Official Luthiers Forum!

So I just went on a cruise to Alaska. But my focus was not so much and the trip as it was finding something to bring back and use on a guitar! Here is what I found (after a lot of looking, darn tourist shops) I found half of it on the edge of town and the other half in a tiny shop in an old ally. Anyways I paid a nice amount for all of it, about $220. But I figure if I can get at least 3-4 saddles and 3-4 nuts. Probably more but none of them are square so it’s hard to tell tell I start cutting. ANYWAY to my question.

 

I will have some left over and I don’t have a big will to make my own bridge pins. I was thinking could I get a bridge pin, say tusk or normal bone. And simply make caps out of the walrus ivory and glue them to the other pins. So the circular top would be ivory. Maybe it’s not worth it. What do you all think? I posted a pic of what most of the ivory looks like. Some is darker but it all has that beautiful malted look. SUPPER COOL STUFF.

 

 

 

 

 

with pics!! hope the come out ok

Nice score!

I dont know about the balls on bridge pins though... not sure the glue would hold tight enough to keep from pulling the head off when you tried to remove the bridge pin.

If you can saw straight you should be able to get some mighty nice saddles and nuts out of it though.

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Reguards,

Ken H

During sawing and grinding you need to take your time. you do not water it to get hot or it will cause fishers. You also do not want to get it wet as the ivory will absorb the moisture. I bought 3 lbs of this form the Mr FWI himself, John Micklson. He no longer recommends using FWI for saddles as it is subject to heating up when working it. That said I have done 4 sets of nuts and bridges and had no big issue other than the time it took to work it.