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Has anyone any experience using Elforyn Super Tusk for straight razor scales? I don't have any on hand but may be ordering some 1.5 mm thick blanks soon.
How does it compare visually to ivory? Any issues working or finishing it? Would it be rigid enough at 1.5 mm for scales?
My understanding is it's a synthetic material that looks like the real thing and has the feel and heft of it. However it ain't ivory so however you fabricate things from ivory is probably not going to be the same.
But I'm kind of guessing here.
It is a Mircatra isn't it ???
I have used Ivory Micarta in the past, the only thing you have to be cautious with is the saw blade, Micarta /G10 will wreck a wood blade so you have to use a Metal blade which isn't as easy to cut curves with
You have a bit more Grinding to do with it
I might use it on the next "Ivory" scales request
Let me know what you find with it
I have some Arvorin coming soon. It's another ivory alternative. From the stock photo it looks more like "French" ivory.
The Elforyn Super Tusk is a resin base product from Germany that is touted to be as close to real ivory as possible with realistic Shreger lines.
I'll do a report on the Arvorin once it's in hand and the same for the Super Tusk.
I've seen Elforyn used several times.
I've seen it on a knife handle, and while it can't fool the expert eye, it's pretty darn close.
And about a year ago I've seen it used to imitate vintage ivory scales. No dice : felt plastic, light and not very sturdy, and did not hold a candle to the true thing.
So if you think about using some, I'd say "go thick"
Thank you, too much flex is one of my bigger concerns. The Elforyn I have coming is 1.5 mm or .060 thick, for replacing piano keys, definitely not thick.Quote:
Originally Posted by Aggelos
I'll evaluate when in hand and go from there. I do have some brass sheet that could be used as a liner but would prefer not needing that.
The Arvorin, also piano key replacements, is listed as .09 (2.3 mm.)
I will update when they arrive.
Keep in mind though that the vintage scales I take as a reference are extremely thin (UK/France 19th century). 1.2mm might be enough.
I've seen convincing vintage resins on 20th century Swedish razors.
The Elforyn Super Tusk Piano Key Tops, set of 4, were ordered from Atlassupplies on eBay. Based in Illinois, they are the North American distributor of Elforyn products produced in Germany. They were shipped in a bubble envelope with no additional internal packaging. Cost for the 4 pieces was 23.50 USD, delivered.
Measurements were 1 in (25.4mm) by 6.125 in (155.5 mm) and 3 were .06 in thick (1.5 mm) and one was .07 in (1.77 mm.) The surfaces were covered in lengthwise grooves from the machining process. To me, it felt like a strip of bamboo. It is a slightly off white and not the more yellowish, ivory color, we normally associate with the natural material. There was a fair amount of flex but less than expected. The ?Schreger lines? were not readily apparent at this point.
I chose one blank and scraped with a single edge blade and lightly sanded. The Schreger lines became more apparent as the surface smoothed out. I'm happy with the lines visually as they are both complex and flowing and reasonably comparable to ivory. I'll try my best to capture the lines in a pic but they are subtle.
The lines, ignore the color:
Attachment 354574
Surfaces as they arrived:
Attachment 354575
Flex:
Attachment 354576
Elforyn also offers Elforyn White, which I believe would not have the Schreger lines and Elforyn Ivory Grained whose stock photo shows the more yellowish color but with less defined streaks?
A few things I may experiment with would be to see if the material would take a stain or dye to give it a more traditional ivory color, although white is entirely acceptable. Possibly adhering a thin G10 liner to improve the rigidity.
I'm still awaiting the Arvorin. It was purchased from Amazon and shipped from China. I'll do a similar report in this thread when it arrives.
Shortly after posting the above the Arvorin Ivory Substitute Piano Keytop arrived, ordered from Amazon at 8.99 a pair with 6.49 shipping. I ordered 2 sets and the shipping didn't change. They arrived, shipped from China, taped in bubble wrap inside a poly envelope.
Size was .90 in by 6 1/16 in and .08 thick. Color is more like a cream than off white and not a stereotypical ivory color but acceptable. The blanks all have a bow from shipping and hopefully they will relax. The flex is a tad more rigid than the Elforyn.
The surface came much smoother and appeared to have micropores. With a little scraping and sanding it had a smooth, shiny surface. It would take much less effort to finish these than the Elforyn would.
Now onto the Schreger line approximations. Nothing like the stock photo and nothing like ivory. I'll post up some pics but if I were marketing these I would call them a bone substitute instead of ivory.
Color comparison:
Attachment 354577
Stock Photo:
Attachment 354578
Best figure:
Attachment 354579
What figure:
Attachment 354580
Between the 2 I would much rather use the Elforyn and may try a thicker slab. They do offer a .125 thick in a 2 by 6.
I think the Arvorin blank may just be rigid enough for scales and will try them first. If it doesn't work out, I'll have lots of wedge material.
I'll post more when I've made some scales.
