All About Pocket Knives

If a maker tells you a handle is pure elephant tusk ivory, how can you be sure? and that it pre-dates ban?

I really don't know that it makes any difference. If you buy the knife the burden of proof then becomes yours unless you have some documentation that proves otherwise.

Regardless of what anyone tells you, selling, buying and/or owning
genuine ivory, in any form, is a very risky thing.

This will be objected to
by numerous members here and their points are valid.

Just read the law in detail. Don’t just skim the high points.

It all depends on how vigorously the federal government chooses to go after the owner of such items and given their recent behavior towards the unvaccinated and right leaning protesters, that can be pretty vigorous.

Regardless of the age, origin or date of importation into this country, such documentation and proof falls to the owner and face it, almost no one was documenting in written, notarized details re’ the importation of pre-ban ivory, not in any century you might choose to name and it cannot be done retrospectively.

I’m not suggesting you dispose of your ivory, but I’d refrain from posting it all over the internet.

People have had their ivory and pearl inlaid musical instruments confiscated at the U.S./Canadian border.

That’s how insane this has become.

I know string instrument makers, luthiers, as they are called, that no longer use pearl as inlay material.

Some are actually using cross sections of electric cable.

RobesonsRme.com wrote: ↑Wed Jan 26, 2022 4:44 pm Regardless of what anyone tells you, selling, buying and/or owning
genuine ivory, in any form, is a very risky thing.

This will be objected to
by numerous members here and their points are valid.

Just read the law in detail. Don’t just skim the high points.

It all depends on how vigorously the federal government chooses to go after the owner of such items and given their recent behavior towards the unvaccinated and right leaning protesters, that can be pretty vigorous.

Regardless of the age, origin or date of importation into this country, such documentation and proof falls to the owner and face it, almost no one was documenting in written, notarized details re’ the importation of pre-ban ivory, not in any century you might choose to name.

I’m not suggesting you dispose of your ivory, but I’d refrain from posting it all over the internet.

People have had their ivory and pearl inlaid musical instruments confiscated at the U.S./Canadian border.

That’s how insane this has become.

Very well stated !
Charlie, you mention Pearl also in your post . Is Pearl becoming a issue like the Ivory ? Kind of new to the Ivory and Pearl thing . So any info would help as have been purchasing more Pearl lately .
Stay warm out there and do appreciate everyone’s input here . Think will stay away from Ivory !

As I said above, musical instruments makers are now refusing to use pearl as inlay material. They must know something.

Years ago I had some ivory piano keys and blue, red and white poker chips of ivory. Need money and sold them to a buyer AND AT THE TIME i THOUGHT ID GOTTEN A GOODLY SUM. Always wish id kept some. Brother haa a set o ivories on and old Smith & Wesson, the grips are worth as much as the gun.

RobesonsRme.com wrote: ↑Wed Jan 26, 2022 4:44 pm Regardless of what anyone tells you, selling, buying and/or owning
genuine ivory, in any form, is a very risky thing.
snip
It all depends on how vigorously the federal government chooses to go after the owner of such items and given their recent behavior towards the unvaccinated and right leaning protesters, that can be pretty vigorous.
snip

That is pretty much exactly the way I see it.

I follow archeology news some. Several years back I read about how some folks in a small town in Utah in 2009 had federal agents break down their doors and drag them out to be arrested. For having or selling native American artifacts. A couple of folks wound up suiciding while they faced charges.

Here is a link to that story.

https://www.npr.org/templates/story/sto ... =106091937

Eventually some federal agent will decide to use the same tactics against ivory dealers or owners. I do not want to be the guy that they use to convince everyone else in America not to buy ivory!

Good thread with some very enlightening reading. Thanks for posting.

Great thread, it's got me curious about the "pearl" references. Haven't heard that before. Taz

There are as yet no laws against the possession of Ivory in the USA. It is illegal to bring elephant ivory across any US border and federal law prohibits selling elephant ivory across state lines. New York, California and some other states have laws preventing it's sale in those states. Mammoth and Mastodon ivory is not yet illegal and hippo and warthog ivory is still legal. Walrus and whale ivory sales are legal in some states but not others and neither can be imported into the country. The present federal laws regarding elephant ivory do put the proof of legality to the owner or seller, opposite of the standard of innocent until proven guilty. I love old ivory, I have some antique knives with elephant ivory handles but I would fear trying to sell across state lines. But at this point in time it is not illegal for me to own them. It is more the modern custom knives with ivory that seem to draw problems with the feds and the EPA, they haven't been really going after antique ivory products.

There are no laws in this country against mother of pearl, and I doubt if any regulations are coming soon. Protecting clams is not yet a priority.

What Gino said

I ain't scared

Protecting clams can be a priority at times. it takes long studies and a lot of govt BS if ya want to build a new bridge across waterways, or any disturbance for that matter. !00s of thousands of dollars are spent. They even count them and have moved them to new locations. Im for the animals and all that but things are awry and getting worse.
I really dont care about any more laws. Im just fed up with the nonsense going on in this country. What real;l;y ticked me off was when chickin fightin became a felony, all down hill since!!

Thanks everyone. I think I somehow just lost this knife

I will keep it in my safe for you. Just the kind of guy I am.

I could talk for hours on this subject but not going to. As far as "owning" ivory,, it is not against the law. No interstate sales however. Once you saw a set of scales out of a tusk, how does the maker prove where it came from? So the burden of proof is next to impossible. I use only mammoth ivory or wart hog tusks, so far those are legal. And don't put the work "ivory" on anything you want to sell on ebay! they will remove the listing.