How durable is Fossil Mammoth Ivory

A

Alex p. Schorsc

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Feb 18, 2003
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I want to buy a damascus blade from a custom maker. This represents a big investment for me. I like to use my knives and want my investment to last at least a couple of generations. I am worried that mammoth ivory might be easily broken. Anybody have any real knowledge of the durability and resistance to chipping of mamoth ivory. Is it more or less durable than giraffe bone? I might just have to go with a hardwood handle like cocabolo or ironwood. Please help clarify my lack of knowledge about this material. Thanks in advance. Cheers, Alex.
 
Right now I am carring a custom lockback that has great bark ivory slabs on it. I really don't baby my knives and this one is no different. The blade has more scratches on it than I care to admit, and the Ivory does show a little wear. You have to look for it, but at the pins I do have a little chipping. Does it change how I feel about the knife, or can someone notice it, no to both. Steven
 
Fossil Mammoth tissue is stabilized before being shaped into knife handle material, but it is still not as durable as other materials. If you're consiering a natural materials and want it to last for a couple of generations, I'd suggest Lignum Vitae.
 
Alex, what type of ivory are you considering? Tooth ivory? Tusk ivory? The Blade Magazine I picked up at the show had a great article on tooth ivory.
 
I carry a mammoth ivory folder I talked to the maker he said that oil once a year or so and it will last. Seems pretty durable so far.
 
Thanks for the info so far. I was thinking of a mamoth with bark which would probably be tusk, not tooth. Why? Is mammoth tooth harder?
 
Alex, great question. I was just about to post a very similar question.

I don't really like the way tooth looks, but I've also been considering tusk ivory for my next custom. I was wondering how it would hold up to EDC and/or expedition use (sweat, wet, food, dropping, shock/vibration if I baton the blade that it's attached to, etc).

Let's hear from more mammoth ivory owners and users!
 
I think it is not so tough. My only experience with mammoth ivory was as knife scales on a small blade and it cracked near the pins.

I think it's mostly for knives which are safe queens. Woods and other materials would be more suitable for hard use.
 
GoodGuy said:
Fossil Mammoth tissue is stabilized before being shaped into knife handle material, but it is still not as durable as other materials. If you're consiering a natural materials and want it to last for a couple of generations, I'd suggest Lignum Vitae.
Click to expand...

Lignum Vitae is so dense that it is pointless to stabilize, BUT it checks worse than any wood of my 60+ year knifemaking except maybe Gaboon Ebony.
 
I have a surface ivory manandi that I've carried for a while and I've had no problems. As a natual material there's always the chance of cracking but the stabilized ones seem very durable.
 
Mammoth ivory is not very durable. It will chip, crack or break very easily if dropped on a hard surface. It tends to move (shrink or expand) due to differences in the moisture content of the air. Even after being stabilized, I have seen mammoth ivory crack around pins. Also, the natural fissures that are in mammoth ivory will tend to open up more over time.

Mammoth tooth is more delicate than mammoth tusk. It tends to have a lot of natural fissures.

Another wood that checks badly is snakewood.
 
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