# Making pen from mammoth tooth



## VotTak (Jun 3, 2017)

I will try to write everything in this first post by editing it over time as this might take some time.
Anyway... I received a shipment of some mammoth teeth. All of them in different sizes and colors. Here is a small picture how they look. That is raw teeth



Than coming very lengthy and time (and material) consuming process of stabilizing these. By stabilizing I mean not the same as stabilizing wood. For these you need to stabilize wood by impregnate it with plastic for micro cracks and than to fill bigger cracks and hold tooth together. So for those who is making blanks it is a very familiar process of stabilizing and casting. So, I will not stop in here to describe those well known processes.
Next step is to cut tooth.. I usually cut tooth parallel to chewing surface. You can cut the way you like. Here is a picture of cuts from the tooth I post the pen earlier.



So, when you got these blocks, it is time to cut it for the blanks of your choice... for pens, knife holders, etc.
Before the cut I always put some epoxy on both surface to hold it better. That is what I do to ensure that block will hold intact during next cuts. I also wait for more than a day for epoxy to harden even if I use 5 min epoxy. You do not need to do that if you do not feel like.
Also... when I cut it I cut to the size of pen blank for determined pen tube plus a hair more, like 1-2 mm longer. In case leftover is too big for 1 blank I will leave it as is. Here is a picture of such a bigger blanks. For reference I put Majestic Jr tubes on those blanks.



This material is too expensive to throw away small pieces, so, I';m trying to save all of them for future segmented pens or whatever you can think of.
Actually picture above show blanks which were cut and prepared for drilling. They are covered with epoxy and sometimes I wrap them in carton paper from shoe box to hold better during drilling. Also I add some more epoxy on top and bottom of the blanks to have surface which covers the surface. This will help drill to stay in the hole initially and prevent from tearing the end of the blank. You do not have to do that, you can cut blank oversized and drill and than cut off the excess... But as I said I pay my money for that and material is expensive. Here are pictures of drilled blank as I described above.






Now you can start working on that blank. First I square that blank on 1 side. When you square you stop as soon as you see the surface of the tooth like on next picture



Well... I know what you night think... Hole is not in the center.... blank is too thick... etc... I know... That was one of those in the beginning of my journey. Since that time I learn a lot... anyway... back to the blank...
No you cut it to the length of the tube plus a hail more to have a room for square another end.

Reactions: Way Cool 2 | Informative 3


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## VotTak (Jun 3, 2017)

So here is a picture after I cut off the excess


 
And than glue in the tube. So for today it will be sitting as is


 
And tomorrow I'll square blanks and turn it.

Reactions: Like 2 | +Karma 1 | Informative 1


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## Spinartist (Jun 3, 2017)

DO you use a diamond saw to initially cut up the teeth?? & THANK YOU VERY MUCH FER POSTING THIS!!!!


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## VotTak (Jun 3, 2017)

@Spinartist yes

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## woodtickgreg (Jun 3, 2017)



Reactions: Agree 1


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## Sprung (Jun 3, 2017)




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## Lou Currier (Jun 3, 2017)




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## Don Ratcliff (Jun 3, 2017)



Reactions: Like 1


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## Wildthings (Jun 3, 2017)




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## VotTak (Jun 4, 2017)

OK, let me finish here. So, on next day (glue is hard) we want to clean up tube holes from wax and anything what is there.
After that square both ends.
Now we have "squared" blank of square shape. So to reduce tension I will knock off angles like here:



After this step is done - turn blank to your size. Here is a picture of turned and as a last step it was sanded.



So basically after that you need to clean blank and finish it the way you like. I will be finishing it in CA. Everyone knows the procedure... So I won';t stop on there

Reactions: Like 3 | EyeCandy! 1 | Way Cool 3


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## Lou Currier (Jun 4, 2017)

What do you use to bring the blank down to the size of the bushings?


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## VotTak (Jun 4, 2017)

Carbide insert tool. Something like this:
https://www.pennstateind.com/store/LXCMR.html
Just home made.

Reactions: Like 1


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