Zaphod, take your pick!!

  • Thread starter Thread starter muttley600
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muttley600

muttley600

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Remember I said a while back I'd mail you details next time I made some up? Well I had to do some today as I lost my last one at a gig on Sunday.

Before anyone gets at me for using tortoise shell this stock dates from the 1920's and I ain't about to throw it away. I use it for repairs when required and when what I have has gone it's gone. In the meantime I like real picks.:p
 

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A little phot essay on the half hour spent making em.

Cut the basic shape on a scroll saw. Then file the outline to desired shape.
 

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Flatten both sides going through grits from 180 to 600. And then round edge to desired profile. Polish with 1000 grit soft pads.
 

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Ooh, those are pretty, Muttley! :)

Thanks for remembering. I'll PM you shortly with my postal address.

I'm fond of the one on the left. I has lots of two-tone-ness.

Thanks so much - you're a good man.
 
When all seems to shape and cut flat and true polish up with Tcut. Voila...
 

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That poor, poor turtle.

Check your PMs. :D

When I was a teenager we used to bike out to a little country pub that had a big pond in the garden complete with turtles. I heard from my brother that recently he returned some 25 years later to find the pond had gone but all the ash trays on the garden tables were made from turtle shells.:eek:

I'm still not sure if he's yanking my chain so when I'm next back home I'm going to have to check it out.
 
dang those are cool!

I have a few that came with an old banjo of mine, just don't really have the heart to play em since they came with my 20s Vega but I have thought about using them just the same in studio on my D28
 
When I was a teenager we used to bike out to a little country pub that had a big pond in the garden complete with turtles. I heard from my brother that recently he returned some 25 years later to find the pond had gone but all the ash trays on the garden tables were made from turtle shells.:eek:

I'm still not sure if he's yanking my chain so when I'm next back home I'm going to have to check it out.
It's a good story regardless. :)

There is a big antique store next to my office. Among the knicknacks and smaller junk that they keep locked up in glass diplay cases is a small collection of pre-ban ivory figurines. Quite expensive. Most of it is big enough to carve nuts and picks out of. I can't bring myself to shell out the money for it, just to experiment.
 
dang those are cool!

I have a few that came with an old banjo of mine, just don't really have the heart to play em since they came with my 20s Vega but I have thought about using them just the same in studio on my D28
I'm looking forward to hearing how it sounds with my D-28 as well.
 
It's a good story regardless. :)

There is a big antique store next to my office. Among the knicknacks and smaller junk that they keep locked up in glass diplay cases is a small collection of pre-ban ivory figurines. Quite expensive. Most of it is big enough to carve nuts and picks out of. I can't bring myself to shell out the money for it, just to experiment.

Old piano keys is the popular source. The don't come up too thick though.
 
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Never thought about swiping off of keys.... I know where I could nab a whole bunch of it now that I think about it...
 
Never thought about swiping off of keys.... I know where I could nab a whole bunch of it now that I think about it...

Not all keys are ivory. Most pre war were but even then some are not. The test is with a flame. If it burns slowly with the same smell as flesh and bone your good. If it melts it's a modern plastic. If it explodes well it's celluloid.:D

Seriously look for grain in the patina and if you can flame test it, it will have a distinctive smell.
 
Here you go, in Ivory. Slightly smaller because the piano keys aren't that wide.
 

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Hey Muttley how much do you get for one of the piano key models?
 
Nice job & cool info Muttley! Thanks for sharing!
 
Cool picks Muttley! The tortoise shell ones are gorgeous! What about all the dead turtles?...you know..the ones people catch and make turtle soup from..It'd be okay to use those wouldn't it?

You lucky Texan Zap!:D

I know where a really old upright is...just maybe...
 
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