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Permalink Reply by Bama Hound on January 31, 2015 at 10:38am

I have never worked with ivory before but do remember my Gramdmas' piano had some chipped keys on it. I am sure it was caused from kids banging on it over the years. This would hint to me that ivory is kind of brittle.Brittle doesn't mean not strong. Like a cast iron engine block. Strong but if you hit it with a hammer it will shatter pieces off of it. One question would pop to mind. How thick is the ivory? If it as thick as a dime or less, I would laminate two pieces of ivory together without the steel.Then mount the ivory, edge up,to a 1/4" wide hardwood base. Since you didn't say what kind of instrument, feel that would strengthen the two pieces enough to work on a 3 or 4 string CBG. Based on the information given, this is my opinion only, but I would not tell you something I would be scared to do, if it were mine. If anybody here knows better, educate Thumper and I.

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Permalink Reply by Greg Thompson on January 31, 2015 at 12:40pm

What do you have to lose? If it were me, I'd give it a try.
I may be coming into some piano parts myself and would like to give it a try.
How different is bone to ivory?

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Permalink Reply by Cause the Blue rat on January 31, 2015 at 3:04pm

Ivory is a touchy subject. You may have to check to see if it's even legal to reuse it.

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Permalink Reply by brad creacey on February 1, 2015 at 8:45am

yea, you shouldn't risk using it on your builds. send it all to me and be done with it. really not worth the risk...really... ;^}

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Permalink Reply by Thumper on February 1, 2015 at 11:20am

Aside form the potential jail time I'd incur by using 100 yr old ivory, I figure what the heck. When I was a jeweler sometimes I'd incorporate it into a piece or 2 over the years. I like the lamination idea and for a base I'd use a piece of on of the ebony keys. Wayfinder, I'm with you on the wastage of that ivory, politicians and tree huggers prohibit the use and sale of confiscated ivory out of a mis-directed sense of "civic duty", and as usual, it's the needy that suffer for their stupid "politically correct" decisions.

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Permalink Reply by Bama Hound on February 1, 2015 at 1:23pm

If it were me, I would make your ebony and ivory bridge if you want to. The average person will never know the difference. You will, that is all that counts. If somebody did try to confiscate my CBG with the ivory, they would be missing all their enamel and the evidence would have to be gathered with a dustpan and broom. I know I would be getting the deluxe ride to the Sheriff's department, but when the citizens fear the .gov more than the .gov fears the citizens something is wrong. Taking my CBG would be a good reason to start right there.Boston Tea Party, Lexington Green, Concord and taking my CBG would have the same historical significance.

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Permalink Reply by Thumper on February 1, 2015 at 1:31pm

I'm with you, I only asked about it's hardness originally the legal part was never going to be of concern, but it's always nice to know you're an "outlaw", although I do believe with out a doubt, this is the smallest infraction I've ever been guilty of. LOL

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