All About Pocket Knives

Does anyone have any Great Eastern knives with mammoth ivory scales? The only ones I've seen were in a post Monk put up: http://www.allaboutpocketknives.com/kni ... 56&t=22522

Post a photo if you can.

I'd like to see the primitive bone and mammoth ivory side by side in person sometime.

This is a 23 I had rehandled in mammoth ivory taken off an Alaskan beach years ago.This is out of the same tusk, but it was softer so I had it stabilized; it has a spalted look. Both were expertly executed by Muskrat Man.The 73 jack is nice and flat and rides well in a pocket, but is plenty large enough for serious work.

I repaired the minor crack in the ivory you see in the picture of the 23. I cleaned out the black, filled with super glue, and sanded/buffed. You can't even see the repair!The blade and bolster are cloudy with rust preventative.

These are all handled from the same tusk used on the GEC's:.

Thank you Monk and Gunstock. I don't know much about mammoth ivory. It looks like it can come in a wide variety of colors and markings.

Can you tell me how it is stabilized when it's not ready to use? Some kind of resin?

I'll tell you Gunstock, I doubt that I'll ever see a nicer line up of knives than your photo of the primitive bone on the other thread.

Thanks for your comments, Mike. This is the piece of mammoth tusk I have been working with. As you can see, this tusk is in a state of decay; well, it is 10 to 13 thousand years old so that is to be expected. My friend "stabilized" this piece with some epoxy resin; not a good idea as it prevents it from drying too quickly but is very difficult to remove. I wish he'd used parafin. Anyway, you can see the layers of ivory delaminating in the tusk much like wood might (if it were ivory). So the stuff needs to be sort of "unraveled" as you cut chunks away to find solid material. It can be tough to find enough to work with due to the delamination.

The color varies because the ivory will pick up any colors of the available minerals, so it just depends where it is found. This piece was hanging out of a eroded beach in Alaska by some kids looking for firewood.

I had some of it stabilized by K&G Supply (I think) in AZ; they charge by the pound. I would recommend your have your pieces cut to apprx. size and shape before stabilizing.

The knife in the photos was made by Gene Martin of Provision Forge (made unfinished blade) and myself (haft and finish). The blade is 4 1/2 inches.

Draac wrote:All the knives in this thread posted are GREAT looking knives !!

Draac

That's a fact!

Gunstock, thank you for taking the time to explain the tusk process and post the photos. That's fascinating to me, I had no idea.

Me Too !!!!!!!! _____what ,Mike said !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This site,is amazing !!!! ( you too,Barry )

That's cool stuff right there. Wouldn't that be something to stumble upon. (Oh, look what I found...It's a Mammoth tusk)

Nice photos and explaination. Thanks for sharing, very interestsing

Bone

I wonder what that ivory is like to work with? It looks punky. I wonder if it's soft and pliable when you work with it and later it's hardened somehow, or if it's like working with bone? The end result sure is impressive.

Mike, it is hard and smells like rotten teeth being drilled. My wife makes me work it outside, as the smell lingers for days, even in my shop. When working with it, you don't want to get it hot, or it can crack. Some of the more decayed material can be soft and chalky; unsuitable to use as it is, but can be stabilized. Any of it will crack when pinning if you're not careful. It isn't the easiest or most forgiving material to work with, but is worth the added effort.

I'm glad I started this topic, I've learned a lot. It's not like what I'd imagined at all.

Great thread, Mike …

GJ, thank you for sharing your knowledge and photos - I am also fascinated by this, and am always amazed at the wealth of experience and information to be found in this community …

AAPK rocks.

~ Edge

Edge, wouldn't it be cool to go to a knife meet/knife workshop with these guys and see this stuff in person? The mammoth ivory is way cool.

I posted this one before...........but not in this thread

George that is a beautiful knife. I have the same knife but with smooth white bone scales for my EDC and it's my favorite knife. Here is my one and only (so far) mammoth ivory GEC.

Beautiful Barlow Mike
Thats my only Mammoth Ivory as well.

Thank you George. I really like the GEC mammoth ivory and primitive bone.

vikingdog wrote:Edge, wouldn't it be cool to go to a knife meet/knife workshop with these guys and see this stuff in person? The mammoth ivory is way cool.

Yeah Buddy! I would love that!

http://blog.tsaknives.com/2011/05/31/ma ... avers.aspx

theblindog wrote:http://blog.tsaknives.com/2011/05/31/ma ... avers.aspx

Thanks Fallah !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

my pleasure Monk, Congrats!!
don't forget to post pics when they arrive

theblindog wrote:my pleasure Monk, Congrats!!
don't forget to post pics when they arrive

Shoot Fire !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'll post em' before they arrive !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Greg,takes good photos !!!!!!!!! then I'll post my ""humble pics"" when they do arrive _________I got one of those ""Weaver Jacks"""