I was looking on-line for some fossilized walrus ivory scales for a Benchmade folder recently, and the usual sources have dried up.

What's going on with that?

I know that here in the U.S. the Fish and Wildlife agents have been very strict on CITIES ivory/skins, but of course fossilized ivory is exempt.

Even on Ebay now you won't find "ivory", but rather "fossilized mammoth material".

Anyone up to speed on this new development?

Thanks,
Garrett

Your statement of fossilized pretty much answers the question you are asking.

IMO, there is just so much available and then it will be gone. And that point may have been reached.

HL,

Thanks for your response.

I should have been more specific about my question.

There is still a ton of fossilized ivory being dug up each summer in Alaska (it's a hobby among the locals there)....actually, it's more like several tons each summer.
Also, similar digs are done each summer in Russia and Ukraine as well.

The ivory was offered through various stores and especially on Ebay.

But now, those places are not carrying the ivory any longer. Apparently Ebay will not allow you to advertise "ivory" on your auction
anymore.

So it seems that the "shortage" is not due to a lack of fossilized ivory, but rather due to legal/political pressure on it's sale.

I thought that some of the knife makers here would have some insight into what the background on this is.

Thanks,

Garrett

The reason Ebay will not allow anyone listing Ivory on their website is because they claim Ivory to be a racial term.

Then I would advertise it as Fossilized Mammouth Tusk, etc. Forget the word Ivory. I guess that using the term Ebony is also racist with these insane people?

Ebay is a screwy, gun-allergic PC site, but I don't think the word "ivory" is completely banned, as a search will turn up many items of clothing with "ivory" as the descriptive color.

I think something is going on with US Fish and Game (or similar agency) bring heat down on people selling fossilized ivory.
But so far, I haven't been able to figure out what it is that is occuring.

I'll keep digging.
There's usually someone here on AR that is familiar with issues like this.

Garrett

Ivory is a racist term? WTF?

I called a dealer in fossilized ivory in Anchorage yesterday; here's what I found out.

Ebay has banned all selling of ivory, including fossilized types.
Ebay was taking heat from animal rights groups and some government agencies that the ivory being sold on the site was "illegal".

Not much evidence to support that charge, but you know Ebay...better be safe.

As to the shortage of fossilized ivory, the dealer told me that the shortage has slowly been rolling through the pipeline, and now it's finally hit.

The first element was the law called the Native Lands Act, which keeps Alaskan's from digging in certain areas which are "protected".
People used to go dig for fossil ivory every summer, but now there are very few places you can do it, and those areas are played out.

Most of the new ivory he's getting is from Innuit/Eskimo tribe members who dig it themselves.

Also, there was so much fossil ivory in reserve, it's taken a while for the shortage to hit. Makes sense given that the typical mammoth tusk was between 70 and 150 lbs when found.
That goes a long way for knife handles.

I bought a fossil walrus tusk weighing about
2 lbs. for $50 in the early 90's. Now fossilized walrus ivory is $275 a pound.

Garrett

Hi folks. I'm new to the forum. I'm a knifemaker and I thought I would chime in about the mammoth ivory.

Mammoth is actually fairly plentiful but the price has skyrocketed. A lot of it comes from Siberia. Some experts think there are as many as 1 million mammoth buried in the ice in one area of Siberia.

Most mammoth ivory is not fossilized. It is just at the beginning stages of fossilization at 10,000-20,000 years old.

You are right about ebay. They won't let you use the word ivory. I tried to list a knife I made with mammoth ivory handles and couldn't do it even though there are no trade restrictions on mammoth ivory. It can still be found on Ebay but it will be listed as Mammoth or something other than ivory.

Here is one pretty good source for mammoth ivory Boone Trading Company

Looks like a good forum by the way. I'll be over here in the corner.

Mike