Mammoth ivory inlay...

[GANGGREEN]

Does anyone know if Mammoth ivory takes wood/leather stain? If so, how can I protect it when I stain my stock? Blue painter's tape? I haven't done so yet, but I'm thinking about doing a cheekpiece inlay with Mammoth ivory and I'd like to know that it's not going to look bad.

 

[Tom A Hawk]

Does anyone know if Mammoth ivory takes wood/leather stain? If so, how can I protect it when I stain my stock? Blue painter's tape? I haven't done so yet, but I'm thinking about doing a cheekpiece inlay with Mammoth ivory and I'd like to know that it's not going to look bad.

I have darkened elephant ivory and stag antler grips with strong tea and therefore suspect it will be affected by your stain. If it has not yet been inlaid, I would leave it out of the stock until after staining.

 

[GANGGREEN]

That was my thought as well, but I'm sure it will be slightly proud of the stock and I'd otherwise expect to sand it down, which I obviously can't do if the stock has been stained. Just looking for options.

I have darkened elephant ivory and stag antler grips with strong tea and therefore suspect it will be affected by your stain. If it has not yet been inlaid, I would leave it out of the stock until after staining.

 

[springfield art]

Does anyone know if Mammoth ivory takes wood/leather stain? If so, how can I protect it when I stain my stock? Blue painter's tape? I haven't done so yet, but I'm thinking about doing a cheekpiece inlay with Mammoth ivory and I'd like to know that it's not going to look bad.

Mammoth Ivory is thousands of years old, and is beautiful and unique in it's own right; maybe you could think twice about staining it? I'd think it's patina is it's own statement. It's one of the few things from true antiquity we can still use; look how elephant is (rightly) restricted, but mammoths are no longer endangered, and they find lots of tusks in the thawing tundras.

 

[GANGGREEN]

My intention and desire is to keep it in its raw form and NOT to stain it, that's why I ask the question. I'm curious how to inlet it and file it flush with the stock before staining and then to protect it so that it won't take the stain.

 

[Ohio.75]

Interesting material choice. Where did you find it?

 

[GANGGREEN]

I actually purchased it from an individual on this board through the for sale ads. It's rather plain looking really, but definitely has the cool factor.

 

[andy52]

Most mammoth and walrus ivory that is sold has been stabilized to prevent it from being damaged. If your working with a piece of raw ivory it will most definitely take on a stain.

 

[gabedard]

Could you seal it with something like super glue before staining the stock

 

[GANGGREEN]

Note sure about super glue. I thought about using something like nu-skin and I know that artists sometimes use some sort of sealer to avoid painting over parts of their unfinished paintings, but I don't know what it is, nor do I have that product or quick access to it.

 

[S.Kenton]

Why not shape it for your inlay, then pull it back out, stain the stock and then put the inlay back in? Depending on how deep your inlaying and how tight the inlay work is... that’s the method I would use.By the way.. that is a cool idea!

 

[GANGGREEN]

Maybe someone better than I am at it could do so, but I really like to have my inlays perfectly flush with the stock and the only way to really do that is to sand it flush after inletting it, at least for me. Since I don't have Nu-skin or something like that to use, I really think I might be able to tape it with painter's tape, but that's going to require some care and hopefully the stain won't simply work its way underneath the tape and onto the ivory anyway.

Why not shape it for your inlay, then pull it back out, stain the stock and then put the inlay back in? Depending on how deep your inlaying and how tight the inlay work is... that’s the method I would use.By the way.. that is a cool idea!

 

[Tom A Hawk]

Maybe someone better than I am at it could do so, but I really like to have my inlays perfectly flush with the stock and the only way to really do that is to sand it flush after inletting it, at least for me. Since I don't have Nu-skin or something like that to use, I really think I might be able to tape it with painter's tape, but that's going to require some care and hopefully the stain won't simply work its way underneath the tape and onto the ivory anyway.

S. Kenton and I are on the same wave length. Fit the inlay, sand it flush + polish it. Pull it back out prior to staining. Then install.

 

[gabedard]

I know knife makers use CA to seal ivory and buff with super fine sandpaper
I’d google it - I’m sure you find a method to meet your needs

 

[Whitworth]

Art shops carry liquid frisket as well as frisket paper. You can carefully paint the inlay with liquid frisket and let it dry well. You could also place a piece of frisket paper (like a sheet of clear shipping tape) over the inlay and using an X-acto knife trim away the excess and stain away. Decades ago I did a lot of airbrush work using those types of maskings. I've used clear tape in pinch too. YMMV

 

[GANGGREEN]

I see what you're saying now, just dense I guess. The problem that I foresee is that if I make the inlet nice and tight when I install it initially that I may have a difficult time getting it out after it's been sanded flush.

S. Kenton and I are on the same wave length. Fit the inlay, sand it flush + polish it. Pull it back out prior to staining. Then install.

 

[GANGGREEN]

I think I'm liking the CA idea honestly. If I inlay and glue it in, sand it flush, coat with CA, stain the stock and then sand the inlay with very, very fine sandpaper, even if I go outside the lines so to speak it won't ruin the stain as I intend to sand, steel wool or scrungy it down anyway before sealing it.

 

[S.Kenton]

Also, certain epoxies can be released with a small amount of heat from a heat gun. You could inlay it, epoxy it lightly sand it down flush.. then Heat it up and pop it out,

 

[andy52]

Could you seal it with something like super glue before staining the stock

What your suggesting isn't far from what is done with fossil ivory , but the difference is they use pressure to force the stabilizer into the ivory.

 

[Sam squanch]

My distant ancestors hunted mammoths up north. The tusks were very hard to remove. So they went to Alabama, where the Tuscaloosa........