous weathered areas.

I went one step further and instead of "buffing" I used another horn tip to seal and buff out by slicking.--

Cudos Frank for bringing to the forum--Dan

[Frank Niro]

I'm pleased I could help! Frank

[Frank Niro]

Today, I tried this process on some sheep horn. It does not work. I figure that that pores are so open that they will not draw in or hold the Min Wax hardener. Frank