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Old 04-29-2012, 07:58 AM
 
Location: On the Ohio River in Western, KY
3,387 posts, read 6,625,470 times
Reputation: 3362

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Quote:
Originally Posted by IL2AK4job View Post
Very. Practical. Knife. We bought one (my parents did anyway) when we were there in the 90's and my mom still uses it all the time!
I love my ulu blade; I cut everything with it!

Quote:
Originally Posted by PJ1252 View Post
Im sorry to say if your not part of the solution your part of the problem. You may find your ivory instead of killing animals for it but thats not true of the majority.
Seriously?! I have read this whole thread and the one before it trying to figure stuff out, and you have to make silly comments like this!? He has said OVER and OVER again, the majority of material he uses is FOSSILIZED ivory, which means it's been LONG dead before our 3x great grandparents were twinkles in their parents eyes!

Not to mention it's nore really that easy to grow a garden up there, and everyone has to eat right? At least they are using as aboslutely as much of the animal as they can.




Anyway, back to the OP, Sity the work is AMAZING! I have a few questions though.

1. About how much money would someone need to start up a small "part-time" business like your family's business? (Hubby and I are both full time college students and we have to devote time to classes and studying ya know; not to mention while it would be awesome to make the cash you are talking about, we would be just as happy to make 1k/month to help offset our debts and pad up our incomes)

2. Can you reccommend the BEST and cheapest place to buy the ivory and baleen supplies that won't cost and arm and a leg to ship to Kentucky?

3. Short of dremel tools and fancy machines can you do this work by hand? I mean with sandpaper and hand tools and saws? I know the polishing part would be hard w/o an electric tool, but up until that step?

4. With the ulu earrings; why do you make the top even with the bottom on the sides? Just curious, since my ulu blade the handle sticks out a bit on the sides from the blade. Again, just curious?

and lastly,

5. Wouldn't it be easier and quicker if you high shine polished the "beads" before you strung them, that way all sides would be evenly polished, and no chance of the string being covered in the polish or perhaps being damaged from the tool. Again, just curious?

Thanks in advance, and feel free to DM me, if you prefer.
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Old 04-29-2012, 11:46 AM
 
Location: Point Hope Alaska
4,320 posts, read 4,782,944 times
Reputation: 1146
Default Another Student in the works!!

Cav Scout wife: You have made a very wise choice.

I promise you & your husband - Success!

You must have: A vise - coping saw - dremel tool - sandpaper, super glue & polishing compound.

Lets begin by using 'wood' - plastic- sea shells - any material you have available and begin the simple necessary steps.

Ivory is expensive! Perhaps the 'cheapest' lot you could purchase would be to buy a pound of scraps (mastodon) @ Alaska Fur Exchange in Anchorage

Once you have made some items; (easy part) now you have to market them (hard part).

Just like in photography; Anyone can create a photograph. That is the easiest part. Next part; is a completely different ballgame & set of skills when it comes to turning that photograph into cash. You need to learn & develop "marketing skills". This is something that is not taught in schools - you need to go to college to learn this skill. (chuckle). Or purchase many book(s).

Unfortunately; I cannot teach you this area of expertise using a simple sentence or paragraph.

I can however, 'guide' you and present you with many 'ideas'. In time you will learn & develop your own style!

Lets begin with your stated goal. (privately)!!
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Old 04-29-2012, 12:27 PM
 
Location: On the Ohio River in Western, KY
3,387 posts, read 6,625,470 times
Reputation: 3362
Sity: just sent you a DM.

Now about those other things.....
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Old 04-29-2012, 12:56 PM
 
Location: Point Hope Alaska
4,320 posts, read 4,782,944 times
Reputation: 1146
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cav Scout wife View Post
Sity: just sent you a DM.

Now about those other things.....
What other things?
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Old 04-29-2012, 01:27 PM
 
Location: On the Ohio River in Western, KY
3,387 posts, read 6,625,470 times
Reputation: 3362
Quote:
Originally Posted by SityData View Post
What other things?
Oh, lol!

About numbers 4 and 5 in my first post about the ulu earrings and the pre-stringing polishing.

Sorry about that.
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Old 04-29-2012, 01:52 PM
 
Location: Point Hope Alaska
4,320 posts, read 4,782,944 times
Reputation: 1146
No problem; I suffer from "sumtimerz" I forget sometimes!

Ulu ear-rings have no set design; You can design them any way you want.

Polishing can be done before or after stringing. It all depends on which you prefer!

Nothing is set in stone here except quality!! Any technique or method you can use to achieve that perfection is "close enough".
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Old 05-01-2012, 04:38 PM
 
Location: Point Hope Alaska
4,320 posts, read 4,782,944 times
Reputation: 1146























More to follow
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Old 05-12-2012, 04:59 PM
 
Location: Point Hope Alaska
4,320 posts, read 4,782,944 times
Reputation: 1146
The carving of a hunter that is only 1 1/2 inches tall !





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Old 05-26-2012, 03:55 PM
 
Location: Point Hope Alaska
4,320 posts, read 4,782,944 times
Reputation: 1146
Default Have a wonderful summer in Alaska !

See you all...
in the fall!

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Old 10-16-2012, 03:35 PM
 
1 posts, read 1,318 times
Reputation: 10
When I was growing up I remember my mom carving all the time. She would give my sisters and myself jewelry every so often. I loved them!
She never taught us how to do it and now she hardly ever does it. The other day I got the mindset to learn how to do it myself.
I googled "fossil ivory" "carving" & came upon this thread. 24 hours and 60+ pages read I feel more confident than ever that I CAN do it.
AMAZING tutorial, talent & craftsmanship! So thank you for giving me that one last push that I needed to get me started. I'm still in awe at the beautiful pieces

p.s. I registered for this site just to post this message!
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