Ptychodus04 Posted October 18 Share Posted October 18 I received this mammoth tusk piece to stabilize and polish for a client. It was collected this summer in Alaska and sat with hose clamps on it in Arizona for a few months before I received it. By then, it was well dried and only had a couple of large cracks and delaminating to deal with. The worst thing was the smell. It had a terrible sulfur odor. Once it was stabilized the smell got better. Now, it’s very minor. On to crack filling and polishing… It took quite a bit of elbow grease and multiple grits of sandpaper to smooth and even it out enough to polish. Ultimately, I had to stop before it was really smooth in order to keep from sanding all the vivianite off. That would be bad. Up next, a mount! 1 12 Regards, Kris Global Paleo Services, LLC https://globalpaleoservices.com http://instagram.com/globalpaleoservices http://instagram.com/kris.howe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobby Rico Posted October 18 Share Posted October 18 Very nice work, sensitively realised prep. Looking forward to seeing it mounted. Cheers Bobby 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randyw Posted October 19 Share Posted October 19 You work on the best stuff! Great job! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
North Posted October 19 Share Posted October 19 Very nice. Its going to look beautiful. Interestingly, I was currently trying to search how mammoth tusks are usually prepped. There's no such thing as too many teeth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ptychodus04 Posted October 19 Author Share Posted October 19 12 hours ago, Bobby Rico said: Very nice work, sensitively realised prep. Looking forward to seeing it mounted. Cheers Bobby First time sensitive has been used in a sentence associated with me! 8 hours ago, Randyw said: You work on the best stuff! I know! I’m a lucky guy! 57 minutes ago, North said: Very nice. Its going to look beautiful. Interestingly, I was currently trying to search how mammoth tusks are usually prepped. Personally, I prefer to clean and consolidate only as I like the more natural look over polished tusks. But, the blue of the vivianite is really cool and isn’t really obvious until it’s polished. This tusk had some cracks that weren’t big enough to fill with Apoxie Sculpt so I filled them with cyanoacrylate as it is just hard enough to take a polish. Then used 150, 220, 320, and 400 grit sandpaper to get it smooth enough for a polish. Then I hit it with rouge on an 8” wheel. I didn’t want a glassy finish so I didn’t take the sanding any finer, just fine enough that you can’t see scratches from the grit. For a higher sheen, I’ll got to 800 or even 1,000 grit before the polish. 2 1 Regards, Kris Global Paleo Services, LLC https://globalpaleoservices.com http://instagram.com/globalpaleoservices http://instagram.com/kris.howe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snolly50 Posted October 19 Share Posted October 19 3 hours ago, Ptychodus04 said: First time sensitive has been used in a sentence associated with me! I think, Bobby meant to compare you to a bad, aching tooth, i.e. sensitive. Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, also are remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so. - Douglas Adams, Last Chance to See Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daves64 Posted October 19 Share Posted October 19 2 hours ago, snolly50 said: I think, Bobby meant to compare you to a bad, aching tooth, i.e. sensitive. Yeah, that's got to be it. Sensitive, but only in a painful way. Painfully sensitive maybe? Accomplishing the impossible means only that the boss will add it to your regular duties. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ptychodus04 Posted Tuesday at 07:39 PM Author Share Posted Tuesday at 07:39 PM On 10/19/2024 at 7:15 AM, snolly50 said: I think, Bobby meant to compare you to a bad, aching tooth, i.e. sensitive. On 10/19/2024 at 9:44 AM, daves64 said: Yeah, that's got to be it. Sensitive, but only in a painful way. Painfully sensitive maybe? You guys are far too kind to little old me... Regards, Kris Global Paleo Services, LLC https://globalpaleoservices.com http://instagram.com/globalpaleoservices http://instagram.com/kris.howe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaybot Posted yesterday at 03:31 AM Share Posted yesterday at 03:31 AM On 10/19/2024 at 3:33 AM, Ptychodus04 said: Personally, I prefer to clean and consolidate only as I like the more natural look over polished tusks. That's me 100%. I actually cringe at the idea of polishing a tusk, guarantee that if I ever find one, it won't be all shiny Each to their own though, I can see why many polish them. 1 -Jay “The earth doesn't need new continents, but new men.” ― Jules Verne, Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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