Thread: My Last Ivory:(

Will find out 6/9/14,is not looking good tho.

I can't wait to see the result!

Cheers.

I'm sorry that you are between a rock and an unpleasant place. I know you love the material, for obvious reasons. The whole issue is over the top ridiculous. A couple of years ago I watched a show about the elephant reserves. Apparently they have piles of confiscated tusks and tusks from the natural death of elephants that they cannot do anything with. Very few countries will allow any legal ivory trade for fear of encouraging poaching. There it sit in piles on under funded reserves, and it could actually be used to help the reserves and ultimately the elephants. I better not get started on a rant, it preaching to the choir anyway.

It just sux pixel. What can you do. Not that I know a thing about ivory but I have never heard of a good replacement material. I bought some alternative ivory and it looked so bad I never used it for anything but a back drop in pics.

Looking good Pixel. I still think ivory is one of the most gorgeous materials for razors and brushes.

Good luck Bill. I hope it comes out as nice as that last one did. Scrubby little devil with backbone to beat the band.

What you think, Gentleman, about the Tagua Nut?

If there's something that will explode on your lathe, it's Tagua Nut. That is if your turning the entire nut without sectioning it. I've had many vaporize in front of me just by catching the slightest edge of your tool. They are hollow on the inside, and very brittle. When turned and finished properly they can reassemble ivory, and be very beautiful. But it's very easy to see the difference between the two IMO.

All poached Ivory should be burned,what you see in the paper and the news is a fraction of poached Ivory that is legally under international law sold to China and japan,they drive the market.
Legal pre ban Ivory is plentifull in the U.S,is used by alot artisans to create magnificent Things.
I am very small beans when it comes to Ivory,the big guns,Wurthurs, Boones, have millions invested in legal Ivory.
None of us deal in poached Ivory,all is 100+ yrs old.
I have sold lots of of Ivory to some of the finest Razor makers and resto guys in the country (all SRP Members)
That will most likly stop next week,you will not be able to sell anything (inc Razors) with Ivory.
Will you get caught if you do? chance is slim and none,if you do the fines are very heavy,the DFG will come after you like a pit bull on a pork roast.
Even if the new edict passes, It is still legal to own all the ivory you have,you just will not be able to ship it across state lines.

Originally Posted by HARRYWALLY

If there's something that will explode on your lathe, it's Tagua Nut. That is if your turning the entire nut without sectioning it. I've had many vaporize in front of me just by catching the slightest edge of your tool. They are hollow on the inside, and very brittle. When turned and finished properly they can reassemble ivory, and be very beautiful. But it's very easy to see the difference between the two IMO.

Hi, Harry!
I did not know how PITA could be to work Tagua nuts, and I already know it can be easily distinguished from ivory. I just saw an artisan working on it at Colombia, and producing lots of really beautiful things - including a tiny itty-bitty chessboards with watchmaker-tweezer-sized pieces inside eggs about the size of a ping-pong ball.
I agree that ivory is irreplaceable, but I would like to see what can be done with Tagua regarding brush handles. Just curious to see if it can outlast hot water etc. It is a beautiful natural material, indeed... unfortunately tagua nuts are not as big as watermelons, otherwise we could have nice razor scales made of it.