An ivory substitute - from a plant!

[benjamin.oneill]

I remeber finding this a while ago, just looks like a fantastic material. A friend of mine is going to central america soon, I'll see if they can send me some back. Thought you guys might like a look. I can see it making great bolsters and bits, if not full handles as well as some beautiful carvings.

http://waynesword.palomar.edu/pljan99.htm

http://www.oneworldprojects.com/products/tagua.shtml - sell the raw nuts bye the sack sorry....

http://www.bluefootinternational.com/Tagua.htm

ooh, and just found this

http://www.craft-supplies.co.uk/cgi-bin/psProdCat.cgi/Tagua===Nut,2,,,T===Z

Enjoy... Ben

 

[Toddy]

Vegetable Ivory is beautiful stuff; most of the woodturning sites will supply it. Awfully hard to carve well though it turns wonderfully.
I hadn't thought about it for the spacers on knife handles though.

Cheers,
Toddy

 

[benjamin.oneill]

one of the websites sold cylindrical peices, much like the bits of buffalo on brisa. Plus the slices would make good little spacers too. Just seemed like an interesting maretial. Is it very hard? What sort of size are the nuts?

Ben

 

[Toddy]

Biggest bits I've seen are a couple of inches.....like a small egg, and there's a space in the middle, sort of, it's not always central. The Victorians used them to make thimble holders/cases (didn't surprise anyone that I knew 'that' now, did it ? ) Also used to make chessmen and small netsuke style items.

Cheers,
Toddy

 

[benjamin.oneill]

Thank you Toddy, may have to order some and have a play.

Ben

 

[Toddy]

Craft Supplies in Borrowdale are pretty reliable. Just a recommendation, no affiliation.
Post some pictures when you make something, will you?

Anyone else used this material? What did you do with it?

Cheers,
Toddy