Ivories

nontypical · Nov 12, 2018

Any tips on how to get off the gum tissue after it's hardened?

thanks

muleyhunter413 · Nov 12, 2018

Soak it in a cup of water overnight and it will soften back up for you.

ruttybull164 · Nov 12, 2018

>Any tips on how to get
>off the gum tissue after
>it's hardened?
>
>thanks

I boiled mine for about 40 minutes and it removed everything.

BIGJOHNT · Nov 12, 2018

Just don't do anything that would take the color out of them. Remember when the make jewelry they cut the bottom off. You can just use you knife to cut off the big stuff. The reason I said this is I ask a dentist friend how to clean mine years ago. Lost the color in one of them. He was a non hunter. I don't think he understands what we do with them.

Deepcolor · Nov 12, 2018

Scrape the big stuff off with a knife and then pack them in your pocket with your coins for a week or so. I think cashiers really like watching as you pick through searching for a nickel.

cobra55 · Nov 12, 2018

LAST EDITED ON Nov-12-18 AT 10:32PM (MST)[p]The easiest way I have found out is to put it in a cup of water and boil it in the microwave for just a couple minutes and take it out and then scrape it off with a razor blade or knife, comes right off easy.

DeerHunter53 · Nov 13, 2018

>Any tips on how to get
>off the gum tissue after
>it's hardened?
>
>thanks

The Old timers including my Grandpa would clean them up as best they could and then put them in their pockets with change. In about two weeks they are polished and ready to go.
Understand I am not saying put them in your pocket with meat on them but after you have cleaned them up a bit. LOL

wytex · Nov 13, 2018

Soak just the bottom half in regular peroxide then scrape off the soft tissue.
I always scrape mine with a pocket knife before they dry out then soak in peroxide to get the rest off. No need to "polish" as they will be just fine after drying.

Boiling them can cause them to split if from a younger elk. Make sure to get the root out if they are not from a mature bull.

greysriver · Nov 15, 2018

My taxidermist did an amazing trick that removed my bulls ivories with no meat on them at all. he took a small block of wood about 12" long and placed it on the ivory and smacked it with a hammer. the ivories popped out and were clean.

Maybe try this method on your next one.

Tikka · Nov 16, 2018

>My taxidermist did an amazing trick
>that removed my bulls ivories
>with no meat on them
>at all. he took
>a small block of wood
>about 12" long and placed
>it on the ivory and
>smacked it with a hammer.
> the ivories popped out
>and were clean.
>
>Maybe try this method on your
>next one.

Dinger...

BIGJOHNT · Nov 16, 2018

>My taxidermist did an amazing trick
>that removed my bulls ivories
>with no meat on them
>at all. he took
>a small block of wood
>about 12" long and placed
>it on the ivory and
>smacked it with a hammer.
> the ivories popped out
>and were clean.
>
>Maybe try this method on your
>next one.

You can do the same thing in the field. Just get a stick put it on the tooth and hit it with a rock. Knocks it right out.

nontypical · Nov 20, 2018

Thanks guys. I procrastinated too long after I had removed the ivories and that tissue stiffened up really bad. I'll try some of your suggestions. First time I've let them get like that, and I won't do it again! lol.

Thanks again