Thread: Ivory Scale Replacement

Hey, guess what happens when an ivory scaled W&B meets a tile floor?
Answer: Both a scale and my heart breaks!

Any recommendations on who can replace scale for less than king's ransom?

Robert Williams works ivory scales

I can imagine the pain... Was it one of the vintage thin scales or the "modern" thicker ones?

Good luck
Ivo

I can tell you where NOT to buy Ivory scales!

(...I still can't believe that eBay guy LIED to me!.....I got 'boned'!...)

-whatever

-Lou

I'm no good with razors and dates. It's a Wade & Butcher, engraved "extra hollow ground". My guess was 80-100 yr old. Scales are thinner than a dime.
Thanks for the Robert lead.
I was thinking about old piano keys as stock.

My understanding is that the thinner scales are more modern, while the thicker ivory scales are older, as there wasn't such a premium on it, and it was easier to come by.

Whatever you do, do not buy any ivory from out of country (unless you can get two cites permits) they will be seized...don't ask how I know that

Originally Posted by Joe Chandler

My understanding is that the thinner scales are more modern, while the thicker ivory scales are older, as there wasn't such a premium on it, and it was easier to come by.

Sure.

And I just spoke from my experience - the "modern" Dovo, Maestro, and Robert Williams ivory scales I have seen are thicker than what I have on all my vintages from various brands (Helje, J Rodgers, Smith & Hawksley, etc.)

Cheers
Ivo

Originally Posted by Joe Chandler

My understanding is that the thinner scales are more modern, while the thicker ivory scales are older, as there wasn't such a premium on it, and it was easier to come by.

Not that I've seen. All my ivory scaled razors have the thin scales, even the old Mappin & Webbs (which were really high-end razors at the time).

I'm also not sure about the ivory premium - yes there was more of it back then, but there was also a lot more demand for it than there is today. And there's a fair amount of mammoth and walrus ivory running around nowadays as well.

Perhaps I was mistaken. The few ivory handled ones I've had have all been thin, except for a couple really old ones, which were much thicker. Must've just been that maker.

If your looking for Elephant Ivory forget it. The only way is to contact Ivory carvers and see if there are any mythical stories about someone who has a tusk portion aquired preban and then try and locate that person. That's what matt did when he produced those three ivory handled Shaving Brushes. I don't think you'll find any Ivory Piano keys around. You'll have a better chance finding old Ivory billard balls but they are too small for scales. Most Ivory carvers these days work in mammoth Ivory or Walrus Ivory. You can locate the stuff in the orient but it will be seized if Customs opens it. You can contact sellers in South Africa, that's the only legal source when they cull the heards every few years and you'll need a mountain of paperwork to get it through Customs and it will be held up for weeks or months until they verify the paperwork. Many countries don't allow the stuff period but the U.S does with the right paperwork.