I desperately need some advice on working a block of mammoth a recently acquired. The enamel parts are hard as stone and I am concerned about it cracking when I work it. My main concern is drilling the holes for the tang. On wood I normal drill two holes and clear the space between them to fit a broad narrow tang. I get the feeling that it will not be so simple with the tooth block. Wit the wood I 'walk' the drill between the two holes removing the mid section, kinda like a milling machine. I fear the block might break if I try this.
Also will the enamel not blunten drill bit quite quickly. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
I use carbide masonry bits to drill mine. The best resource I have found is Mr. Turnage's DVD.
https://www.fineturnage.com/shop/home.php?cat=268
He also has a nice selection of materials.
|quoted:
I use carbide masonry bits to drill mine. The best resource I have found is Mr. Turnage's DVD.
https://www.fineturnage.com/shop/home.php?cat=268
He also has a nice selection of materials.
Thanks a ton, I'll go check it out.
You're not gona want to hear this.....but my advice is Don't. That stuff is terrible to work with, chips, cracks, checks.....and is some of the most fragile handle material I've ever used. After making about a 1/2 dozen knives with it, and having 4 of those come back because they got dropped, etc., and the handle either badly chipped or broke, I simply won't use it. In my eyes it one of those things that will never stop causing you grief.
Ed Caffrey, ABS MS
"The Montana Bladesmith"
www.CaffreyKnives.net
I'm with Ed on this one. I have used it ONCE. Not a material that I would recommend.
Gary
