DRAWING LINES on each piece in the exact same manner will give you the results you need when it is time to assemble
all the pieces together to form a bracelet. So get busy and make pieces for a bracelet !! I will post more
photographs as we begin each of the necessary steps involved to make gorgeous bracelets.
I can't say enough about this sander; it solved all our (other ) problems; and by accident taught us a very valuable
technique; Mark was the one who discovered this very kewl trick, which enabled us to make perfect insets of circles
into other different types of Ivory. We are the only carvers that can inset a round piece inside another piece of
ivory with absolutely no gaps. How is this done ? Easily - "create a perfect circle". This is how it is
accomplished; Unless that circle inset is perfect; there is no way to place it inside another circle. It must be
perfect. The sander will do it for you automatically!! This is what Mark discovered quite by accident - Notice the
sander table that is tilted in this photograph. That small bench must be set to zero degrees. flat & level. Now
place your so called round circle on the small flat table - Using two index fingers push that slowly toward the
sanding wheel. When that piece of small (sorta round) ivory hits that sanding wheel which is roatating quickly -
what do you think is going to happen ? That piece of Ivory is going to take off - unless your fingers 'block' it
from moving - then there is only one thing that is going to happen - That small piece of ivory is going to SPIN
wicked fast - thus making a perfect circle each & every time. As you can easily notice - it is very easy to sand the
skin right off your knuckle if you slip!! Pay close attention always when working with this tool.
Notice: what is wrong in this photo above? template and brush do not belong in this area. they should have been hung
up in the proper place.
Slices - slices - slices PREFAB lots & lots of slices - What ever you can get ready (early) pre-fabricate (slices -
pieces - shapes etc.) Get everything ready to make lots of ear-rings and or bracelet pieces.
Polishing pieces is something of a knack to acquire. Much will be said about that later.
We will teach you two different methods.
POLISHING SUPPLIES:
Shor International has everything you need in many different areas or departments.
Polishing compound: Fabuluster & Blue Magik (http://www.shorinternational.com/PolishCompounds.php)
Burr bits in carbide & diamond
polishing wheels and felts
and so much more.
OTHER LINKS:
BOXES
COLORED CORDS & MISC.
BRACELET CORD(s).
1/16" white & black (elastic shock cord).
1.Cut a slice of Ivory
2.Sand each side smooth - using the lowest grit #
3. Draw the shape on the piece of IVORY SLICE
4. Cut out the shape and sand/file excess Ivory off till you reach the finished shape size.
5. Repeat steps 1-4 until you have at least sixteen pieces of the same finished shape to work with.
6. Wait for me to post more photographs & more detailed information to finish the simple process of making ear-rings
that match your bracelet pieces.
Be Safe & have fun!!
This is so easy to do- we have trained a lot of children how to do this - it keeps them busy and out of trouble! Not to mention the great skills they acquire!
SIMPLE is easy to understand & comprehend - I LIKE SIMPLE !
Simple shapes to create templates: Starting top row far right =
Top row far right = shape of an eskimo ulu knife. These ear-rings sell like hot-cakes. They are made using two different materials - One for the shape of the blade and the other contrasting material for the handle.
Most of these shapes are easily recognized; Make templates: keep them (colored or marked in some manner)and create new ones of other shapes you decide to use. The shape with the T is our master template for what we call "short & stubby" bracelet pieces. Look at that shape - can you recognize it ?? Turn it on its side 90 degrees and you might see it (a quarter ) with the sides cut off.
PERSONALLY: I like to color the other side of the template - blue or red using a magic marker; just to make sure it is never used as a piece by mistake.
BALEEN: is dry as it is removed from the whales 'lip' or mouth area. The best way to describe it is a 'natural plastic' like material.
It can grow to heights of 14 feet is the largest I have ever seen; ten foot lengths and 12 foot lengths can be quite common also. It all depends on the size of the whale.
There are approximately 300 slats on each side of the lip area of the mouth. Six hundred of them there abouts in a whales mouth!!
There are some different methods and procedures for preparing it for the many different uses that baleen has. It stinks to the Nth degree when sanding it.. ten times stronger than the smell of Ivory.
The (nice person) that sent us this Mastodon Ivory; also sent us some baleen. three pieces about a foot long. They are not thick enough for bracelet pieces but can be used to make ear-rings and insets for bracelets and many other projects (using your imagination).
Baleen is commonly also used as a stand for a doll or 'scene' type arrangement such as a hunter vs. polar bear type scene that is popular among tourists.
Baleen is much easier to obtain; and it will fetch a decent price if worked on properly such as scrimshaw drawings. Baleen baskets fetch outrageous prices and are in huge demand.
All you need to scrimshaw on balleen is a needle or sharpened nail to use to etch with.
BALEEN: Has literally thousands of uses. Believe it or not; some people have requested "reeds" for musical instruments such as saxaphone or clarinet - we make them & they actually work quite well!!
1. A coping saw is about 5 bucks there abouts and extra packages of blades are about the same price so initial investment in this department is about 15 bucks.
2. A small 3" or 6' vise is chump change - $ 10 bucks there abouts not too much more than that - depends on what you want.
3. A dremel tool is about $65.00 bucks with a lot of assortment bits & pieces.
4. Sand paper is 25cents a sheet so 20 bucks will get you a good collection of all the different grits that need to be used.
5. super glue ? a few bucks for a big bottle (4oz.)
6. Ear-ring studs and hooks. 3 bucks or so for 100 of them at Black Elk leather.
7. FABULUSTER polishing compound is about 5 bux for a one pound tube.
8. Bracelet cord (elastic ) shock cord; is 25 bucks for a wholel spool of 150 yards.
9. Plastic templates of simple shapes about a buck each there abouts.
10. 1 /16" drill bits about .99 cents each - get 20 of them!!
That's about it.. for an initial investment;
NOW YOU NEED IVORY
That stuff is very expensive as in $260 bucks per pound. Here is 5 grand worth !! The last photo I posted earlier was 3k in ivory we purchased from Alaska Fur Exchange. those two small tusks at bottom of photo were one pound each - 2 of them came to just over $500 bux
Next I will post photos of all our shops we worked in: Kotz - Point Hope & 5 different shops in Barrow !!!
Simply by studying these photos you will learn a lot !! I will take the time to point out certain features of each work place we have built.
NOTICE: none of this IVORY is "white" !!!
We paid an arm & a leg for fossil ivory; when we cut this stuff open we were extremely disapointed BIG TIME. It was all bright white inside.
Making Bracelet pieces using baleen - This baleen that was sent to us; is good for making bracelets; So I will post the steps for you to see; Baleen is faster to work with than IVORY; We have many hours of sawing to go on the Mastodon tusk so for now; study these images; Everything is self explanatory.
NEXT STEP(s) - REMOVE the excess baleen until you have the perfect shape & size of the original template.
Sand each side and the edges; through all the different grits of sand-paper(s).<!-- google_ad_section_end --><!-- / message -->
basically that was the question asked; and quite frankly I answered it all WRONG.
Let me try again; with a 'different' approach; What does it cost to get set up? hmmm ? That all depends on what you want to do to make $$$$
Not everyone has the skills or patience to sit there and slice ivory for hours; Some people prefer a different approach. Can you TRACE with a pencil and some paper ??? Virtually anyone can do that - even a child;
So with that in mind; this next section is meant to inspire you in a different manner; i.e. tracing! or drawing. What do you need ? ONE NAIL ! hows that for a shopping list ??? No; I am not speaking about a 'finger' nail but a nail to put a hammer to - and bang it in. That type of nail. go find one !!
SIMPLE DRAWINGS; OR - tracing !! believe it or not; Big bucks are easy to make working at home. Baleen is easy to get; and it is not very expensive.
I purchased this from Henry Koonuk for $300 bux. We always purchase a lot from Henry a.k.a 'Hanko'. He is one incredible gifted artist in many different areas. He works at home and makes outrageous money (six figures) every year. A lot of carvers - artists in many different villages this is the norm for them.
As I said in the beginning; Hundreds of people (families) are doing this in lots of villages all over the entire state of Alaska. I know natives from Pont Hope that have lived in Anchorage for 30 years. This is all they do - stay @ home - create arts & crafts and then go out and sell them EVERY DAY!! Money flows in - every single day - but you gotta do the work!!<!-- google_ad_section_end --><!-- / message -->
Let me round up some photo's and take you back into the classroom and show you how easy this all is.
The exact same steps are repeated all day long - week in - month out - year after year. SIMPLE SIMPLE SIMPLE -
A blank piece of baleen is cut out, draw the shape, cut out the shape and smooth off the excess material to match the template drawing.
Now do this same step 10 - 16 times for the required pieces to make the bracelet to the desired size.
Using a 'burr' cutting bit (diamond or carbide) trim off the excess material to the desired size. REPEAT repeat - repeat all day long. It is monotonous work, it is a no brainer that anyone can accomplish with absolutely no skills what so ever - just do the work - this is a real job!! It pays extremely well.
Making pieces - for a bracelet or ear-rings is very simple to accomplish with absolutely no training or skills.
Inseting another piece of material; into another is quite different and does require some skills to accomplish.
Baleen is easily 'scratched' during the process of making the pieces, Later these same pieces will be polished to a brilliant shine that resembles black glass. "It is the 'shine' that sells"
We use 3 basic shapes when making bracelets;
Short stubby (pictured above) - narrow oval - & hearts. Those are basically the only 3 shapes we work with for bracelets. Use your imagination and explore other shapes.
Sanding each piece is a no brainer. drop the piece on a piece of sandpaper and move it back & forth until the surface is very smooth. Don't worry about scratches; those will dissappear when you go through the different grits of sandpaper. When finally polished - the reflection and look of black glass will amaze you. Balleen w/fossil insets has an eye-catching contrast that jumps out,and requires further examination up close.
The process of inserting different material into the balleen or ivory is a time consuming process that requires much practice to accomplish. The steps are simple. Draw the shape of the inset, on the piece; and cut out that shape. Here are some photos that illustrate this procedure.
Begin by inserting the burr cutting bit into the center of the piece and start to cut it out. This is precise work, take your time. DO NOT go beyond the edge of the pencil marks.
Now we have a piece of balleen (bracelet piece). We have cut out an oval to insert another oval into this empty hole.
The same steps are used: draw the (shape) on the piece of ivory and cut it out and smooth it.
Each of these images are self explanatory- just look - carefully and you will see how easy it is to accomplish these steps.
The sheer repetition of these simple steps - daily - weekly - monthly - yearly. GUARANTEESS your success in mastering this simple procedure.
Money will flow like a river if you keep busy and acquire a large inventory.
I will provide you with many different places that your work can be sold.
Creating the art work (photos or jewelery) is just ONE small STEP.
LEARNING HOW TO MARKET your work - is something altogether different !
Making the sale - is an art form - many books are written on marketing or on any subject you can possibly name; Everyone has different ideas, everyone has different thoughts and what may work for somone in one area may not be true in another area. Thus diversity is the word that comes to mind.
Many tons of books are pubished on how to create photographs. BOOKS !
The process is quite simple: Aim & click = photograph!! YET PEOPLE - write entire books on this simple process. There are literally tens of thousands of authors on this simple process!!
Yes !!! there is a lot more to the process. Everyone thinks different; everyone see's things differently. There is no such thing as a sheet of paper that has only one side. We can share our ideas, thoughts & experiences to influence and guide others. Take what you deem valuable and cultivate it to your style.
Marketing your work is the goal. There are many simple ways to get people to hand you $$ without you saying one word.
Let your work do all the talking - shut up about yourself. You are in front of that person (buyer) for one pupose only - ;get the $$.
I have been doing this for a long long time (4 decades) I have learned a couple of simple basics that I am willing to share with you that apply not only to ivory but to photography as well. TIMES ARE TOUGH and going to get a lot tougher, I am merely providing you a very simple way to make major bucks @ home.
Lets do some simple math so you can get a grasp of what is waiting for you.
A bracelet from start to finish is about 4-6 hours work. (Once you have these steps down). prefab everything - you can reduce that time to two hours or less.
One bracelet a day - for a month is 30 bracelets - lets keep this simple.
30 bracelets @ 300 bux each is 9 THOUSAND dollars per month.
Eye got for sons - that do this from 7 am - 7 pm daily for 7 years !!
We purchase boxes for bracelets and ear-rings. One hundred of them in a case.
We went through 34 cases of bracelet & ear-ring boxes in 7 years in the Arctic.
We have been in Anchorage just about one year now. We are on case #2 and we have taken 10 months off from work.
Husband & wife 'team' working together can reap in 20 K in a month easily !!!
Take The Time To Think<!-- google_ad_section_end --><!-- / message -->
Step #1: Make sure the inset fits. Test it. You do not force it into a TIGHT spot. you have to take this out - once your satisfied that your ready to make this permanent. Remove the inset and flood the inside with superglue. Replace the piece and this is what you should see, a tiny gap around the entire piece.
A small piece of carboard is wrapped around the bracelet piece and lines are drawn as to where to drill the holes for the bracelet cord to be inserted.
Naturally these must be all the same or the bracelet will not LOCK when final assembly takes place.
We do not use rulers or take any measurements during the entire process.
Here is it obvious: The drill bit is too long, it will go right through in one shot - that is the surest way to CAUSE injury!! Only drill half way - then turn the piece over and drill from the other side.
This is perhaps the hardest step in the entire process. learning how to drill straight and follow that line !! This take a lot of practice !
Once that inset is sanded down flush with the top of the bracelet piece, the dust from the inset will mix with the super glue on the gap(s). and blend in perfectly to create a perfect inset with absolutely no visible gaps what so ever
<TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=6 width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: 1px inset; BORDER-LEFT: 1px inset; BORDER-TOP: 1px inset; BORDER-RIGHT: 1px inset" class=alt2>Originally Posted by Majik Imaje Husband & wife 'team' working together can reap in 20 K in a month easily !!!
Take The Time To Think
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Of course this isn't going to happen overnight - you have to put in the time;- Create - inventory - !!
And to be quite frank and honest - NO!! You will not sell your first bracelets for no $300 bucks. It depends on material - Fossil walrus ivory brings in the highest prices of all ivory. Next comes white ivory - then mastodon ivory is the cheapst - bone & antler are much lower on the price scale. Detail will fetch a much larger price. The more detail the higher the price - on anything made. Detail sells big time. It is the #1 factor in price
The very first bracelets my sons made sold for $20 bucks each @ Kotzebue Gun & Pawn shop. They were quite pathetic !! Sharp hard edges on the pieces that didn't LOCK the bracelet into the perfect circle.
As time progressed each and every day - the price went up to $40 bucks just to get some cash coming in. We sold lots and lots of those to locals, in time - we rose to $50 bucks - then to 60 for a while then we were stuck $ 80 for over a year until the boys learned to sand and polish between the pieces. the edges that are hidden, Once they did that then the price went up to 120. When people saw perfect bracelets with fossil material insets - the price was $200. That was Kotzebue. Point Hope was slightly lower in prices for the same bracelet. But in Barrow that same Bracelet would fetch $400 easily.
RECENTLY we went to Alaska Fur Exchange to purchase some ivory. We spoke with the owners. They have tons and tons of braclets of all types.
The owner pulled out a bracelet of TRIPLE HEARTS - BLUE FOSSIL IVORY. She said: This was made in Point Hope by a very large woman who sold it to us. My sons laughed and said yes Caroline Cannon I bet. The owner said - how did you know that ? Mark said - we made it and sold it to her !!
The owner said We want all you can make of this style - we will pay you top dollar for these type bracelets.
We got the exact same response from the owner over @ Carls Jewlers in the University mall.
LETS GO SHOPPING; -
This is an excercise in learning how to use your imagination in your surroundings to set up a nice working functional shop for your new job.
These images are merely used as starting points for you to consider how to set up your area neatly so you can function efficently and comfortably for long extended periods of time.
Our very first shop in Kotzebue - June of 2004. This small arctic entry way or qanichaq was only six feet wide and perhaps 12 feet long. barely any room to set up a place to work for four teenagers. We are going to learn and this is where my sons did basic training. Sit down with a dremel and some pieces of ivory. four boys on a couch. Everything they needed is right in front of them.
Very efficient use of a limited amount of space. An over abundance of all supplies such as super glue - drill bits - saw blades - polishing wheels. and burr bits and other small essentials.
For over a year & half my sons sat on this couch all day long and worked. We didn't watch tv. We worked 12 - 14 hours a day and they had a lot of fun. The best part was always when people handed you the $$. They always had the biggest smile(s) on thier faces.
IN seven years time; the best day we ever had; was out of this shop; 3k in one day. We never broke that record in the 3 years we were selling every day in Barrow.
They went from that shop to this one in Point Hope:
This is shop #2 762 Tasiq Street Point Hope Alaska 99766
You can notice; we started out with just one sucker hose to expell the dust away from the 12" disk sander. Three of those - cost well over $1,000 bucks with shipping. You can see in these photos we graduated to 3 of everything; one for each work station.
Everything we ordered we ordered in excess; such as ear-ring hooks & studs. One thousand of each hooks & studs in gold & in silver from Black Elk was 250 bucks there abouts. It didn't matter what we ran out of- we had plenty of stock on hand to make sure the JOB did not get shut down. The job is to finish one bracelet per day !!! w/matching ear-rings.
Then spend the rest of the day - prefabbing for the next days work.
We lived @ Tasiq street for almost two years then we moved to Barrow - we didn't pack all of this stuff up. We gave most of it away or sold it very cheaply to interested carvers.
Then we moved to Barrow and history was made !! These boys became legends in Barrow.
4 shops were built in Barrow. All brand new tools - the exact same stuff.<!-- google_ad_section_end --><!-- / message -->
We never had any inkling or desire to move to Barrow; We were quite content in our home village of Point Hope; It was the barge captain two years in a row that convinced us to check barrow out and it was stepping out on a limb for sure. We did not know anyone in Barrow (personally). So on August 7th of 2007 Mark & I flew to Barrow (homeless). We arrived flat broke. Not one dime - BUT.. .. .. .. We had - 30 pairs of ear-rings - 16 quality bracelets and 3 bone masks.
We arrived 7 pm - tired and hungry and flat broke. Mark walked across the street from the Airport to King Eider hotel. I waited at the air port. 20 minutes later he came out with a big smile - he sold 4 sets of ear-rings for $30 bux each. We headed straight to Pepi's !! Singing & dancing the whole way.
Our first shop in Barrow - we were guests in this home for two months. It ended up costing us a fortune ! LITERALLY. A 70 year old elder took us into his house on our second night in Barrow - he was happy to have company or guests and would only charge us 500 per month. We said sure-
Shop #1 in Barrow We took all our tools when we left - but... .. we left all the wood benches and shelving in place. The owner was dissapointed when we left and appreciated the work done to his storage room with benches and shelves.
Okakok Street in Barrow
Shop #2 in Barrow - $1000 bucks a month rent - for this one small room. Sounds outrageous eh ? nope - chump change. If I look at this situation of $1000 a month. This is ridiculous BUT - ALL THAT AMOUNTS TO. is just ONE BRACELET per week for rent. It was a very tiny price to pay considering we made 27 bracelets that sold every week!!!
We were here for four months and we were quite content at our living arrangements and then a 7 bedroom house became available to us and it was perfect for two shops. We were growing very fast -all brand new tools.
Shop #3 @ 336 oogruk street
Shop # 4 in Barrow We sure moved around a lot.
448 Egasaq Street
We used the entire kitchen area to build our shop. Sanding had to be done outside. Then we built a small sanding area in the qanichaq. (cunny chuck)
THIS IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE of how: NOT TO SET UP A SHOP.
IT is a total mess !! You will not achieve any standard of perfection working in a mess like this.
It is hard enough to keep a working area clean and neat - but this is part of the job. Neatness counts and it also shows in your work.
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This is Eli Kagak. He was one of the people out on the ocean ice when those women frm the hospital got killed. "We were given bags to clean up the crushed skull fragments & brain matter scattered all over the ice.
Eli is also #1 Fossil Ivory FINDER.. in Barrow.. He sure knows how !!!
Now presently we are in Anchorage and we are very limited as to how to set up a working functional shop here in this tiny 2 bedroom apartment. Jesse displays his new work area in one of the bedrooms. Everything is within instant reach. Put on the head phones and 'dream' while you work. Go someplace else, the work your gonna be doing is so simple you have plenty of time to travel in your thoughts.
Slicing up a small nub from the end of a piece of fossil ivory. No lines are drawn, no measurements are taken. Eye sight only. slice em up nice and neat. This requires a few hours work to finish. coping saw, dremel, vise - watch what happens here in the next day or two.
This may seem boring, and it is in a sense, but it is part of the JOB!! How bad is your urge & desire to succeed ?? Then purchase a small piece of IVORY for 50 bucks. Slice it up, take your time. There is no rush. But if you put in the necessary time and FINISH all the steps.. .. YOU WILL have a saleable product. Where to go to sell them ??
ANCHORAGE: Bingo parlors on Tudor, Northern Lights, & Fireweed. Native hospital, Go where the money is: i.e. Doctors - Lawyers - You do not have to be 'native' to produce 'native' art 'style(s)'!!
The gift shops all over Anchorage will purchase your beginning bracelets but don't expect to get more than 40 - 60 bucks. That's ok. Just bring in ten of them @ once and make 400. Its gonna take time to learn how to produce high quality bracelets, BUT IT IS easily accomplished with practice of these same simple steps.
When you make a bracelet, your doing the exact same thing 14 times.
Just how many pieces do you think it is going to take to beome an expert ?? Not very many !!!
ONE STEP AT A TIME: Learn them well.
Once you learn how to make ear-rings - Put in the time. You can easily fill a case of 100 boxes in a weeks time or less !!
That is an easy Thousand bux, in about 3 days time. Now Hustle and fill 2 cases per week. do that for just one month.
You are going to make a lot of money. Especially when AFN is going on in Anchorage or Fairbanks. It is easy to get a table and sell your crafts for big bucks. When working, take the time to think, you got plenty of time for this when doing simple tasks over and over !! This is all going to become so second nature much faster than you realize.
Once you begin to collect $$. Then the fire will be lit and you will climb very fast in making outrageous money!!
Next I have a close up of a bracelet being worked on. Well actually 3 different bracelets are being worked on now.
This heart inset bracelet will have 12 pieces. As this piece is sanded lightly through the different grits - 400 - 800 - 1600 All scratches will dissappear !! Fossil Ivory w/baleen heart inset. Placed on top of a Nickel, 5 cents
Practice makes better. I have seen children pre-teens pick this right up and make outrageous money like as in $500 bucks for 3 hours work 3 days in a row, total sales. That is unheard of.
Up here in the arctic - it is the norm !!
Although I live in Alaska. Ivory is much sought after all over the world. You will sell these in your area. Slowly and then the momentum will pick up only because of one thing. Quality craftsmanship !! Ivory is rare... for thousands of years the rich sought it out at any cost. They still do to this day. Everyone can't resist once they see that shine and touch it.
Cutting out an area on the piece to inset another piece of IVORY takes practice. That is the only way you are going to learn this is by repetition.
Everything you are doing in making these pieces. All the different steps - are repeated again and again on every bracelet or set of ear-rings you make.
Begin the cut out by going into the center of the area of your template and create a small circle using your burr cutting bit. As you get this circle down to the proper depth ( 1/2) way into the bracelet piece. You merely widen the circle and direct your burr bit to the edges of the heart drawing you drew on this piece. be careful not to go past the line. It only takes a couple of minutes to carefully cut out this heart shape area for the heart inset to be placed inside.
As you get down to the proper depth 1/2 way or less (guess). Begin to widen the area and start to move toward the lines for a new clean shape.
It doesn't take much practice to master this - Keep in mind; for each bracelet you do the exact same simple steps a dozen times or more. It is only going to take you a couple / few bracelets to begin to get really good at this. The better you get; the higher the prices are that you will COMMAND!
Women fight over these bracelets and always offer more money. It happens all too often in every village, and even today here in Anchorage @ the Native Hospital. <!-- google_ad_section_end --><!-- / message -->
Lots more beautiful stuff coming up ... ... You can do this - really !!!
Repitition - repeat-repeat-repeat! I am going to repeat myself a lot.
that is the only way to drive the point home. YOu do the same exact things. So I will post the exact same photos using other pieces of ivory to illustrate the point.
We purchased 3 new small pieces of fossil ivory from Alaska Fur Exchange again on Friday of this week April the oneth
Each of my sons - made slices - and began on new bracelets # 4, 5 & 6 for this week.
Jesse got his hands on this piece last. Here is what he did with it. The tusk was divided into thirds. No pencil marks - no measurements - no lines. Just begin to saw STRAIGHT.
This is what WE DO - with every piece of IVORY we get. Slice it up!
OTHER PEOPLE - do different things - such as: ''block' it out to create the shape of an animal.
The slice on the far left, is what is pictured below (finished).
This small piece will be used for making an inset shape. i.e. oval - circle or heart. Those are the main three simple shapes we work with.
Two other small pieces we picked up.
Not quite what we hoped for. (the patterns inside). You just never know what the inside is going to look like. Until you slice it open.
HEART BRACELETS; these are our #1 best selling item. these command the highest prices as in $500 or higher depending on the detail added.
As low as $100 buck for plain white ivory w/ no detail.
"If you want to capture her heart - give her hearts - so she will think of you all day.!"
ALL OF OUR BRACELETS carry a 100% lifetime unconditional guarantee !
We are the only carvers that make this claim; If anything happens to your investment - return it and we will fix it for free - no quesitons asked.
Yes we have had quite a few bracelets returned to us in Barrow - Pt. Hope & in Kotz and we fix them all and return them to very happy satisfied customers!!
We sell hundreds of these.. They go very quickly - especially when provided with matching ear-rings.
We also do something else that no carvers in any village do.
We provide a package for our work. It is convient for the customer. but to buy other small stuff and things and just put them in the customers hand just doesn't seem right. And many artists loose lots of sales by not providing this convienent feature.
Would you hand someone a photograph and just say here? Nope. but by provding something to store or carry it in; will increase sales big time!!
STRINGING UP A BRACELET
This is a simple step with 4 different methods of accomplishing the same thing.
The easy way: is to cut a small hole in the back on one piece and tie the ends of the bracelet cord together. Cut excess off. Super glue the knots and it all fits in the tiny hole in the back of a piece
Make a small inlay to push and glue into the hole in the back & sand it down flush with the back of the piece and that hole is now hidden
Fill the hole with ivory dust and super glue and smooth & polish to hide the hole.
Make one set of holes in one bracelet piece larger. Then tie the knots and super glue them. Pull the knots into the larger hole of that one bracelet piece thereby hiding any blemish or need to make a hole in the back of the bracelet piece.
We left Kotzebue end of 05. We were there for a year and a half. We could not take the heat & humidity during the summer months. TOO DAMN HOT. But that wasn't our main reason for wanting to leave. We had to leave, out of necessity. We could no longer purchase Ivory from the NorthWest Arctic Borough. The manager of the Gift shop was busted for selling RAW WHITE WALRUS IVORY to white people. (His friends) All sales of white raw walrus ivory was stopped.
We can't function without a source of Ivory so we moved back to Pt. Hope. There is no walrus hunting in Kotzebue but plenty of mastodon to find all over the place. Jan 06
Vica Owens: An extremely gifted brilliant RUSSIAN Ivory carver was prevented from working on White Raw Walrus Ivory even though she was married to an Inupiaq Native. Her work is stunning and exquisite.
She was making @ that time over 10k per week easily !! All she would do is scrimshaw arctic animals in colors in the white tusk. These arctic animals would be holding eskimo skin drums and dancing eskimo dance poses.
She is without any doubt the absolute best Inupiaq dancer (performing) the squiirrel dance I have ever seen. She is magnificent and very gifted in many different ways.
She recently asked that we send some of our crafts to her in Kotzebue as she now runs the gift shop in Kotz.
You can see the hole on the back of one piece. This is where the two pieces are tied into a simple knot. super glued. FINSHED bracelet after it is polished. We quit using this method. HIding the knots with a plug or dust was much better and presented more of a professional approach. But the best method is to hide the knots !! inside of one piece. NO one can ever figure out how we put the bracelet together !!
FOSSIL IVORY cross cut sections; This is what people pay big bucks for. Gorgeous colors & patterns.
Black fossil is the oldest of all fossil ivories. They say it takes 10,000 years to turn Ivory black.
Blue fossil is the rarest and commands the largest price for any of the fossil color(s).
Have you ever watched (any) professional do a certain skilled task ?? They always make it look so easy. That is only because they have done this same step many thousands of times.
The first time you attempt to take a simple shape out of a piece of ivory or baleen, you will not get perfection on your first attempt.
FIRST you have to get a 'feel' for using that tool. That only comes through experience.
Do not be discouraged. ANYONE can do this with just a little bit of practice !!
We have taught many children - THEY ALL BECAME experts in no time at all - so will you - if you put in the time !!
I was just about to ask if the carving was done traditionally or by dremel....well you answered that.....Thanks for the lessons on making Ivory Jewelry.....
That is a 9 piece bracelet each piece had to be angled 18.5 degrees to make it lock perfectly into a circle shape.
3 more bracelets will be finished today and sold tommorrow @ the Native hospital.
We began carving (seriously) on April 1st of this year.
I want you to notice the change(s) that have occured in this room in the last two days.
By the end of this month you will notice a brand new professional shop with all brand new tools costing many thousands of dollars !!
Wait - watch - read - look and LEARN !!
APRIL 1ST
APRIL 2ND
APRIL 3RD
When I show you this room @ the end of this month - YOU WON'T BELIEVE IT !! I already know what is going to happen based on 7 years experience. These bracelets sell like hotcakes !!<!-- google_ad_section_end --><!-- / message -->
Today we are making progress; My sons have had ten months off with no carving cept for two very rare occasions. Now they are all fired up raring to go.
OUR GOAL: 3 BRACELETS PER DAY; one from each of my 3 sons daily. Isaiah is still in Point Hope. We expect him down here soon.
3 bracelets per day; that I will be happy to sell @ 200 each. = 18,000 in one months time. I can easily get 300 for each bracelet but we are not one bit greedy.
It is my hopes that by showing you precisely what we generate for income (honestly). That you might be inspired to begin to pick up a very lucrative trade and skill that is in much demand all over this entire state.
New bracelets: for today.
Notice the scratches in the baleen - this hasn't been sanded and polished yet.
This is a 12 piece bracelet; the angle was 9 degrees for this particular style.
Notice how easy it is to string up a bracelet (there are many different ways to do this. (easiest method) take a 1 foot piece of bracelet cord and double it. push each end up one piece and add another piece. when finished you have two ends in your hand that are four inches long. the loop end is tight. pull on it for two inches now cut it. you have two ends with two inches on each end. Tie the knots and pull them as tight as you can. Next flood them with a light coat of super glue and let dry. Cut the excess from each end. Place the knots inside the two large holes that are made larger using burr bit.
You can see some of the scratches in the baleen. It is the shine that sells; Make the baleen look like black glass.
I will post the finished polished braclet(s) in the next post. Thanks for your interest and taking the time to comment !! I promise not to dissapoint you. My goal is to inspire you to begin slicing ivory!!!
Do you remember that big hunk of Mastodon Ivory we began with??
Here it is; as it fell apart when we started to cut through the core. Mastodon is famous for this trait. It is so old & flakey. but it has a gorgeous natural criss-cross pattern.
None of this will go to waste. Everything will be used as insets - dots - or dust. With anytype of ivory - nothing is ever thrown away or discarded. Dust is valuable. In China they save all dust. fill a tube with super glue & add the Ivory dust and create a new tusk out of just the dust !!
Another new bracelet in the works. We should have a total of 5 of them today (Monday) April 4th. Mark is headed straight over to the Native Hospital & we shall see what happens today in sales.
Believe it or not - it will not take you very long to master this techinque. By the 3rd attempt you should be getting very close to perfect and PERFECT is close enough for me!!
I have walked all over Kansas, Arkansas, Mo.,& Ok. and have yet to find a piece of ivory or mastodon tusk, petrified or even newly lostdunnoscratch....what's a person from the lower 48 to do?????scratchdunno rofl
Another small piece of mastodon. Notice the ever present cracks that will split the ivory once it is cut. Working with mastodon is a challenge in that you have to be creative in order to make use of the odd size pieces you are left with.
These are the pieces that were pictured earlier all four pieces ready to slice off. This is what Jesse is going to use to make his next bracelet.
Another recent purchase from Alaska Fur Exchange. E-mail these people. Tell them how much you want to spend. They will send you photos of several pieces in your price range. Invest a small amount of money and buy a small inexpensive piece @ about 50 bucks. Do the simple steps and you will make back $500 bucks. It is always ten times the invested amount in profit(s).
We like to use very large pieces of ivory to work with. You can do so much more - for a much longer period of time.
Different styles of black & White braclets.
The interesting contrast is what makes these bracelets so popular
Vica Owens of NorthWest Arctic Borough says this is their #1 request for bracelets when tourists arrive every spring. she says they can't have enough of these on hand. You can sell your stuff through this place on consignment. Many times she will just pay you outright that afternoon.
Here is a finished bracelet recently put together as a finished product.
We are headed over to the native hospital this afternoon with four bracelets.
This bracelet needs circles (ivory) and then baleen hearts inset into the black blank baleen pieces. It is all ready to drill for the bracelet cord after the inlays are placed in carefully.
Blue Magick is the only substance that is capable of getting scratches out of titanium. It is very expensive but what a shine it puts on Ivory. It is a blue liquid that smells and acts just like an old product for automobiles called "Blue Coral'. Did you know ?? Some baleen carvers use toothpaste to polish baleen with !!! Many carvers in barrow do not even polish their baleen when they display their works for sale.
More techniques and another bracelet is finished.
The ends are tied very tightly - the knots have super glue applied to them. The excess cord is cut off. The knot is pushed into the larger hole on the bracelet piece. Using a sharp object push the knot into the hole. If you try to pull that knot in - the bracelet piece will break. PUSH !! GENTLY. do not force it.
We have always used Fabu-Luster! We have no complaints. We make sure to keep plenty of it on hand. I will purchase a case shortly and give each of the boys six one pound tubes. That will last them a couple of years. I always try and stay stocked up on all supplies far in advance of when they will need them.
it is very obvious THIS BRACELET was never wiped down with alcohol to remove excess polish (white mark(s).).
Angle the bracelet pieces 18 degrees this is a 9 piece. This fits the average woman's wrist.
POLISHING THE BRACLET
This is a lot simpler than you may think. The photos are self explanatory.
First start your dremel and dip the felt wheel into the Polishing compound.
Pick up some compound on the felt and go to work.
Polish front - back - or top & bottom - and ALL EDGES.
Work out a method that is easy for you. The more you do this, the easier it will become. Each step is always repeated a dozen times or more for one bracelet. It only takes 3 or 4 bracelets for you to become very proficient at this JOB. ALL the many different children we trained over the years; All got the same results - they were making insets by their 4th or 5th bracelet. PRACTICE and I bet you can do it on your 2nd or 3rd.
PICK UP A SCRAP. draw a simple shape and try to cut it out.
We still break saw blades, we still screw up pieces every now and again. We still make lots of mistakes (at times). But we can push out inventory consistently & with outstanding quality. So can you.
The boys do the face first. The top
Then the sides
Then the edges where the string is. just put it out of the way. don't worry about it. just jam that felt and move the cord back and forth to get the inside edge as brilliant as the top and edges. THIS IS A MUST!!
When the bracelet or ear-rings are finally polished to a brilliant shine (it is the shine that sells). THEN .. take tissue and rubbing alcohol and clean off the entire bracelet. REMOVE ALL YOUR OIL from your skin that will dull the shine as soon as you touch any of the pieces.
I am posting all of this to show you how simple it is to make outrageous money @ home doing the same simple steps day in and day out.
Yesterday we sold two bracelets @ The Native Hospital and we have one more sold there today. 3 bracelets are left over and two more shall be finished today.
The gift shop @ the native hospital doesn't want bracelets with any insets - simple but elegant were the words used. The bracelet in front center was just finished by Khris late last night.
Today the boys are going to make 3 plain bracelets - to see if we can sell them to the Gift Shop @ the Native Hospital - Tudor Bingo & Northern Lights Bingo are also on our list today. First they make the bracelets (4 hours work each). Then we get out and hustle to make the $$. We let the bracelets do all the talking. Every bracelet has a lifetime guarantee. We fix anything wrong for free - no questions asked. If a piece cracks or an inset pops out. Our service(s) are prompt & quickly resolved.
Once a bracelet is finished today - then the rest of the time in the shop will be devoted to prefabbing for the next day - so they can finish their days work early and get out and make sales then back to the shop to prefab for the next day. We have our routine down pat. This is all we did every single day for 7 years.
Many thousands of dollars per week - is very easy to make. But it is not going to happen in your life THIS WEEK. But as you create inventory and learn how to market your work - THAT DAY will quicky arrive when you also will make outrageous money. Just by doing these same simple steps day in and day out. Treat this like a real job. I guarantee you SUCCESS!!
Well for what it is worth - MajikImaje001 is now on YouTube - 37 videos have been uploaded - showing in detail all of the different steps we use to create our bracelets.
I guess I better get back to posting images of the arctic.
Comments
all the pieces together to form a bracelet. So get busy and make pieces for a bracelet !! I will post more
photographs as we begin each of the necessary steps involved to make gorgeous bracelets.
I can't say enough about this sander; it solved all our (other ) problems; and by accident taught us a very valuable
technique; Mark was the one who discovered this very kewl trick, which enabled us to make perfect insets of circles
into other different types of Ivory. We are the only carvers that can inset a round piece inside another piece of
ivory with absolutely no gaps. How is this done ? Easily - "create a perfect circle". This is how it is
accomplished; Unless that circle inset is perfect; there is no way to place it inside another circle. It must be
perfect. The sander will do it for you automatically!! This is what Mark discovered quite by accident - Notice the
sander table that is tilted in this photograph. That small bench must be set to zero degrees. flat & level. Now
place your so called round circle on the small flat table - Using two index fingers push that slowly toward the
sanding wheel. When that piece of small (sorta round) ivory hits that sanding wheel which is roatating quickly -
what do you think is going to happen ? That piece of Ivory is going to take off - unless your fingers 'block' it
from moving - then there is only one thing that is going to happen - That small piece of ivory is going to SPIN
wicked fast - thus making a perfect circle each & every time. As you can easily notice - it is very easy to sand the
skin right off your knuckle if you slip!! Pay close attention always when working with this tool.
Notice: what is wrong in this photo above? template and brush do not belong in this area. they should have been hung
up in the proper place.
Slices - slices - slices PREFAB lots & lots of slices - What ever you can get ready (early) pre-fabricate (slices -
pieces - shapes etc.) Get everything ready to make lots of ear-rings and or bracelet pieces.
Polishing pieces is something of a knack to acquire. Much will be said about that later.
We will teach you two different methods.
POLISHING SUPPLIES:
Shor International has everything you need in many different areas or departments.
Polishing compound: Fabuluster & Blue Magik (http://www.shorinternational.com/PolishCompounds.php)
Burr bits in carbide & diamond
polishing wheels and felts
and so much more.
OTHER LINKS:
BOXES
COLORED CORDS & MISC.
BRACELET CORD(s).
1/16" white & black (elastic shock cord).
1.Cut a slice of Ivory
2.Sand each side smooth - using the lowest grit #
3. Draw the shape on the piece of IVORY SLICE
4. Cut out the shape and sand/file excess Ivory off till you reach the finished shape size.
5. Repeat steps 1-4 until you have at least sixteen pieces of the same finished shape to work with.
6. Wait for me to post more photographs & more detailed information to finish the simple process of making ear-rings
that match your bracelet pieces.
Be Safe & have fun!!
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SIMPLE is easy to understand & comprehend - I LIKE SIMPLE !
Simple shapes to create templates: Starting top row far right =
Top row far right = shape of an eskimo ulu knife. These ear-rings sell like hot-cakes. They are made using two different materials - One for the shape of the blade and the other contrasting material for the handle.
Most of these shapes are easily recognized; Make templates: keep them (colored or marked in some manner)and create new ones of other shapes you decide to use. The shape with the T is our master template for what we call "short & stubby" bracelet pieces. Look at that shape - can you recognize it ?? Turn it on its side 90 degrees and you might see it (a quarter ) with the sides cut off.
PERSONALLY: I like to color the other side of the template - blue or red using a magic marker; just to make sure it is never used as a piece by mistake.
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It can grow to heights of 14 feet is the largest I have ever seen; ten foot lengths and 12 foot lengths can be quite common also. It all depends on the size of the whale.
There are approximately 300 slats on each side of the lip area of the mouth. Six hundred of them there abouts in a whales mouth!!
There are some different methods and procedures for preparing it for the many different uses that baleen has. It stinks to the Nth degree when sanding it.. ten times stronger than the smell of Ivory.
The (nice person) that sent us this Mastodon Ivory; also sent us some baleen. three pieces about a foot long. They are not thick enough for bracelet pieces but can be used to make ear-rings and insets for bracelets and many other projects (using your imagination).
Baleen is commonly also used as a stand for a doll or 'scene' type arrangement such as a hunter vs. polar bear type scene that is popular among tourists.
Baleen is much easier to obtain; and it will fetch a decent price if worked on properly such as scrimshaw drawings. Baleen baskets fetch outrageous prices and are in huge demand.
All you need to scrimshaw on balleen is a needle or sharpened nail to use to etch with.
BALEEN: Has literally thousands of uses. Believe it or not; some people have requested "reeds" for musical instruments such as saxaphone or clarinet - we make them & they actually work quite well!!
Guitar picks are very popular also !!
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1. A coping saw is about 5 bucks there abouts and extra packages of blades are about the same price so initial investment in this department is about 15 bucks.
2. A small 3" or 6' vise is chump change - $ 10 bucks there abouts not too much more than that - depends on what you want.
3. A dremel tool is about $65.00 bucks with a lot of assortment bits & pieces.
4. Sand paper is 25cents a sheet so 20 bucks will get you a good collection of all the different grits that need to be used.
5. super glue ? a few bucks for a big bottle (4oz.)
6. Ear-ring studs and hooks. 3 bucks or so for 100 of them at Black Elk leather.
7. FABULUSTER polishing compound is about 5 bux for a one pound tube.
8. Bracelet cord (elastic ) shock cord; is 25 bucks for a wholel spool of 150 yards.
9. Plastic templates of simple shapes about a buck each there abouts.
10. 1 /16" drill bits about .99 cents each - get 20 of them!!
That's about it.. for an initial investment;
NOW YOU NEED IVORY
That stuff is very expensive as in $260 bucks per pound. Here is 5 grand worth !! The last photo I posted earlier was 3k in ivory we purchased from Alaska Fur Exchange. those two small tusks at bottom of photo were one pound each - 2 of them came to just over $500 bux
Next I will post photos of all our shops we worked in: Kotz - Point Hope & 5 different shops in Barrow !!!
Simply by studying these photos you will learn a lot !! I will take the time to point out certain features of each work place we have built.
NOTICE: none of this IVORY is "white" !!!
We paid an arm & a leg for fossil ivory; when we cut this stuff open we were extremely disapointed BIG TIME. It was all bright white inside.
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NEXT STEP(s) - REMOVE the excess baleen until you have the perfect shape & size of the original template.
Sand each side and the edges; through all the different grits of sand-paper(s).<!-- google_ad_section_end --><!-- / message -->
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basically that was the question asked; and quite frankly I answered it all WRONG.
Let me try again; with a 'different' approach; What does it cost to get set up? hmmm ? That all depends on what you want to do to make $$$$
Not everyone has the skills or patience to sit there and slice ivory for hours; Some people prefer a different approach. Can you TRACE with a pencil and some paper ??? Virtually anyone can do that - even a child;
So with that in mind; this next section is meant to inspire you in a different manner; i.e. tracing! or drawing. What do you need ? ONE NAIL ! hows that for a shopping list ??? No; I am not speaking about a 'finger' nail but a nail to put a hammer to - and bang it in. That type of nail. go find one !!
SIMPLE DRAWINGS; OR - tracing !! believe it or not; Big bucks are easy to make working at home. Baleen is easy to get; and it is not very expensive.
I purchased this from Henry Koonuk for $300 bux. We always purchase a lot from Henry a.k.a 'Hanko'. He is one incredible gifted artist in many different areas. He works at home and makes outrageous money (six figures) every year. A lot of carvers - artists in many different villages this is the norm for them.
As I said in the beginning; Hundreds of people (families) are doing this in lots of villages all over the entire state of Alaska. I know natives from Pont Hope that have lived in Anchorage for 30 years. This is all they do - stay @ home - create arts & crafts and then go out and sell them EVERY DAY!! Money flows in - every single day - but you gotta do the work!!<!-- google_ad_section_end --><!-- / message -->
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The exact same steps are repeated all day long - week in - month out - year after year. SIMPLE SIMPLE SIMPLE -
A blank piece of baleen is cut out, draw the shape, cut out the shape and smooth off the excess material to match the template drawing.
Now do this same step 10 - 16 times for the required pieces to make the bracelet to the desired size.
Using a 'burr' cutting bit (diamond or carbide) trim off the excess material to the desired size. REPEAT repeat - repeat all day long. It is monotonous work, it is a no brainer that anyone can accomplish with absolutely no skills what so ever - just do the work - this is a real job!! It pays extremely well.
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Inseting another piece of material; into another is quite different and does require some skills to accomplish.
Baleen is easily 'scratched' during the process of making the pieces, Later these same pieces will be polished to a brilliant shine that resembles black glass. "It is the 'shine' that sells"
We use 3 basic shapes when making bracelets;
Short stubby (pictured above) - narrow oval - & hearts. Those are basically the only 3 shapes we work with for bracelets. Use your imagination and explore other shapes.
Sanding each piece is a no brainer. drop the piece on a piece of sandpaper and move it back & forth until the surface is very smooth. Don't worry about scratches; those will dissappear when you go through the different grits of sandpaper. When finally polished - the reflection and look of black glass will amaze you. Balleen w/fossil insets has an eye-catching contrast that jumps out,and requires further examination up close.
The process of inserting different material into the balleen or ivory is a time consuming process that requires much practice to accomplish. The steps are simple. Draw the shape of the inset, on the piece; and cut out that shape. Here are some photos that illustrate this procedure.
Begin by inserting the burr cutting bit into the center of the piece and start to cut it out. This is precise work, take your time. DO NOT go beyond the edge of the pencil marks.
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The same steps are used: draw the (shape) on the piece of ivory and cut it out and smooth it.
Each of these images are self explanatory- just look - carefully and you will see how easy it is to accomplish these steps.
The sheer repetition of these simple steps - daily - weekly - monthly - yearly. GUARANTEESS your success in mastering this simple procedure.
Money will flow like a river if you keep busy and acquire a large inventory.
I will provide you with many different places that your work can be sold.
Creating the art work (photos or jewelery) is just ONE small STEP.
LEARNING HOW TO MARKET your work - is something altogether different !
Making the sale - is an art form - many books are written on marketing or on any subject you can possibly name; Everyone has different ideas, everyone has different thoughts and what may work for somone in one area may not be true in another area. Thus diversity is the word that comes to mind.
Many tons of books are pubished on how to create photographs. BOOKS !
The process is quite simple: Aim & click = photograph!! YET PEOPLE - write entire books on this simple process. There are literally tens of thousands of authors on this simple process!!
Yes !!! there is a lot more to the process. Everyone thinks different; everyone see's things differently. There is no such thing as a sheet of paper that has only one side. We can share our ideas, thoughts & experiences to influence and guide others. Take what you deem valuable and cultivate it to your style.
Marketing your work is the goal. There are many simple ways to get people to hand you $$ without you saying one word.
Let your work do all the talking - shut up about yourself. You are in front of that person (buyer) for one pupose only - ;get the $$.
I have been doing this for a long long time (4 decades) I have learned a couple of simple basics that I am willing to share with you that apply not only to ivory but to photography as well. TIMES ARE TOUGH and going to get a lot tougher, I am merely providing you a very simple way to make major bucks @ home.
Lets do some simple math so you can get a grasp of what is waiting for you.
A bracelet from start to finish is about 4-6 hours work. (Once you have these steps down). prefab everything - you can reduce that time to two hours or less.
One bracelet a day - for a month is 30 bracelets - lets keep this simple.
30 bracelets @ 300 bux each is 9 THOUSAND dollars per month.
Eye got for sons - that do this from 7 am - 7 pm daily for 7 years !!
We purchase boxes for bracelets and ear-rings. One hundred of them in a case.
We went through 34 cases of bracelet & ear-ring boxes in 7 years in the Arctic.
We have been in Anchorage just about one year now. We are on case #2 and we have taken 10 months off from work.
Husband & wife 'team' working together can reap in 20 K in a month easily !!!
Take The Time To Think<!-- google_ad_section_end --><!-- / message -->
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A small piece of carboard is wrapped around the bracelet piece and lines are drawn as to where to drill the holes for the bracelet cord to be inserted.
Naturally these must be all the same or the bracelet will not LOCK when final assembly takes place.
We do not use rulers or take any measurements during the entire process.
Here is it obvious: The drill bit is too long, it will go right through in one shot - that is the surest way to CAUSE injury!! Only drill half way - then turn the piece over and drill from the other side.
This is perhaps the hardest step in the entire process. learning how to drill straight and follow that line !! This take a lot of practice !
Once that inset is sanded down flush with the top of the bracelet piece, the dust from the inset will mix with the super glue on the gap(s). and blend in perfectly to create a perfect inset with absolutely no visible gaps what so ever
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Husband & wife 'team' working together can reap in 20 K in a month easily !!!
Take The Time To Think
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Of course this isn't going to happen overnight - you have to put in the time;- Create - inventory - !!
And to be quite frank and honest - NO!! You will not sell your first bracelets for no $300 bucks. It depends on material - Fossil walrus ivory brings in the highest prices of all ivory. Next comes white ivory - then mastodon ivory is the cheapst - bone & antler are much lower on the price scale. Detail will fetch a much larger price. The more detail the higher the price - on anything made. Detail sells big time. It is the #1 factor in price
The very first bracelets my sons made sold for $20 bucks each @ Kotzebue Gun & Pawn shop. They were quite pathetic !! Sharp hard edges on the pieces that didn't LOCK the bracelet into the perfect circle.
As time progressed each and every day - the price went up to $40 bucks just to get some cash coming in. We sold lots and lots of those to locals, in time - we rose to $50 bucks - then to 60 for a while then we were stuck $ 80 for over a year until the boys learned to sand and polish between the pieces. the edges that are hidden, Once they did that then the price went up to 120. When people saw perfect bracelets with fossil material insets - the price was $200. That was Kotzebue. Point Hope was slightly lower in prices for the same bracelet. But in Barrow that same Bracelet would fetch $400 easily.
RECENTLY we went to Alaska Fur Exchange to purchase some ivory. We spoke with the owners. They have tons and tons of braclets of all types.
The owner pulled out a bracelet of TRIPLE HEARTS - BLUE FOSSIL IVORY. She said: This was made in Point Hope by a very large woman who sold it to us. My sons laughed and said yes Caroline Cannon I bet. The owner said - how did you know that ? Mark said - we made it and sold it to her !!
The owner said We want all you can make of this style - we will pay you top dollar for these type bracelets.
We got the exact same response from the owner over @ Carls Jewlers in the University mall.
LETS GO SHOPPING; -
This is an excercise in learning how to use your imagination in your surroundings to set up a nice working functional shop for your new job.
These images are merely used as starting points for you to consider how to set up your area neatly so you can function efficently and comfortably for long extended periods of time.
Our very first shop in Kotzebue - June of 2004. This small arctic entry way or qanichaq was only six feet wide and perhaps 12 feet long. barely any room to set up a place to work for four teenagers. We are going to learn and this is where my sons did basic training. Sit down with a dremel and some pieces of ivory. four boys on a couch. Everything they needed is right in front of them.
Very efficient use of a limited amount of space. An over abundance of all supplies such as super glue - drill bits - saw blades - polishing wheels. and burr bits and other small essentials.
For over a year & half my sons sat on this couch all day long and worked. We didn't watch tv. We worked 12 - 14 hours a day and they had a lot of fun. The best part was always when people handed you the $$. They always had the biggest smile(s) on thier faces.
IN seven years time; the best day we ever had; was out of this shop; 3k in one day. We never broke that record in the 3 years we were selling every day in Barrow.
They went from that shop to this one in Point Hope:
This is shop #2 762 Tasiq Street Point Hope Alaska 99766
You can notice; we started out with just one sucker hose to expell the dust away from the 12" disk sander. Three of those - cost well over $1,000 bucks with shipping. You can see in these photos we graduated to 3 of everything; one for each work station.
Everything we ordered we ordered in excess; such as ear-ring hooks & studs. One thousand of each hooks & studs in gold & in silver from Black Elk was 250 bucks there abouts. It didn't matter what we ran out of- we had plenty of stock on hand to make sure the JOB did not get shut down. The job is to finish one bracelet per day !!! w/matching ear-rings.
Then spend the rest of the day - prefabbing for the next days work.
We lived @ Tasiq street for almost two years then we moved to Barrow - we didn't pack all of this stuff up. We gave most of it away or sold it very cheaply to interested carvers.
Then we moved to Barrow and history was made !! These boys became legends in Barrow.
4 shops were built in Barrow. All brand new tools - the exact same stuff.<!-- google_ad_section_end --><!-- / message -->
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We arrived 7 pm - tired and hungry and flat broke. Mark walked across the street from the Airport to King Eider hotel. I waited at the air port. 20 minutes later he came out with a big smile - he sold 4 sets of ear-rings for $30 bux each. We headed straight to Pepi's !! Singing & dancing the whole way.
Our first shop in Barrow - we were guests in this home for two months. It ended up costing us a fortune ! LITERALLY. A 70 year old elder took us into his house on our second night in Barrow - he was happy to have company or guests and would only charge us 500 per month. We said sure-
Shop #1 in Barrow We took all our tools when we left - but... .. we left all the wood benches and shelving in place. The owner was dissapointed when we left and appreciated the work done to his storage room with benches and shelves.
Okakok Street in Barrow
Shop #2 in Barrow - $1000 bucks a month rent - for this one small room. Sounds outrageous eh ? nope - chump change. If I look at this situation of $1000 a month. This is ridiculous BUT - ALL THAT AMOUNTS TO. is just ONE BRACELET per week for rent. It was a very tiny price to pay considering we made 27 bracelets that sold every week!!!
We were here for four months and we were quite content at our living arrangements and then a 7 bedroom house became available to us and it was perfect for two shops. We were growing very fast -all brand new tools.
Shop #3 @ 336 oogruk street
Shop # 4 in Barrow We sure moved around a lot.
448 Egasaq Street
We used the entire kitchen area to build our shop. Sanding had to be done outside. Then we built a small sanding area in the qanichaq. (cunny chuck)
THIS IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE of how: NOT TO SET UP A SHOP.
IT is a total mess !! You will not achieve any standard of perfection working in a mess like this.
It is hard enough to keep a working area clean and neat - but this is part of the job. Neatness counts and it also shows in your work.
This is Eli Kagak. He was one of the people out on the ocean ice when those women frm the hospital got killed. "We were given bags to clean up the crushed skull fragments & brain matter scattered all over the ice.
Eli is also #1 Fossil Ivory FINDER.. in Barrow.. He sure knows how !!!
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Slicing up a small nub from the end of a piece of fossil ivory. No lines are drawn, no measurements are taken. Eye sight only. slice em up nice and neat. This requires a few hours work to finish. coping saw, dremel, vise - watch what happens here in the next day or two.
This may seem boring, and it is in a sense, but it is part of the JOB!! How bad is your urge & desire to succeed ?? Then purchase a small piece of IVORY for 50 bucks. Slice it up, take your time. There is no rush. But if you put in the necessary time and FINISH all the steps.. .. YOU WILL have a saleable product. Where to go to sell them ??
ANCHORAGE: Bingo parlors on Tudor, Northern Lights, & Fireweed. Native hospital, Go where the money is: i.e. Doctors - Lawyers - You do not have to be 'native' to produce 'native' art 'style(s)'!!
The gift shops all over Anchorage will purchase your beginning bracelets but don't expect to get more than 40 - 60 bucks. That's ok. Just bring in ten of them @ once and make 400. Its gonna take time to learn how to produce high quality bracelets, BUT IT IS easily accomplished with practice of these same simple steps.
When you make a bracelet, your doing the exact same thing 14 times.
Just how many pieces do you think it is going to take to beome an expert ?? Not very many !!!
ONE STEP AT A TIME: Learn them well.
Once you learn how to make ear-rings - Put in the time. You can easily fill a case of 100 boxes in a weeks time or less !!
That is an easy Thousand bux, in about 3 days time. Now Hustle and fill 2 cases per week. do that for just one month.
You are going to make a lot of money. Especially when AFN is going on in Anchorage or Fairbanks. It is easy to get a table and sell your crafts for big bucks. When working, take the time to think, you got plenty of time for this when doing simple tasks over and over !! This is all going to become so second nature much faster than you realize.
Once you begin to collect $$. Then the fire will be lit and you will climb very fast in making outrageous money!!
Next I have a close up of a bracelet being worked on. Well actually 3 different bracelets are being worked on now.
This heart inset bracelet will have 12 pieces. As this piece is sanded lightly through the different grits - 400 - 800 - 1600 All scratches will dissappear !! Fossil Ivory w/baleen heart inset. Placed on top of a Nickel, 5 cents
Practice makes better. I have seen children pre-teens pick this right up and make outrageous money like as in $500 bucks for 3 hours work 3 days in a row, total sales. That is unheard of.
Up here in the arctic - it is the norm !!
Although I live in Alaska. Ivory is much sought after all over the world. You will sell these in your area. Slowly and then the momentum will pick up only because of one thing. Quality craftsmanship !! Ivory is rare... for thousands of years the rich sought it out at any cost. They still do to this day. Everyone can't resist once they see that shine and touch it.
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Cutting out an area on the piece to inset another piece of IVORY takes practice. That is the only way you are going to learn this is by repetition.
Everything you are doing in making these pieces. All the different steps - are repeated again and again on every bracelet or set of ear-rings you make.
Begin the cut out by going into the center of the area of your template and create a small circle using your burr cutting bit. As you get this circle down to the proper depth ( 1/2) way into the bracelet piece. You merely widen the circle and direct your burr bit to the edges of the heart drawing you drew on this piece. be careful not to go past the line. It only takes a couple of minutes to carefully cut out this heart shape area for the heart inset to be placed inside.
As you get down to the proper depth 1/2 way or less (guess). Begin to widen the area and start to move toward the lines for a new clean shape.
It doesn't take much practice to master this - Keep in mind; for each bracelet you do the exact same simple steps a dozen times or more. It is only going to take you a couple / few bracelets to begin to get really good at this. The better you get; the higher the prices are that you will COMMAND!
Women fight over these bracelets and always offer more money. It happens all too often in every village, and even today here in Anchorage @ the Native Hospital.
Lots more beautiful stuff coming up ... ... You can do this - really !!!
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that is the only way to drive the point home. YOu do the same exact things. So I will post the exact same photos using other pieces of ivory to illustrate the point.
We purchased 3 new small pieces of fossil ivory from Alaska Fur Exchange again on Friday of this week April the oneth
Each of my sons - made slices - and began on new bracelets # 4, 5 & 6 for this week.
Jesse got his hands on this piece last. Here is what he did with it. The tusk was divided into thirds. No pencil marks - no measurements - no lines. Just begin to saw STRAIGHT.
This is what WE DO - with every piece of IVORY we get. Slice it up!
OTHER PEOPLE - do different things - such as: ''block' it out to create the shape of an animal.
The slice on the far left, is what is pictured below (finished).
This small piece will be used for making an inset shape. i.e. oval - circle or heart. Those are the main three simple shapes we work with.
Two other small pieces we picked up.
Not quite what we hoped for. (the patterns inside). You just never know what the inside is going to look like. Until you slice it open.
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As low as $100 buck for plain white ivory w/ no detail.
"If you want to capture her heart - give her hearts - so she will think of you all day.!"
ALL OF OUR BRACELETS carry a 100% lifetime unconditional guarantee !
We are the only carvers that make this claim; If anything happens to your investment - return it and we will fix it for free - no quesitons asked.
Yes we have had quite a few bracelets returned to us in Barrow - Pt. Hope & in Kotz and we fix them all and return them to very happy satisfied customers!!
We sell hundreds of these.. They go very quickly - especially when provided with matching ear-rings.
We also do something else that no carvers in any village do.
We provide a package for our work. It is convient for the customer. but to buy other small stuff and things and just put them in the customers hand just doesn't seem right. And many artists loose lots of sales by not providing this convienent feature.
Would you hand someone a photograph and just say here? Nope. but by provding something to store or carry it in; will increase sales big time!!
STRINGING UP A BRACELET
This is a simple step with 4 different methods of accomplishing the same thing.
We left Kotzebue end of 05. We were there for a year and a half. We could not take the heat & humidity during the summer months. TOO DAMN HOT. But that wasn't our main reason for wanting to leave. We had to leave, out of necessity. We could no longer purchase Ivory from the NorthWest Arctic Borough. The manager of the Gift shop was busted for selling RAW WHITE WALRUS IVORY to white people. (His friends) All sales of white raw walrus ivory was stopped.
We can't function without a source of Ivory so we moved back to Pt. Hope. There is no walrus hunting in Kotzebue but plenty of mastodon to find all over the place. Jan 06
Vica Owens: An extremely gifted brilliant RUSSIAN Ivory carver was prevented from working on White Raw Walrus Ivory even though she was married to an Inupiaq Native. Her work is stunning and exquisite.
She was making @ that time over 10k per week easily !! All she would do is scrimshaw arctic animals in colors in the white tusk. These arctic animals would be holding eskimo skin drums and dancing eskimo dance poses.
She is without any doubt the absolute best Inupiaq dancer (performing) the squiirrel dance I have ever seen. She is magnificent and very gifted in many different ways.
She recently asked that we send some of our crafts to her in Kotzebue as she now runs the gift shop in Kotz.
You can see the hole on the back of one piece. This is where the two pieces are tied into a simple knot. super glued. FINSHED bracelet after it is polished. We quit using this method. HIding the knots with a plug or dust was much better and presented more of a professional approach. But the best method is to hide the knots !! inside of one piece. NO one can ever figure out how we put the bracelet together !!
FOSSIL IVORY cross cut sections; This is what people pay big bucks for. Gorgeous colors & patterns.
Black fossil is the oldest of all fossil ivories. They say it takes 10,000 years to turn Ivory black.
Blue fossil is the rarest and commands the largest price for any of the fossil color(s).
Have you ever watched (any) professional do a certain skilled task ?? They always make it look so easy. That is only because they have done this same step many thousands of times.
The first time you attempt to take a simple shape out of a piece of ivory or baleen, you will not get perfection on your first attempt.
FIRST you have to get a 'feel' for using that tool. That only comes through experience.
Do not be discouraged. ANYONE can do this with just a little bit of practice !!
We have taught many children - THEY ALL BECAME experts in no time at all - so will you - if you put in the time !!
This is our newest bracelet just finished today.
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3 more bracelets will be finished today and sold tommorrow @ the Native hospital.
We began carving (seriously) on April 1st of this year.
I want you to notice the change(s) that have occured in this room in the last two days.
By the end of this month you will notice a brand new professional shop with all brand new tools costing many thousands of dollars !!
Wait - watch - read - look and LEARN !!
APRIL 1ST
APRIL 2ND
APRIL 3RD
When I show you this room @ the end of this month - YOU WON'T BELIEVE IT !! I already know what is going to happen based on 7 years experience. These bracelets sell like hotcakes !!<!-- google_ad_section_end --><!-- / message -->
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OUR GOAL: 3 BRACELETS PER DAY; one from each of my 3 sons daily. Isaiah is still in Point Hope. We expect him down here soon.
3 bracelets per day; that I will be happy to sell @ 200 each. = 18,000 in one months time. I can easily get 300 for each bracelet but we are not one bit greedy.
It is my hopes that by showing you precisely what we generate for income (honestly). That you might be inspired to begin to pick up a very lucrative trade and skill that is in much demand all over this entire state.
New bracelets: for today.
Notice the scratches in the baleen - this hasn't been sanded and polished yet.
This is a 12 piece bracelet; the angle was 9 degrees for this particular style.
Notice how easy it is to string up a bracelet (there are many different ways to do this. (easiest method) take a 1 foot piece of bracelet cord and double it. push each end up one piece and add another piece. when finished you have two ends in your hand that are four inches long. the loop end is tight. pull on it for two inches now cut it. you have two ends with two inches on each end. Tie the knots and pull them as tight as you can. Next flood them with a light coat of super glue and let dry. Cut the excess from each end. Place the knots inside the two large holes that are made larger using burr bit.
You can see some of the scratches in the baleen. It is the shine that sells; Make the baleen look like black glass.
I will post the finished polished braclet(s) in the next post. Thanks for your interest and taking the time to comment !! I promise not to dissapoint you. My goal is to inspire you to begin slicing ivory!!!
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Here it is; as it fell apart when we started to cut through the core. Mastodon is famous for this trait. It is so old & flakey. but it has a gorgeous natural criss-cross pattern.
None of this will go to waste. Everything will be used as insets - dots - or dust. With anytype of ivory - nothing is ever thrown away or discarded. Dust is valuable. In China they save all dust. fill a tube with super glue & add the Ivory dust and create a new tusk out of just the dust !!
Another new bracelet in the works. We should have a total of 5 of them today (Monday) April 4th. Mark is headed straight over to the Native Hospital & we shall see what happens today in sales.
Believe it or not - it will not take you very long to master this techinque. By the 3rd attempt you should be getting very close to perfect and PERFECT is close enough for me!!
The final end cuts from a piece of fossil ivory.
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It is as simple as that. Let your fingers do the walking, Then your ears will hear the talking !!
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These are the pieces that were pictured earlier all four pieces ready to slice off. This is what Jesse is going to use to make his next bracelet.
Another recent purchase from Alaska Fur Exchange. E-mail these people. Tell them how much you want to spend. They will send you photos of several pieces in your price range. Invest a small amount of money and buy a small inexpensive piece @ about 50 bucks. Do the simple steps and you will make back $500 bucks. It is always ten times the invested amount in profit(s).
We like to use very large pieces of ivory to work with. You can do so much more - for a much longer period of time.
Different styles of black & White braclets.
The interesting contrast is what makes these bracelets so popular
Vica Owens of NorthWest Arctic Borough says this is their #1 request for bracelets when tourists arrive every spring. she says they can't have enough of these on hand. You can sell your stuff through this place on consignment. Many times she will just pay you outright that afternoon.
Here is a finished bracelet recently put together as a finished product.
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This bracelet needs circles (ivory) and then baleen hearts inset into the black blank baleen pieces. It is all ready to drill for the bracelet cord after the inlays are placed in carefully.
Blue Magick is the only substance that is capable of getting scratches out of titanium. It is very expensive but what a shine it puts on Ivory. It is a blue liquid that smells and acts just like an old product for automobiles called "Blue Coral'. Did you know ?? Some baleen carvers use toothpaste to polish baleen with !!! Many carvers in barrow do not even polish their baleen when they display their works for sale.
More techniques and another bracelet is finished.
The ends are tied very tightly - the knots have super glue applied to them. The excess cord is cut off. The knot is pushed into the larger hole on the bracelet piece. Using a sharp object push the knot into the hole. If you try to pull that knot in - the bracelet piece will break. PUSH !! GENTLY. do not force it.
There are many different types of polishing compound available.
We have always used Fabu-Luster! We have no complaints. We make sure to keep plenty of it on hand. I will purchase a case shortly and give each of the boys six one pound tubes. That will last them a couple of years. I always try and stay stocked up on all supplies far in advance of when they will need them.
it is very obvious THIS BRACELET was never wiped down with alcohol to remove excess polish (white mark(s).).
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Mark is currently @ the Native Hospital in attempts to sell the 3 bracelets we finished this weekend.
Hand sanding each piece takes a few minutes time. To make the insets flush with the top of the bracelet.
Jesse is in the process of adding his insets to his bracelet.
each will be posted here as soon as they are finished!!
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POLISHING THE BRACLET
This is a lot simpler than you may think. The photos are self explanatory.
First start your dremel and dip the felt wheel into the Polishing compound.
Pick up some compound on the felt and go to work.
Polish front - back - or top & bottom - and ALL EDGES.
Work out a method that is easy for you. The more you do this, the easier it will become. Each step is always repeated a dozen times or more for one bracelet. It only takes 3 or 4 bracelets for you to become very proficient at this JOB. ALL the many different children we trained over the years; All got the same results - they were making insets by their 4th or 5th bracelet. PRACTICE and I bet you can do it on your 2nd or 3rd.
PICK UP A SCRAP. draw a simple shape and try to cut it out.
We still break saw blades, we still screw up pieces every now and again. We still make lots of mistakes (at times). But we can push out inventory consistently & with outstanding quality. So can you.
The boys do the face first. The top
Then the sides
Then the edges where the string is. just put it out of the way. don't worry about it. just jam that felt and move the cord back and forth to get the inside edge as brilliant as the top and edges. THIS IS A MUST!!
When the bracelet or ear-rings are finally polished to a brilliant shine (it is the shine that sells). THEN .. take tissue and rubbing alcohol and clean off the entire bracelet. REMOVE ALL YOUR OIL from your skin that will dull the shine as soon as you touch any of the pieces.
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The more you do these same steps.. .. the easier it gets.
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Yesterday we sold two bracelets @ The Native Hospital and we have one more sold there today. 3 bracelets are left over and two more shall be finished today.
The gift shop @ the native hospital doesn't want bracelets with any insets - simple but elegant were the words used. The bracelet in front center was just finished by Khris late last night.
Today the boys are going to make 3 plain bracelets - to see if we can sell them to the Gift Shop @ the Native Hospital - Tudor Bingo & Northern Lights Bingo are also on our list today. First they make the bracelets (4 hours work each). Then we get out and hustle to make the $$. We let the bracelets do all the talking. Every bracelet has a lifetime guarantee. We fix anything wrong for free - no questions asked. If a piece cracks or an inset pops out. Our service(s) are prompt & quickly resolved.
Once a bracelet is finished today - then the rest of the time in the shop will be devoted to prefabbing for the next day - so they can finish their days work early and get out and make sales then back to the shop to prefab for the next day. We have our routine down pat. This is all we did every single day for 7 years.
Many thousands of dollars per week - is very easy to make. But it is not going to happen in your life THIS WEEK. But as you create inventory and learn how to market your work - THAT DAY will quicky arrive when you also will make outrageous money. Just by doing these same simple steps day in and day out. Treat this like a real job. I guarantee you SUCCESS!!
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I guess I better get back to posting images of the arctic.
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