Real Ivory

A

Ale GOlem

New member
I know it's expensive but this thread is to find out how it will hold up to repeated use with a heavy caliby, specifically a .357. I have an idea of a project gun in my head and it requires white grips but MoP is too brittle.
 
Have you considered "polymerized ivory?" That's also known as plastic. Those stood up to my blackhawk just fine. I just thought the white was ugly on that particular gun.
 
Not only is it hard to get and prohibitively expensive, elephant ivory - at least the legal antique stuff - is pretty brittle. Not as brittle as MoP, but brittle just the same.
I have a ton of old piano keys that I use for inlays, and it's great to work with as far as carving goes, but it's pretty easy to chip and I don't think it would hold up to regular abuse.
You might be able to try walrus ivory, or some kind of bone, but probably your best bet is going to be something synthetic. Unless you're going to be carving it there's no upside I can see to real ivory over a quality synthetic.
 
dahermit, pretty much summed it up. High cost and not as durable as synthetics. I was looking at some real Ivory grips once (did not know they were real ivory) for my Dan Wesson .44mag. The smithy selling them asked me a few questions, load/ammo used, how often the gun saw "regular use", how it was stored, and mentioned getting them installed for best torque to keep them from breaking under use. I ended up not getting them cause they were $350, and I just knew it would be my luck I'd buy them and they would break, LOL
 
Expensive is in the eye of the spender

A $50 set of grips is my budget. There is little incentive to pimp a handgun that may see the inside of that glass gun display counter at the local gun shop at any time.

A more likely alternative is to mount a rifle in a pimped up stock that makes it look wunerful fo me. Rifles don't have the transient trait in my family. Just my $0.02.
 
For a presentation gun, sure go with real ivory. But for something that will be used regularly, don't even bother. All its guna take is you having the gun holstered one day and bumping into something hard enough and you'll crack your precious ivory grips.

elephant ivory - at least the legal antique stuff - is pretty brittle
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my grandmother gave my mother alot of old ivory jewlery she got in Brazil probably 80 years ago, some of the pieces are indeed fairly brittler.
 
Genuine ivory is not nearly as fragile as has been stated here. It holds up well under recoil. Gee-they used to make pool balls out of it!
Certainly it can crack or check, but overall it's pretty tough.
Corian looks like plastic, and is brittle. Ivory polymer is more durable, but looks rather plain.
Masecraft supply co. www.masecraftsupply.com has a synthetic ivory that actually looks like real ivory.
 
I think this is the bottom line: Ivory does not come with a guarantee. Grips used with live fire sometimes crack. Should you decide to equip one of your favorite shooting irons with ivory, have them fitted to the frame by an expert, and possibly even further glass bedded so that they do not move during recoil, zero shifting, and the glass will make maximum contact to the frame for reinforcement. I would avoid wrap around grips (and guns that take them) like a Browning Hi Power, and those that mount with a single screw. With regard to single action revolvers, it was also a common practice to make one piece grips that fit inside the two piece Colt style grip frame (two slabs of ivory glued to a wood interior block). They don't even require a screw. So, it also depends on the style and frame of your gun, as to how much "beating" they will take. Keep yor screws snug, and not overtightened. Maybe even removable loctite them, so that the grips don't come loose, and shift during range sessions.
 
Putting restrictions and legalities aside . . . I've seen real ivory grips on original 51 Colt Navies, '60 Colt Armies, etc. that is still "holding up" after 150 + years. I'm sure that there are some grip makers who have access to "legal ivory" . . . but it doesn't come cheap and even if I purchased a set from a legitimate dealer/grip maker, I'd make sure that you had the correct paperwork to go with it.

There are a number of grip makers who produce "faux ivory grips" and good quality ones are hard to tell from the real thing. Personally, although i'm not a "tree hugger", I do have a problem with the poaching and sale of illegal ivory . . it "just ain't right".

But, back to the original question . . . it should hold up.
 
aarondhgraham said:
This guy makes nice grips,,,
He has some stock of elephant ivory,,,
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I already have him bookmarked from a previous search on the subject, good to know I was pointing in the right direction.

bedbugbilly said:
Personally, although i'm not a "tree hugger", I do have a problem with the poaching and sale of illegal ivory . . it "just ain't right".
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Same here, it'd have to be pre-ban ivory or nothing.

zxcvbob said:
Holly wood looks like elephant ivory.
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That is beautiful, definitely a possible alternative.
 
If you are interested in ivory substitutes, look at Tru-Ivory. I purchased an Ed Brown Centennial 1911 last year which came with Tru-Ivory grips. I was prepared to replace them when they came in but changed my mind. They both look and feel very similar to ivory.

Ed_Brown_Cent_DSCN9633.jpg
 
This guy makes nice grips,,,
He has some stock of elephant ivory,,,
But he also uses a white material called Corian.
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Don Collins does a great job and has made 5 sets of grips for me out of DuPont Corian. This material is great stuff, it doesn't stain and warms to your hand as quick as ivory and feels good to your hand. True it doesn't have the look of real elephant ivory but nothing does, it does however have it's own under lying glow to the surface which is unquie to this material. I have never had a problem with staining with Corian. This is the last set of grips ha made for me from Corian.

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Real ivory is for display. If used it will crack and break yer heart.
Consider the alternative ivory used extensively by knife builders. It is a phenolic and very durable.
Get from Jantz knife supply company.
I have used for other items and find it more ivory-like than other materials. I really like.
 
The problem with imitation ivory is that you know that it is not ivory, but plastic of some kind. Also, if someone asks: "Is that real ivory or plastic?", you have to admit that it is plastic. On my shooting guns (autos), I prefer to use Pachmayer rubber grips for their functionality. On revolvers I prefer Hogue rubber grips for the same reason. If I had a safe queen, I would only use real ivory...plastic grips are for the class of people who would buy a picture of a Matador fighting a bull painted on black velvet. Or, would be satisfied with buying a Cubic Zirconia engagement ring instead of a diamond. You can fool everyone but yourself.
 
I have a couple 1911's with genuine elephant ivory, and a Colt .32 with same. The 1911's get carried and shot occasionally, and the .32 often rides in an ankle rig. The fit of the grips on each is very good, although I do not use Loctite, preferring to keep up with re-tightening the grips screws as they get loose during extended shooting periods. So far, no ill effects of shooting have arisen, and the only "cracks" are common age cracks, not stress cracks. You only live once. If you wish to carry an ivory stocked gun, many real gun people have, and some still do. There is always superglue, if the worst happens.:D "Are those grips real ivory?" "Why, yes they are!" ................................
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[/IMG] ................ .................... Uberti copy of Patton's .45 SAA. NOT real ivory (TruIvory).
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[/IMG]
 
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