Thread: Identifying Ivory

I've never seen or touched real ivory, so I don't think I'd recognize it. I think some scales that I recently acquired are ivory, even though I originally identified them as bone. They were very dirty at first, and the grain lines looked like bone scales I've seen. I soaked them briefly in Oxyclean, and they developed a slightly slimy feel (probably just the Oxyclean). Once dry, I sanded lightly up to 2000 and polished with metal polish, and they are very glossy now like plastic. They are very thin and light. Definately not plastic.

Post a pic taken in natural sunlight,the diff between ivory and bone is very apparant.

Thanks. I'm at work at the moment, but I assume it's sort of translucent around the edges, like horn is?

Ivory are much smoother than bone, bone is also more porous.

One way to help identify ivory is to knock it gently against your teeth, they will make a sound like clicking your teeth together.

Since you have sanded them the smell should also be a indicator, bone smells like sh@*t, ivory not even close.

Ivory has a curved grain that cross hatches. You can take a hot needle point and stick it on the inside of the scales for a few seconds. It should smell like burned hair. It should only leave the tiniest mark.

You will never see the Schreger Lines (cross hatching) on scales,only from an end cut view,scales are cut along the lenth of the tusk section and the cross hatching becomes wavy lines.
As above, Ivory will burn,it will not melt and the smell you get is like being at the dentists office when having your teeth ground on.

+1 on pixelfixed's picture. One more from a cut of mammoth ivory would complete the set. The angle of the Schreger lines is/are different for mammoth.

Here's a good resource: All About Mammoth Ivory

It is a re-scale. I did it and didn't know about any difference in pinning ivory vs other materials.

Originally Posted by bonitomio

I have never heard of baubellum until now:-

baubellum - Wiktionary

Ok so do you seriously what to put his anywhere near your face?

o_O

Well, for a full-size razor it'd need to be a composite from lots of them, unless there are whale baubelli.

Thank you all. It was truly a learning moment. Leaned things.