How to Carve Ivory

Ivory is one of the most beautiful and sought-after decorative materials in the world market. It is also the material of choice in many of the world's most renowned carvings, sculptures and architectural installations. Carving ivory is not especially challenging in comparison to carving other hard materials like wood or stone, but it does require considerable skill to create intricate carvings. Ivory is also much rarer and more valuable than stone or wood, so artists may need to use greater caution to not break the ivory when carving it.

Things You'll Need

• Ivory Computer with Internet access Bandsaw or jigsaw Power sander Dremel-style hand drill with sanding, carving and polishing bits Small metal files and carving tools Polishing cloths White or ivory jeweler's rouge

Instructions

1. Verify that owning and carving ivory is legal in your area. Ivory is a protected material in many parts of the world, because of the endangered status of many species of elephant. The World Wildlife Fund keeps up-to-date information on ivory laws throughout the world on its website.

2. Verify what kind of ivory you have. In many parts of the world, the only ivory that can be obtained legally is fossilized ivory. Fossilized ivory is much harder than ordinary ivory and therefore requires motorized cutting, carving and sanding tools for almost all carving. Ordinary ivory can be carved with both power tools and hand tools.

3. Carve larger features with motorized tools. For example, if you need to cut several inches off a piece of ivory to make an ivory knife handle, a motorized saw would make a smoother cut and save lots of time over hand tools. Larger power saws and sanders can also be used for the initial shaping of large ivory sculptures. For major cuts, a bandsaw or jigsaw would be most appropriate. Power sanders can also be used with fine grit sanding discs. Safety goggles and breathing masks should be used whenever large power tools are being used on ivory.

4. Carve finer features with small files, carving tools and motorized hand drills. Fine metal files, scribing tools and silversmith tools can be used but will take much longer than using smaller motorized tools. Hand drills of the Dremel variety can be used with a whole host of barrel-shaped sanding bits and carving bits to carve ivory quickly and safely. These tools are best for detail work, such as carving intricate designs into small ivory brooches, charms or miniature sculptures.

5. Polish using polishing cloths, jeweler's rouge, polishing discs and a small motorized hand drill. Larger pieces of ivory with fewer fine details should be polished by hand with soft, clean polishing cloths and white or ivory colored jeweler's rouge. Smaller pieces with many fine details should be polished with felt and fabric polishing disc attachments for hand-held motorized drills of the Dremel variety.

Tips & Warnings

• Consider sealing your finished piece in a very fine lacquer to preserve its color and structural integrity.

• Fines and penalties for violating ivory laws vary from one country to another, but it is considered a severe felony in some countries.

Resources

• World Wildlife Fund
• Online listings for buying and selling ivory
• Article on carving common ivory substitutes