Types of elephant ivory?
by FOG, Monday, April 15, 2013, 07:20 (4244 days ago)
JLF kindly taught us below how the term "second-cut" applies to stag.
Is there a specific term for elephant ivory with grain that looks like this?
I know about 'bark' ivory, and if this 'fine-grained' type also has a trade name, I would be most interested in knowing what it is.
TIA
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Types of elephant ivory?
by JLF , Monday, April 15, 2013, 11:06 (4243 days ago) @ FOG
edited by JLF, Monday, April 15, 2013, 11:16
I've never known a grip maker to identify any part of the tusk by name. Nor have I inspected a whole tusk. When I have had ivory grips made, the question was always just how much grain do I want. I have seen them from creamy looking, with no grain, to sharply grained all over, so I assume there is a structure to the tusk that they can exploit.
JLF
PS: Long standing tip. To test for genuine ivory, heat up a straightened paper clip, or something similar, and poke the back of the grip with it. Any amount of poly, or other material, and the clip will poke a hole, smoke, etc. similar to plastic. On genuine ivory, the clip just bounces off, and does nothing. Same goes for pearl.
Types of elephant ivory?
by FOG, Monday, April 15, 2013, 11:34 (4243 days ago) @ JLF
Thanks for your reply.
I've never ordered grips made from any material, but if I ever buy ivory again, I want that type of grain.
I suppose if that happens, I could send the maker a picture nowadays, but I have long wondered if there was a name for ivory with that type of grain (as there is for "bark ivory").
Your answer that there isn't one agrees with my futile attempts at searching Google, etc. using various combinations of terms: I never found anything, and I have looked more than just once.
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Nutmeg.
by JLF , Monday, April 15, 2013, 12:24 (4243 days ago) @ FOG
Nutmeg Sports is good people. Usually you will talk to "Mr. Nutmeg" himself when you call for grips. What all grip makers know is that everybody wants as much grain in their ivory as they can get without having to pay any extra, of course. Nutmeg does his best to make you a fine looking set of grips for his standard and very reasonable price. I sent him my USFA Double Eagle, the grips must be hand fitted, and he returned it with some killer grain in some fine looking grips. It took very little begging over the phone. He said two weeks, and it was two weeks to the day when my sixgun returned in the mail.
Nutmeg also sells breathtaking engraved guns at *very* reasonable prices. The pics on the web site are worth the visit.
JLF
Ivory and or stag ....
by Ron Brown, Monday, April 15, 2013, 17:16 (4243 days ago) @ FOG