All About Pocket Knives

Is there a way to identify super tusk handle material? I had read somewhere that you could use a black light and if the material has a blueish tint it was a synthetic and if it was bright white under a black light it was real ivory. Has anyone tried this?

Never heard of super tusk but genuine ivory isn't that hard to identify once you know what to look for. This doesn't tell you how to identify super tusk but that may be a start.

I had never heard of it either so I googled it. Looks like a visual would be hard to tell but I have never seen any to know if I can or cannot tell by visual inspection. I bet it still fails the "hot pin" test. I also don't think it is much to worry about at this point since there only seems to be one source in the US now. I also think that any honest knife maker would say what material was used and it's unlikely to be used in restoration of antiques. Evidently it only is made to mimic elephant ivory, not walrus or other ivories.

I had not heard of Super Tusk until this post.
One website claims that it does contain a UV dye, so that ot will glow under a backlight.

I bought a blacklight today and shined it on the knife handle that I suspect to have super tusk and on the tip overlays of a longbow that I know is made of elephant ivory. The tips on the bow were bright white and the knife handle has a blueish tint under the black light. I think I got screwed big time on these knives.

Larryburford wrote: ↑Thu Jun 01, 2023 2:59 am I bought a blacklight today and shined it on the knife handle that I suspect to have super tusk and on the tip overlays of a longbow that I know is made of elephant ivory. The tips on the bow were bright white and the knife handle has a blueish tint under the black light. I think I got screwed big time on these knives.

Will you show pictures of the knives?

edge, I sent you an email

Larryburford wrote: ↑Fri Jun 02, 2023 6:38 pm edge, I sent you an email

Thanks, I just replied.

Larryburford wrote: ↑Thu Jun 01, 2023 2:59 am I bought a blacklight today and shined it on the knife handle that I suspect to have super tusk and on the tip overlays of a longbow that I know is made of elephant ivory. The tips on the bow were bright white and the knife handle has a blueish tint under the black light. I think I got screwed big time on these knives.

You definitely need to show pictures of the material here so all can see. I have never heard of Super Tusk either and would like to see what it looks like.

This is the knife in question.

Larryburford wrote: ↑Sat Jun 03, 2023 4:11 pm This is the knife in question.

Sure looks a lot like Elephant Ivory, I can see how it would be easy to confuse. Great looking knife either way and, FWIW, at least you'll have no need to worry about the many legal/ethical issues/hassles often associated with genuine ivory.

Who is the maker?

Pablo Castellani of Brazil was the knife maker

Larryburford wrote: ↑Sun Jun 04, 2023 11:24 pm Pablo Castellani of Brazil was the knife maker

It looks pretty new. So fairly serious laws would have been broken it it were real ivory and shipped internationally. You may be out the price you were were paying for real ivory, but at least you are not on the hook for a $50,000 dollar fine for violating the ivory trade laws.

Good looking knife for sure.

Oh boy! That's a nice looking knife Larry. Was it supposed to be antique ivory or interior mastodon or mammoth ivory?

I got to try that black light technique on some of my pre-ban antique ivory's. Thanks for sharing the info.

If they could put just a hint of that aged yellowing.