Replies

1. 
   douglas2cats | Jul 08, 2005 03:21pm | #1

   How old? If it's before the advent of modern glues, it's probably applied with hide glue, in which case hot water and gentle persuasion should coax the ivory away from the wood.

   Waddaya mean it wont fit through the door?

1. 
   Steinmetz | Jul 08, 2005 11:32pm | #4

   Doug, be careful when handling old piano keys, Use mask/gloves/respirator/safety glasses and avoid touching private parts or you might contract Poison Ivory (Just funnin') Steinmetz.

1. 
   MarkRD | Jul 09, 2005 01:21am | #5

   groaaaaaaan!

   Measure it with a micrometer, mark it with chalk, cut it with an ax.

2. 
   WillGeorge | Jul 13, 2005 08:14pm | #17

   you might contract Poison Ivory ..

   God that was FUNNY!

2. 
   Daggs | Jul 08, 2005 04:31pm | #2

   What are you going to do with the ivory? 

1. 
   olopua | Jul 08, 2005 08:21pm | #3

   I will probably use the ivory for inlay work on ukuleles.

3. 
   TomHigby | Jul 09, 2005 02:10am | #6

   Considering the legal restrictions on sale of ivory, it seems to me that you should at least keep a record of the make and age of the piano.  I don't know if that would suffice.

   Tom

1. 
   joinerswork | Jul 10, 2005 08:17pm | #7

   Tom,

   If it's a particularly big, old piano, might apply to Boone and Crocket, to enter in the record books.

   Cheers,

   Ray

1. 
   Ricks503 | Jul 10, 2005 08:23pm | #8

   I don't know, if Boone and Crockett will accept it if he did not kill it himself.1 - measure the board twice, 2 - cut it once, 3 - measure the space where it is supposed to go        4 - get a new board and go back to step 1

2. 
   TomHigby | Jul 10, 2005 11:57pm | #9

   There are serious penalties for trading in ivory products.  They do not apply to certifiable antique ivory.  This has to do with ongoing slaughter of elephants.

   Tom

1. 
   AndyE | Jul 11, 2005 12:22am | #10

   I would think a photo of the piano and a few pics of the "ivory recovery process" should be proof enough if anyone should askkAndy"It seemed like a good idea at the time"

2. 
   joinerswork | Jul 11, 2005 02:48pm | #16

   Tom,

   I know.  Please forgive my impertinence, if it caused offence. Just seems to me that a box full of discarded piano keys are self explanatory, if the authorities come knocking.

   Ray

3. 
   WillGeorge | Jul 13, 2005 08:16pm | #18

   There are serious penalties for trading in ivory products..

   Sure hope NOT!.. I had a bunch of old Piano keys I gave away some time ago...

4. 
   SawdustSteve | Jul 11, 2005 03:31am | #11

   Even though the piano is 'quite old', the keys may still be covered with celluloid, a type of plastic, and NOT ivory. Find an Antique Jewelry dealer and ask them how to test a piece to see if it's celluloid or ivory. I believe it is a simple test with a cigarette ligher and a pin. Heat the pin in the flame and pierce the 'ivory' with it. If it is ivory it will react in one way while celluloid will react in another way. Sorry, I don't remember which substance reacts which way. SawdustSteve

1. 
   MarkRD | Jul 11, 2005 05:09am | #12

   SDS, found this on the web... a quick google search.
   M
   THE TEST:
   The tried and true method to test ivory is the famous "hot pin test". This method is used by beginners and experts alike. Because true ivory is virtually impenetrable with heat, this is a good test and will
   not damage the item if it is "real". Take a pin, large needle, or better yet a large straightened out
   safety pin, and heat the tip RED-HOT. Poke the item somewhere that it will not show too bad (I
   use the netsuke hole). If it is real ivory, it will NOT penetrate and only leave a tiny tiny mark. If it is a resin, it will enter the item and produce a little crater around the hole. Now the big test… smell the "smoke" that comes of the test as you are poking it. If it is real ivory, it will have that unmistakable
   smell of the dentist's office when you had that root canal (stomach turning). It smells like burning
   tooth (because it IS). If it smells like burning plastic, it IS. Now, bone is also resistant to heat, but
   not as much as ivory. The smell is less (or hardly at all) and is different than that of burning tooth.
   Most bone carvings are "capped" on the top and bottom as all bones are hollow. If an item is
   carved thinly enough to be carved from the wall of the bone (usually not thicker than 3/4") it may
   appear to be ivory. But, bone is absolutely free of grain and will ALWAYS have little "pock marks" (sometimes brown and sometimes not) in it where the marrow or blood was. You may have to use a loupe to see these pock marks. So in conclusion, if it resists heat, smells like crap, and has any grain (especially crosshatching), you have the real deal. Do a little experimenting with items you know are
   fake and real and see the difference.

   Measure it with a micrometer, mark it with chalk, cut it with an ax.

1. 
   Patto | Jul 11, 2005 06:07am | #13

   My tuner tels me that one of the short cuts is that ivory piano keys are usually in two parts, beside the black key and in fron t of the black. The line is usually very well fitted.

1. 
   olopua | Jul 11, 2005 08:52am | #14

   Thank you all so much. The "ivory" is definitely in 2 parts on top of the keys. It soaks off quite easily in water. The end of the key does not soak off and appears to be a white celluloid. I will try the pin test. The black keys certainly are a black wood but it does not seem as dense as the few pieces of ebony I have worked with. A quick estimate of the specific gravity of the black wood shows 0.89. The "ivory" sinks in water.

1. 
   philip | Jul 11, 2005 09:27am | #15

   olop,
   The black stuff may be African Blackwood-Dalbergia Melanoxylon.
   Be careful about water and ivory-it absorbs and desorbs just like wood and is very energetic about it too- I mean that ivory has quite a high movement factor.

2. 
   WillGeorge | Jul 13, 2005 08:18pm | #19

   Because true ivory is virtually impenetrable with heat..

   Yep.. unless your a male Elephant!

   Sorry I had to..