Thread: Ivory Repair?

Americans don't always do what Congress says. Besides I have never seen one at the auto parts or hardware store so as far as they know it has been done.

Good, what kind of world would it be if everything everywhere where the same...

Ivory and walrus can be bent if you soften it with steam or in hot water, you will feel when it starts to give and then you clamp it to a fixture.

Does it hold its shape when cooled? or does it have that plastic effect where it returns to its curved state. If so, would it be better to heat/straighten/cool wash rinse repeat until it stays straight?
Or should it be taken slightly past straight, so when it cools it springs back a little and lands on straight?

Originally Posted by Magpie

Does it hold its shape when cooled? or does it have that plastic effect where it returns to its curved state. If so, would it be better to heat/straighten/cool wash rinse repeat until it stays straight?
Or should it be taken slightly past straight, so when it cools it springs back a little and lands on straight?

Either way, it depends on the ivory how "springy" it is, but it's really easy to do.
It can also be done with chemicals but I don't remember really how to do that and my books are in a chaos state right now.

A steam nozzle is the best, then you can heat it locally exactly where you want it to bend.
Always heat and cool it slowly!!!

More edit, hehe!

Actually I don't think you need to clamp it, boil some water, put the lid on so steam come out the side,
gloves on and just hold it, bend it to the shape you like and let it cool, it will be softer than before for a while but will become harder with time
Arrrrgh, now I want to work with some horn/bone again!

Found this about ivory; Guitar Parts - Bone and Ivory Working Tips

In many ways the metric system is superior to our inch system IMHO. I became familiar with it through working on bicycles over the past 40 years. Like most Americans, I guess, kicking and screaming about having to learn something new, but I'm glad I did. YMMV.