Advice on Shaping, Contouring and Polishing ALVS Abalone Acrylic Scales

Hi All-It's been a minute, but I'm trying to get back at it a bit on the straights (last school year was by far the most challenging of my career-I think I've got a handle on it this year!). Anyway, after traveling around New Zealand earlier this summer, where they have fantastic paua abalone shells and products in every gift shop, I just had to come back and rescale a straight with it. I have a near-perfect Wostenholm Pipe blade with the fancy etched logo on the face that is the perfect candidate for the Select Green Paua ALVS blank I ordered from Masecraft.

So I cut out my design, taped the two sides together with double-sided tape, and started trying to clean up the jagged edges and smooth everything out on a 400 grit belt on a 2x72" grinder like I have done with every set of wood or horn scales I have done, spraying it with water and keeping it wet as I worked gently. I'm getting close, but the least little pressure near the platen or wheel gives me rough spots to clean up all over again (because it is basically a sort of plastic, right?). I finally quit in frustration for the night, and assume I'll need to come back at it tomorrow with wet sanding pads or something that is NOT a belt!

This is my first time with paua acrylic, and it sure is harder and much less intuitive to work than horn or wood, which one can get such an organic feel for as you work it. It seems like you walk the razor's edge between shaping and melting, gouging or burning. I sure would appreciate some tips on this tricky stuff from you experts. I know I'll be making some more, as there's enough material for a couple more sets off of this gorgeous blank.

Thanks in advance for any advice! Aaron

It is my understanding the the product is small pieces of the shell laid into together and bonded and coated in acrylic. She’ll is hard and heats up easily when worked. I suspect you will be further ahead tying to work it with a jewellers saw and files, before you go to high grit wet sanding and polishing.

I've never worked with the stuff but i've had good luck on wood and horn using a cabinet scraper (aka card scraper), I would think slow and steady would be the key.