Thread: Scale Material

Recently I went down a rabbit hole that began with Bakelite. Bakelite led to antique bakelite jewelry. The tortoise imitations, and their like in bakelite looked pretty nice. This led to a search for a modern manufacturer of bakelite. Backed out...then looked at amber (right!) which led to ambroid or amberoid. 'Amberoid, or “pressed amber,” is produced by fusing together small pieces of amber under pressure.' Which led me to wonder. Has anyone created a piece of amberoid that could be used for straight razor scales? Would this be practical? And then the end of the rabbit hole. If there was a market big enough for synthetic tortoise shell, would the imitations be more realistic, the density, the colors? Whew, I need to take a nap now.

Rabbit holes are easy to find. Sometimes not that easy to find your way out of.

I chase rabbits frequently! Amber is an interesting idea, I bet it would make some nice looking scales.

Originally Posted by Ernie1980

I chase rabbits frequently! Amber is an interesting idea, I bet it would make some nice looking scales.

I'm nor dismissing the idea but do you think it would be markedly different to amber acrylic?

Originally Posted by UKRob

I'm nor dismissing the idea but do you think it would be markedly different to amber acrylic?

I wonder...I guess one could go all natural materials are superior...but amber is very light, does that mean that amberoid would be light? It is compressed. The thing that might make it different from amber acrylic is the different colors of amber and the complexities (other matter or colors in a given piece of amber). I'm looking at SWMBO's amber necklace right now and there are many variations in this single piece made up of 44 freeform beads.

Here is the amber necklace I was looking at. Imagine this natural material, a fossilize tree resin, compressed, selecting the pieces according to your wished for outcome.

Additional information: 'When gradually heated in an oil-bath, amber becomes soft and flexible. Two pieces of amber may be united by smearing the surfaces with linseed oil, heating them, and then pressing them together while hot. Cloudy amber may be clarified in an oil-bath, as the oil fills the numerous pores to which the turbidity is due. Small fragments, formerly thrown away or used only for varnish, are now used on a large scale in the formation of "ambroid" or "pressed amber".^[19]The pieces are carefully heated with exclusion of air and then compressed into a uniform mass by intense hydraulic pressure, the softened amber being forced through holes in a metal plate. The product is extensively used for the production of cheap jewelry and articles for smoking. This pressed amber yields brilliant interference colors in polarized light. Amber has often been imitated by other resins like copal and kauri gum, as well as by celluloid and even glass.'
I'm seeing a new substitute for tortoiseshell
But then, I'm just tapping on a keyboard.

I like the idea - I wonder how it would stand up to a bit of heat generation when drilling and buffing etc.

There are still a few kinks to work out UKRob, but I think we are incrementally closer to the new Loggerhead turtle scale
Remember: 'a journey of a thousand miles begins with one lost madman wondering where he is...'

Originally Posted by WW243

There are still a few kinks to work out UKRob, but I think we are incrementally closer to the new Loggerhead turtle scale
Remember: 'a journey of a thousand miles begins with one lost madman wondering where he is...'

Nice topic Bill & very interesting also. Some amber scales would no doubt be beautiful on a straight. I can see where this could be an interesting faux tortoise set of scales!

The thought has crossed my mind after thinking about various wedge materials and coming upon amber as an exotic material.. it was such a great idea, really was excited, imagined whole scales.. but not to get too carried away figured to not jump ahead, keep it simple.. wedges.
Made a wedge, beautiful, easy to work with as long as your gentle... very gentle. It is heat sensitive. And has very poor tensile strength. Strong compressive strength, very weak tensile strength.
Put the wedge in using hexhead bolts for a mockup.. some sanding.. perfect. Put it in, and SNAP. All that work gone.
Tried again several times on two razor projects.

For a wedge I haven't ruled it out.
If amber is used in any way for scales, it simply has no flex, it would need to change in a big way. It would need flex. Powder it and put it in epoxy? Perhaps something of the sort to change its make up. Inlays yes.
Don't want to be a Debbie Downer but in its current form it is impossible.