It's still carving, just not wood.

[Mark Yundt]

As some of you may know I have a side line restoring vintage straight razors. Recently I've been restoring my 7 day boxed set of Ivory razors where two had cracked scales. Pretty much straight forward as scales go but it was my first time working with Ivory.
Since I had extra stock on hand , and being a carver,I decided to see how it works.
My first attempt was to do something I'm familiar with. Acanthus leaves. A simple design but it allowed me to see just what it takes to carve this stuff.
Since the scales went on a Joseph Elliot "Chinese Razor" I had the idea to do a set with Cherry Blossoms on it but this requires a Japanese razor to complete the 'theme' .
I had just restored a Japanese razor for a client and since I wanted his razor I made him an offer he couldn't refuse.
Now It was just a matter of removing the Buffalo Horn scales I made and replace them with the new Cherry Blossom Ivory scales I made.
Some background shots showing some of the process. Remember all this carving was done in 1/8 inch stock. Kinda thin but it works.
Carving is carving.
These pics show the original condition of the razor and how I restored it for my client before I got it back from him. Looks decent enough. Following are the Ivory scales and the other razor I spoke about.

[Mark Yundt]

Some shots of the process of carving. This is my first attempt at carving and so I used the Acanthus leaf design since I'm comfortable with that and this is fairly straight forward in design and execution. And of course the condition of the razor when I started.

[Mel Fulks]

Really elegant .Amazing how thick you can make something thin get by removing material.

[Mark Yundt]

And my second attempt with the Cherry Blossoms on the Japanese razor. The original condition of the razor, then how I restored it prior to removing the scales for the new Ivory ones.
Note how I can cover three blossoms with a dime. Here too the carving is in 1/8th inch stock. There is some wax left here and there when these shots were taken.

[Mark Yundt]

The completed razor with a Cherry red wedge separating the scales.
Hope you enjoyed this even though it's not woodcarving.

[Patrick McCarthy]

Oh my, wow!

[Karl Andersson]

Very nice design work and execution, Mark. Did you use cutting tools, gravers, or rotary? I've been considering carving some deer antler and was going to use very steep-beveled carving tools, like metal gravers.
Karl

[george wilson]

The US gov't. just destroyed 6000# of ivory. All this accomplished was making ivory more expensive than ever. In China,it is $1000.00 a pound. The Chinese are really into ivory as a status symbol.

Please note: It is possible to buy pre 1972 certified ivory from old trophies. The Japanese and (I guess) the Chinese have no laws against it.

If they'd sell the ivory and use the money to hire more men to guard the elephants,it would be a LOT better. In Zimbabwe years ago,they burned $13 million dollars worth. With African wages,the ivory would have hired MANY guards forever.

[Mel Fulks]

I've followed the ivory trade news for years ,too. Have not understood how U.S. Government could be on the wrong side ,other than "going along with the crowd". The one or two countries that have protected and cared for elephants ,and responsibly harvested ivory, are pointed to as criminals by the worst offenders.

[Malcolm Schweizer]

Wow, that is amazing work. Bravo! Not only the execution, but the design itself is well-thought.

[Mark Yundt]

Very nice design work and execution, Mark. Did you use cutting tools, gravers, or rotary? I've been considering carving some deer antler and was going to use very steep-beveled carving tools, like metal gravers.
Karl
Well Karl, have at it. I know it's been done that way for a long time. I justA didn't have the patience to use regular type chisels. I 've also done some Elk Antler and it was hard as a rock.
According to a Prof. from Penn State who is supposed to be an authority on Ivory he claims it's the second hardest organic compound known. I wish he said what the hardest was.
Anyway I used rotary type tools. Makes life simple if you have the technology.