Smoking Pipe Materials
Bone, Horn, Jet-Phen® & Elforyn
Elforyn imitation ivory was developed by a prominent German polymer company that was approached by a University Art professor who was seeking a replacement for real ivory with an emphasis on the new material being carve-able and machinable like ivory. The new material also had to take both a buffed and a clear coat finish. Elforyn does all of that and more. The resulting material is an incredibly strong imitation ivory that carves, files, mills, turns and sands expertly and takes a buffed or clear coat finish. It glues well with CA or epoxy glues.
The turning and milling properties are excellent. This material is exceedingly strong yet it turns like butter and we recommend a high RPM wood turning speed. It sands and polishes like ivory and it takes a buffed finish or a clear coat finish with no negative effects (no bubbling, blistering, etc. as some faux ivories do).
A buffed finish is best achieved with a white jewelers rouge on cloth or felt wheels. If you sand to 300 or 400 grit you will attain a low lustre matte finish. The higher your sanding grit is then the higher this material will polish. At 1200 to 2000 grit you will attain a high lustre. It is best to buff your bagpipe fittings while the piece is turning. Just apply the rouge to the part itself and then hold a felt pad to the piece as it turns at high speed.
Elforyn fluoresces under a black light with patterning that conveys to any customs or wildlife agent that it is a man made material and not real ivory. Technical data found on each Elforyn product detail page in each product listing.