Thread: Joseph Elliot Magnum Bonum

Originally Posted by goldragon

I'm glad a member here got it and I hope you love it once you get it shaving. ... so something natural like mammoth ivory sounds ideal to me, you should do it!

Have any photos of that 9/8+ W&B Masonic blade?

I have to admit, when I get a real collectors item, in good shape, I'm really hesitant to hone it and shave with it. Maybe I feel it would be a shame not to preserve it, I don't know.
Got a mammoth tusk end a foot long and over 5 inches wide. It has many shades of grey with black accents and a bit of tan. Don't have the equipment to cut it (well with what I have I SHOULDN'T) so I've found a waterjet cutting company... but I'm hesitant. Though waterjet cutting has many "precise" benefits, low temp., very thin cut, very accurate... and an ivory expert says the brief water exposure shouldn't be a problem... I get this terrible image in my head of water shooting in and exploding the ivory! So I'm seeking many opinions.
I'll post pics of my W&B 9/8+ Masonic. It's a beauty. But have been having problems uploading pics so I'll need to figure that out. I'm not tech savvy at all. Hehe

Mammoth can be a real PITA to work as it is very Friable i did this one and the stand in mammoth using a bandsaw.
Worked out but wasted alot of materal.

Originally Posted by pixelfixed

Mammoth can be a real PITA to work as it is very Friable i did this one and the stand in mammoth using a bandsaw.
Worked out but wasted alot of materal.

Great job on that one! That emblem on the side, what's it made of where how?
The stand is great too, have me a good idea with an ivory half round I have thanks! How did you attach the pieces?
Yep, the waste of material is what I'm worried about. And heard about the tendency of mammoth to burn.. so maybe the waterjet is worth a try..

Originally Posted by MikeT

Great job on that one! That emblem on the side, what's it made of where how?
The stand is great too, have me a good idea with an ivory half round I have thanks! How did you attach the pieces?
Yep, the waste of material is what I'm worried about. And heard about the tendency of mammoth to burn.. so maybe the waterjet is worth a try..

No Clue what it is made of,maybe Nickel?Is attached with CA.
Any Ivory will burn,I had some one pce scales made using a waterjet several yrs back,But that was Elephant Ivory,Far more stable than Mammoth.

Heres another I made a number of yrs back,Polished Elephant Ivory crown.

Originally Posted by MikeT

I have to admit, when I get a real collectors item, in good shape, I'm really hesitant to hone it and shave with it. Maybe I feel it would be a shame not to preserve it, I don't know.

See, my feelings are somewhat the opposite, I want all of my razors to be honed and shave-ready or it has to be something really unique. I think having a razor in working condition *is* preserving it; it's still in good enough condition to do what it was made to do.

Glad my stack of ivory is already slabbed...came with a 7 day set of razors and a set of replacement pins, washers, and spacers from Peter j. Michael's.

Originally Posted by DennisBarberShop

Glad my stack of ivory is already slabbed...came with a 7 day set of razors and a set of replacement pins, washers, and spacers from Peter j. Michael's.

got pics?????????

Went down to the city to talk to the guys at the waterjet company yesterday. They were very receptive and helpful, very interested in the challenge of cutting down the mammoth tusk. It was funny, they kinda just looked at it when I took it out and said "what the hell?"
Anyway, went in the back and chatted with the technician for about an hour learning and watching. Next week I'm gonna take the mammoth in and a 25lb slab of African Blackwood. .. .. maybe save some money on saw blades not having to make the slabs. Will still cut down with bandsaw though. It was a very cool field-trip!

Originally Posted by goldragon

See, my feelings are somewhat the opposite, I want all of my razors to be honed and shave-ready or it has to be something really unique. I think having a razor in working condition *is* preserving it; it's still in good enough condition to do what it was made to do.

At first thought I would be inclined to agree. Until I take into account some considerations.. The first act of preservation is to save as many of these little pieces of history that we love so much from the evil clutches of iron oxide, as they hide to avail in environments not suited for longevity...
If the blades are found, and not pitted so much that a large amount of blade needs to be taken off to maybe be able to make it shave ready, then bringing it back to its former glory and *then* preserving that condition would perhaps be a good idea. But that is where one might point out that it needs to be altered before such preservation can occur, and now are talking about something different.
The other consideration is that for many collectors that would mean honing to shave ready a great many blades. Probably many of them do. Not me. I work too many hours. So I'll just collect, preserve, restore and customize what I can, and keep giving blades to friends and family who will appreciate and preserve them too, maybe even use them. I hope so. I've managed to get about a dozen of my friends to at least try it