Aging Ivory beads...A progress report..

[stumpstalker]

Many vintage knives are handled in dyed bovine shin bone, which versatile material Richard refers to. However, of the ivory-handled knives I am aware of, I do not know of attempts to dye it. Ivory surely discolors over time, but if ivory is mainly of enamel and bone of calcium, dyes may “take” more readily with bone than ivory.

And, after staining an ivory bead, are you left with more of a superficial effect, easily rubbed off?

With a jeweler’s loupe I can readily see the capillaries in the bone that my vintage knives are handled in. They are what presumably transmit the dye enabling it to permeate the bone. And, boiling the bone with the dye is what accomplishes this in the knife industry.

Has any boiling with the dye been tried with the Mammoth ivory, or will that just dissolve the bead?

In any case, there has long been a practice of dying bovine shin bone for quality knife handles, for an appealing look that inheres and endures. It might be a material more amenable for antiquing barrel beads, too.

[Jerry VanHorn]

In conclusion...I tried the amber shellac on a mammoth and one that I think is bone. Did 2 applications on each. Very little difference from tea/iodine. And neither really came close to a couple of my guns with original beads. That said..any suggestions that make a snow white bead match the gun better as far as "vintage look" is concerned..is probably suitable...