Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Gunsmithing Where to find fake ivory to make revolver grips

I want to try and make some birds head grips for my old H & R 22 Special.
Tks,
John

knife guys will know.

https://knifemaking.com/collections/handle-materials

https://knifemaking.com/products/antique-ivory-paper-micarta

there are probably more.

Thanks richj.

Probably 3d print them with white filament then sand and polish.

I used to do scrimshaw while making my own muzzleloading accoutrements- powder horns, knife handles and even jewelry for my wife. I found some on EBay, a source in AZ near where the Ruger plant was located. I figured they were producing the fake ivory material for the Ruger cowboy type revolvers for grips. I’ve seen Vaqueros, Blackhawks and Single Sixes adjourned with the ivory like grips. Can’t get the real any more. I have only found real ivory 2X while poking around in various junk and antique shops. My favorite pawnshop on the the Rez here in Mississippi had some carvings out of walrus tusk. The owner, my friend Gerald, wouldn’t and couldn’t part with them. He traded a nurse who recently moved here after working with the natives in Alaska, some Choctaw baskets for them. The effigy figures were a walrus , seal, and Eskimo hunter beautifully but simply done. The other real ivory was found at a plantation down the road. It had an old black church that was falling in I had permission to take photos on the the place. Inside the church were old homemade pews , pulpit, and what was left of an upright piano. The pack rats, and time and weather had the roof caved in. The few keys found on the piano were real ivory! I was given them. Had a few good ones and used them up in various projects.

Possibly Boone’s Trading Company. I bought a set of Mammoth Ivory for a Ruger Single Six, 32 H&R and a couple of 1911 grips. They also offer mammoth ivory pieces that might work for you.

Thanks guys but I'm not looking for real ivory. I just want to try my hand at making a set of grips for my sons revolver out of fake ivory. I have never made any before so it may take several attempts. In fact, it might be a good idea to make some from walnut scraps first to get the hang of it.
Thanks again.
John

Steve Wurthers guitar parts sells resin ivory which is the closest thing I’ve found to reality in appearance. I bought the higher grade material and had Zane Thompson of Lone Star Custom Grips make a set for my brass birdshead Ruger Blackhawk.

Thanks Robb10238.

I had a friend, since passed, who worked with Wurther in one of his endeavors. He had permission to take the "sweepings" of ivory dust which he in turn gave to me. It's a bag of ivory particles about half the size of a football. My intent was to experiment with mixing it into clear resin to make a paste and then fabricate "stuff" out of it. Never got around to it, not likely to. In fact I forgot about it until I read this thread. Perhaps it should move on. PM me if interested.

I forgot about the pool cue people. I've never used this stuff.

https://atlassupplies.com/products/elforyn-white?variant=44176774168827

Thanks again richj.

Why not use antlers (deer, elk, caribou, moose, walrus)? It's the same material. Calcium phosphate

Nope bone for antlers - dentine for ivory.

https://guitarpartsandmore.com/prod...trade-Top-Grade-Alternative-Faux-Ivory-8
They show gun grip material
I had a friend ( now deceased) that used to cast resinthat looked like ivory. I made quail calls out of it.
Im sure you can google and find resins to cast your own blanks

It is absolutely no problem to find 100% legal, real mammoth ivory for grips to totally eliminate the need for faking it. Why spend a bunch of time, effort, and money to end up with fakes?

Boone's was always an easy source, but I believe they closed... or at least stopped ivory sales. About a year ago I found some very nice ivory in Pike's Place Market of all places.

American Holly. Fairly easy to work.
https://www.domexhardwoods.com/catalog/holly-lumber

Boone's still has ivory.

They also have ivory dust in their raw materials section.

And you still have plastic grips!