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.