[Shane Allee]

I am always looking for new and different materials that I can use for the organic based ancient sword hilts that would be period possible. A personal goal of mine has always been to do stuff that will stand out and be unique, it also means that I need to always been changing up the hilt materials to keep them from looking too similar.

One thing in particular that I have been wondering about recently has been some of the alternative and imitation ivories on the market. There are several different types and brands, but I haven't ever really researched them to any real extent. Personally always felt a little weird about products like that. However, more recently I have been wondering what other peoples thoughts might be on materials such as that being used.

Fossilized ivories are probably the best option to get the bold white hilt look. This can get very expensive when looking for pieces large enough for hilt material. One thing here is if it will add enough to the final product to justify the added expense.

Bone is another option that is commonly seen for grips, but may be harder to come by in sections large enough for guards. One option with bone is possibly using a sandwich type of construction held together by rivets for each guard. It is rather nasty stuff work as well.

Holly is also an option in the wood category for the very white look, while remaining less expensive and easier to work.

Just kind of wondering if anyone has any personal opinions about what they would consider reasonable to use or what they they personally like the look of best.

Shane

[Aaron Schnatterly]

I admire the effort, Shane!

In the case of ivory, of course the restrictions and legality are an issue. It's true, fossilized ivory is an option, and quite expensive. It's also really pretty, and has a neat feel. It would depend a lot on the piece and the collector's interest. It's something that (if I had the skills) if I were to make a custom piece for someone, I might discuss it as an option, with appropriate additional cost. As a collector who would commission such a piece, if I wanted to go that route, I would expect it to be a more costly option than, say, a carved wood. If I wanted it and could afford it, I'd go that route.

Bone, as you say, is also quite nice, both in aesthetics and feel.

In the case of the faux ivory, I don't know. I don't know if I have ever actually seen any. I do know that some other synthetic materials do a decent job of approximating bone and stone... it's possible this could be a viable option. I wouldn't necessarily discount it. I don't know how excited I personally would get about this on MY sword. If I am going to put out that kind of cash, I'd rather wait a little bit, save a little more, and go with the real thing, or I would possibly go with another natural material. That's me - I'm pretty picky. If the stuff really looks and feels real, though, I might go ahead with it. A CZ won't fool a jeweler, but it still looks pretty good, you know?

[Cole Sibley]

I could be way off here (story heard in a bar), but I believe that Native Alaskans (Eskimos) are allowed to harvest Walrus ivory, and are possibly allowed to sell a certain percentage. I know that the tourist tra... shops in Alaska are brimming over with Ivory (however if it is real ivory or not I couldn't say). If possible, I will quiz up my uncle, who is an outfitter up their (bush pilot), it may be that with the right contact a guy could have a large, legal shipment of ivory brought in, for a reasonable (expensive, no doubt) price.

[Glen A Cleeton]

Hi Shane,

Here's a link you may find useful, if you don't already have one similar;
http://ajh-knives.com/material.html

The most important thing to remember is not to breath a lot of dust while working anything. Some are toxic and others are just quite rank. Of course, if you just work with files and paper by hand, the clouds don't get as big.

I like micarta, among the synthectics. There is some bright white and a couple of shades from there to a yellowish brown. Paper, linen and canvas varieties. Some colors do a good wood simulation and others look quite like old ivory.

Cheers

GC

[Scott Byler]

Shane, haven't got a clue about this stuff, so I'm going to pay attention to the answers... Since I've got an itch for a large messer with a nice white hilt, if nothing else....

I will say that like many people, though, I prefer natural materials to man made, most times. Maybe just because I know one was man made, sometimes because artificial stuff lacks subtle character. But, I also know that there are times when the artificial stuff is maybe an easier choice, and in some aspects is superior in a lot of ways. Being permanently stable, etc....

I also think it is a matter of putting said materials, natural or synthetic into a good design that works with their innate character....

I'm interested in hearing what folks think, too. A semi professional curiosity to feed....

[Shane Allee]

Thanks guys, this is exactly the kinds of things I hoped to hear from people. So keep it coming....

Thanks for posting the link Glen, that was a site I used a good bit when I was looking for buffalo horn suppliers. Never got around to looking too much for the imitation ivories and such until today though. Seems to be even more of this stuff out there than I had thought. Noticed one place that made a product of synthetic ivory/horn that you could have cast directly onto stuff. Not sure how you get the mold made, but that is getting kind of strange if you could have a whole hilt cast. Don't think that would be my cut of tea at all. Some of this stuff I wonder how well it would hold us as well for major sword parts.

Strange, I never once even thought about micarta and that is the one synthetic that I have worked with. Guess it has always been black and never thought about the other color options. I know that I have had to take close looks before to see if I was looking at a piece of black micarta or a piece of black buffalo horn laying around the shop before. I did Nate's sword out of the black buffalo horn, and a few peoples first reactions was thinking that it was something like micarta or similar. Kind of hard for me to imagine that one out of the micarta though, it did have white streaks in places that did add something. Really no different that grain in wood though.

Scott, with the messer you should have some pretty good options since you could probably get by with some thicker scales. I know for the one crane falcata I have planned that I wanted to get bone scales. Hmmm, guess I could go with pink micarta and it really would be a flamingo sword. Had to beat Nate to the joke there.

Shane

[Brock H]

Shane, check out: http://www.boonetrading.com They have ivory of all types for sale, as well as advice on working with it and caring for it.

[Shane Allee]

Checking it out, thanks Brock.

Shane