Engraving ivory

[Archie Woodworth]

Had an interesting call today ... new customer wants me to engrave letters onto some ivory piano keys. Anyone have experience engraving ivory? Any special techniques necessary? Thanks in advance.

 

[tdelewis]

I would suggest using a carbide scribe sharpened on a diamond wheel. 400 grit would is what I would suggest.

 

[T.G.III]

If you use the term engraving loosely, ivory engraving is done by way of scrimshaw.

What Is Scrimshaw? | The Whaler’s Art

We travel back to New England’s days as the world’s whaling capital to answer the question “What is scrimshaw?”

newengland.com

 

[Travis Fry]

Scrimshaw is typical, but not exclusively so. I'm not sure exactly how it's done, but I assume just the normal way like you do on mother of pearl (i.e., extremely carefully). I'm very interested in others' responses.

Here are a few examples I recall:

Not sure who cut this, but it's on a Bruce Bump blackpowder pistol.


Here's some by Julie Warenski on a Curt Erickson knife.


More by Julie Warenski on a knife of her own (I think):

 

[T.G.III]

Correct in that scrim is not an exclusive method, it is however the more typical way, not sure how old that posted work is but in today's world many states have outlawed the sale of ivory in an attempt to save the elephants in Africa (made it more lucrative for the black market), this tends to make locating inexpensive material to practice on very difficult.

I'm one that tends to cut a practice design on like material before I commit to the final piece.

 

[Travis Fry]

Correct in that scrim is not an exclusive method, it is however the more typical way, not sure how old that posted work is but in today's world many states have outlawed the sale of ivory in an attempt to save the elephants in Africa (made it more lucrative for the black market), this tends to make locating inexpensive material to practice on very difficult.

I'm one that tends to cut a practice design on like material before I commit to the final piece.

True.

I would guess all of that work I posted was pre-2018.

Technically, elephant is only illegal in a few certain states and if it crosses state lines (i.e., is under federal regulation), but it's best avoided generally, and most folks (even high end knife makers) usually substitute some synthetic material or, preferably, fossil mammoth or walrus. Both of those can be fairly easily obtained. And having worked with all of the options mentioned above plus bone and antler, I think the biggest difference for engraving would be between anything synthetic and anything natural. In other words, I think you could practice with cow bone and it would be similar enough to get started, and mammoth if you wanted the most similar thing to elephant.

 

[mtlctr]

Cow horn is stringy has a grain base to tip. Cutting across this(with a graver) will cause you grief. Not a suitable substitute imo. I’ve used walrus with good results mammoth ivory pretty pricey for pactice material imo.

 

[DKanger]

Cow horn is stringy has a grain base to tip

he said cow BONE, not horn. Camel bone is also a substitute to practice on and is available from most knifemakers supply.

 

[mtlctr]

I stand corrected. :>)

 

[monk]

let us not forget ivory "flavored" micarta. knifemakers use it all the time.

 

[dhall]

Don't have it in front of me right now, but the book "Engraving on Precious Metals" by Britten, Hall and a third name I can't dredge up at the moment, does have a chapter or part of a chapter about engraving ivory. It's been many years since I read that part of the book, but in my recollection the recommendation for a much sharper cutting angle sticks out. I think the reason was to slice through more cleanly and help to avoid chipping out on the engraved lines. I also seem to think there was a brief bit about coloring the engraved lines in ivory, something that wasn't uncommon, back in the day. This book was originally published well before the ivory bans/restrictions were in place, hence the inclusion of a topic that would cross an engraver's bench.

Thanks,
Doug

 

[Travis Fry]

let us not forget ivory "flavored" micarta. knifemakers use it all the time.

The ivory paper micarta is my preferred ivory substitute for now if I'm making a using knife, and if I'm not using mammoth. I've done some small test cuts with a graver, and I think it would engrave nicely. For higher end stuff (safe queens) mammoth or walrus still rule. I have some nice American Holly wood that's go a lot of potential as well, but haven't used it on a knife yet. Giraffe bone is nice and dense as well, but I've not used it.

 

[Houlihan]

Had an interesting call today ... new customer wants me to engrave letters onto some ivory piano keys. Anyone have experience engraving ivory? Any special techniques necessary? Thanks in advance.

I’ve done quite a bit of it, including on piano keys, which are pretty thin. I use a carbide point and black oil paint.

 

[DKanger]

Hoolihan,
Is that top picture a duck call? Rolling Thunder Game Calls is located in our town and the owner lives across the field from me. They've got a pretty nice set-up and do fancy ones on special order, but I don't know what all that entails.

 

[Houlihan]

Hoolihan,
Is that top picture a duck call? Rolling Thunder Game Calls is located in our town and the owner lives across the field from me. They've got a pretty nice set-up and do fancy ones on special order, but I don't know what all that entails.

Yes. It’s a duck call I carved a few years ago. I typically inlay ivory or antler and scrimshaw them. I have not tried a graver on ivory. I suspect it would work fine but you wouldn’t need any power because it’s so soft, relatively speaking.