Imitation of ivory in two ways. Imitation ivory An alternative to ivory what to make

Here are some ways to simulate Ivory.

  • One of the old methods of obtaining artificial ivory is the following.

    According to this method, 8 wt. hours of bleached white shellac are dissolved in 32 wt. hours of ammonia (sp. w. 0.995, which corresponds to 14% content of ammonia gas). The dissolution of shellac is carried out at a temperature of 35 to 40 ° with constant shaking in a closed vessel. After 5 hours, the solution is usually ready and is a syrup-like liquid. When shellac is completely dissolved, 40 wt. including zinc oxide (zinc white). The mixture must be well mixed to obtain a completely homogeneous mass. Mixing for a more perfect softening can also be done in a paint grinder.

    Next, you need to remove ammonia from the mixture, which has already served its purpose. This is done by heating the mass. The mixture is then dried in air on glass sheets. After drying, the mass can be molded. To obtain a product of higher quality, the dried mass is ground into powder in a completely dry mill and the crushed mass is pressed. The pressure in the molds is usually maintained at about 160 kg per 1 cm 2 at a temperature of 125-128°. If you want to get objects painted in different tones, then dyes are added either to zinc white, or when grinding the dry mass.

  • When melting borax with the addition of a solution of potash, aniline dye and lithopone, a mass can be obtained, which with zinc white gives a product that imitates ivory. The composition of the mixture is as follows: Boers 40 wt. h. potasha 20 wt. h Lithopona 75 wt. h Zinc white 18 wt. h asbestos 12 wt. h Lithopone is a mineral paint, which in its composition is a mixture of zinc sulfide with barium sulfide salt.

    Depending on the desired shade, add the appropriate amount of coloring matter.

  • Raw materials for obtaining this mass in another way are glue, alabaster and cellulose. For casting, metal molds are mainly used, since they convey details in more detail than molds made from other materials. Various decorations, inlays for furniture, covers for albums, etc. are made from this mass. In appearance, the mass is completely similar to natural ivory.

    The preparation method is as follows: prepare the following solutions beforehand:

    Adhesive solution
    Allow to swell 100 g good quality light glue in 1 liter of clean well water, dissolve with low heat and filter through the canvas.

    Cellulose Blend
    50 g of well-bleached pulp (wood pulp - cellulose board - paper pulp) is kneaded with 3.5 liters of water until a homogeneous fibrous porridge is obtained.

    alum solution
    Dissolve 50 g of alum in 1 liter hot water. The solution must be lukewarm, as if it is cooled too much, alum crystals may precipitate.

    In a large pottery, 75% of the adhesive solution and 200 g of the cellulose mixture are mixed with the addition of 200 g of clean well water. To the resulting mixture is added 250 g of the purest possible, previously sifted through a sieve of alabaster gypsum. The mixture is thoroughly mixed until the gypsum is completely quenched and a homogeneous mixture is obtained. Then 200 g of alum solution is poured and again everything is well mixed.

    The mass obtained in this way is poured into open molds, previously lightly lubricated with some kind of oil. In order for the mass to be evenly distributed, and there were no air bubbles, the mold must be shaken, after which it is left alone until the mass begins to thicken. At this moment, a piece of linen cloth is placed on the mold, and then a wooden or metal plate is placed on the cloth of the appropriate size. This plate serves as a lid for the mold. Next, they are pressed under pressure. The pressure-separated water drains fairly clean. The addition of alum gives the mass the ability to quickly harden and, moreover, holds back the adhesive in the mass so that only pure water flows down during slow timely pressing. After pressing, the mold is left to stand for at least 15 minutes, after which the molded object is knocked out with a wooden mallet.

    The molded objects are placed for a short time in hot water to wash off the grease that has stuck to the oiled molds. Then the molded objects are dried in drying ovens and finally placed in a hot solution composed of different parts wax and stearin. Objects soaked through with this solution are cooled and brushed with a soft brush with gypsum powder until a sufficient ivory sheen is obtained. To give ivory a more yellow hue, glue, alum and cellulose are taken in slightly different proportions.

  • This imitation has the hardness and brilliance of celluloid, favorably differing from the latter in its incombustibility. It is prepared in the following way.

    Dissolve 200 g of casein and 50 g of ammonia in 400 g of water (also use a solution of albumin in 400 g of water). To the solution is added a mixture of: Quicklime 240 g Acetic aluminum salt 150 g alum 50 g calcium sulphate salt 1200 g Oils (drying) 100 g (oil should be added to the mixture last) For dark objects, tannin from 75 to 100 g is taken instead of acetic aluminum salt. These compositions should be mixed well to form a uniform paste, which is rolled and thus plates of the desired thickness are obtained. These plates are either dried and stamped in metal molds that are preheated, or they are ground into a very fine powder, which is then poured into molds and subjected to strong compression.

    When the items are made, they are immersed in a bath consisting of: Water 100 wt. h. white glue 6 wt. h. Phosphoric acid 10 wt. h. Then they are dried, polished and varnished with shellac.

    Imitation glue paste ivory

    Billiard balls. Soak during the day 80 wt. hours of carpentry (bone) glue and 10 wt. hours of Cologne glue in 120 wt. hours of water. Then heated in a water bath until the glue dissolves and lumps disappear, after which a mixture of 5 wt. hours of powdered heavy spar and 4 wt. h. chalk. Mix thoroughly and add 1 wt. hours boiled linseed oil.

    Preparation of billiard balls from this mass is as follows. A wooden ball of appropriate size is immersed in the mass for a while, then the adhesive layer adhering to the ball is dried, then again immersed in the mass, dried, etc., until the ball is 1/5 larger than it should be in the future. Next, the ball is left to dry for at least 3 months, then it is turned and immersed for an hour in a solution of aluminum acetate salt. A solution of acetic aluminum salt can be obtained by mixing solutions of acetic lead salt (lead sugar) and a solution of aluminum sulphide salt (aluminum sulphate). In this case, a precipitate of lead sulphide salt precipitates. The filtered solution will be the aluminum acetate solution. After immersion in the solution, the ball is dried again. Then it is sanded again and left for 1 hour in a formaldehyde solution, then dried again and finally polished, as is practiced with real ivory.

  • 1. Imitation of ivory according to Giatt. First, a solution is prepared from 8 bleached pure white shellac and 32 ammonia (0.995 specific weight), for which both components are constantly shaken for 5 hours. in a rotating cylinder; the temperature should be kept at 37.5° if possible. After this time, complete dissolution occurs, and the solution has the consistency of a liquid syrup. To this solution is added 40% zinc oxide of good quality, and mixed by hand as best as possible. The mixture is placed in a paint grinder and milled. Ammonia water, which has already fulfilled its purpose, is best evaporated by heating. The mixture is dried on glass boards in the air.

    After volatilization of ammonia, only zinc oxide and shellac remain, from which products are prepared. They are completely dried, milled again in a completely dry mill of a suitable design, and the molds are filled with the resulting fine flour.

    In molds, pressure can reach up to 160 kg per 1 cm2, and temperatures up to 125-137.5 °C. If the object is to be dyed, then the dye can be added either before the first grinding to the solution, or before the second grinding to the dry mass.

    2. Imitation of ivory according to Gefer. The binder for this mass is an ammonia solution of casein, which is prepared from 20 casein and 5 ammonia.

    To the solution is added: 42 caustic lime, 15 acetic alumina, 5 alum, 120 gypsum and 10 vegetable oil.

    Oil is added last. If they want to make dark-colored objects from the mass, then instead of acetic alumina, they take 75-100 tannins. When the mixture is well kneaded and forms a homogeneous dough, it is passed through rollers to form plates of any size and thickness. The plates are dried and pressed into pre-heated molds, or they are reduced to a very fine powder that is filled into heated molds and subjected to high pressure. Items removed from molds are placed in next bath: 100 water, 1 light wood glue and 10 phosphoric acid.

    The objects treated in this way are dried, polished and covered with a solution of white shellac.

    3. Imitation of ivory according to Garras. The mass under an ivory consists of joiner's glue, cellulose and alabaster. When casting, it is best to use metal molds, as they give sharper impressions than glue or rubber molds. all kinds of ornaments, inlays for furniture, covers for albums and similar small items are made from this mass.

    The adhesive solution is prepared from 100 g of light glue in 1 kg of water and filtered through the canvas. Cellulose slurry is prepared by pouring over 50 g of well-bleached cellulose, 3.5 kg of water and rubbing well until a uniformly thick slurry is formed. Then separately dissolve 50 g of alum in 1 kg of hot water and allow to cool to moderate heat; if the solution is allowed to cool strongly, the alum crystallizes.

    The metal mold is first carefully lubricated with a good light oil or a mixture of equal parts goose and pork fat. Then, in a large clay vessel, 75% glue solution and 200% cellulose slurry are mixed, 200% water and 250% rarely crushed alabaster, previously sifted through a hair sieve, are added. All this is rubbed until the alabaster is completely dissolved and a homogeneous mixture is formed. After that, another 200 alum solution is poured and mixed well. The resulting mass is poured with a spoon into metal molds. In order to prevent the liquid mass from pouring out, the molds are provided with iron or wooden frames enclosing a pattern or decoration. When the mass is poured, the mold is shaken for some time so that the mass is evenly distributed and there are no air bubbles; then the mold is left alone until the mass begins to thicken. At this moment, the form is applied with a wet piece of canvas, a wooden or iron board included in the frame is placed on it, which should be twice as high as the frame itself, and put under a press and pressed very carefully, and the water released under pressure pours out. The mixed alum causes a rapid hardening of the mass and does not allow the glue to stand out, so that only pure water flows down during slow uniform pressing. When the mass is sufficiently compressed, the mold is allowed to stand for another quarter of an hour, and then the cast item is knocked out with a wooden hammer. The thing taken out of the mold is immediately placed in a clean hot water bath to clean it of any fatty particles. Then the thing is dried in a drying oven, after which it is placed in a boiling bath of equal parts of wax and stearin so that it is completely soaked. In this state, things are allowed to cool completely and rubbed with a soft bristle brush and sprinkled with white talc until an ivory sheen appears.

    4. Mass for billiard balls. 90 wood glue is allowed to swell in 110 water, heated in a water bath and 5 kg of heavy spar, 4 kg of chalk and 1 kg of boiled linseed oil are added. Small sticks made of the same mass are immersed in this mass, the adhering mass is allowed to dry, immersed again, and so on until a rough-shaped ball is formed. When the balls are completely dry after 3 - 4 months, they are appropriately turned on lathe, immersed for 1 hour in a bath of acetic alumina, dried again and polished.

    5. Blood and bone mass according to Palmer. Palmer does not use pure bovine blood as a binding agent for his mass, but that component of it that remains when the blood is allowed to stand for several hours, and then the remaining liquid part is drained. The blood clot thus obtained consists of clotted fibrin, which appears dark brown in color from the presence of blood globules.

    In order to make a moldable mass out of this substance, it must be dried at room temperature to such an extent that it can be reduced to a powder. The powder is then sifted through a fine sieve and strongly pressed in heated moulds. Objects made in this way are dark brown in color and can be polished like rubber.

    The pressure to which the mass is subjected depends on the purpose of the pressed object. In some cases, when it comes to the manufacture of very stable and durable objects, such as furniture rollers, knife handles, tool handles, during pressing, which takes place at a temperature of 95 to 150 ° C, a pressure of 40 tons is applied. . Such strong pressure can only be obtained by applying a hydraulic press.

    Despite the application of strong pressure, the mass consisting of only blood is very brittle. To avoid this shortcoming, bone meal and a glue solution are added to the blood, which serves as a binding agent for the blood. The proportion ratio between blood powder and bone meal is approximately 5:1, and the glue, which should have the consistency of milk, takes a tenth of the volume of blood. By adding various coloring substances, the mass can be colored in various ways. The blood and bone mass is very suitable for the manufacture of cane heads, door handles, handles of knives, as well as for the manufacture of small items - lighters, etc. If an object made from such a mass had to lie in dampness for a long time, then it might begin to mold; but this can be easily avoided by adding 0.005 of its weight of burnt alum to the mass, and only then pressing it into molds. Alum vigorously counteracts the development of mold and rot microorganisms.

    Physicians from Imperial College London claim that they have managed to produce a bone material that is most similar in composition to real bones and has a minimal chance of rejection. New artificial bone materials actually consist of three chemical compounds at once, which simulate the work of real bone tissue cells.

    Doctors and specialists in prosthetics around the world are now developing new materials that could serve as a complete replacement for bone tissue in the human body.

    However, to date, scientists have created only bone-like materials, which have not yet been transplanted instead of real bones, albeit broken ones. The main problem of such pseudo-bone materials is that the body does not recognize them as "native" bone tissues and does not take root to them. As a result, large-scale rejection processes may begin in the body of a patient with transplanted bones, which, in the worst case scenario, may even lead to a large-scale failure in immune system and death of the patient.

    Brain prostheses.

    Brain prostheses are a very difficult, but doable task. Already today it is possible to implement human brain a special chip that will be responsible for short-term memory and spatial sensations. Such a chip will become an indispensable element for individuals suffering from neurodegenerative diseases. Brain prostheses are still being tested, but research results show that humanity has every chance of replacing parts of the brain in the future.

    artificial hands.

    Artificial hands in the 19th century were divided into "working hands" and "cosmetic hands", or luxury items.

    For a bricklayer or laborer, they were limited to imposing on the forearm or shoulder a bandage made of a leather sleeve with fittings, to which a tool corresponding to the worker's profession was attached - tongs, a ring, a hook, etc.

    Cosmetic artificial hands, depending on occupation, lifestyle, degree of education and other conditions, were more or less complex. The artificial hand could be in the form of a natural one, wearing an elegant kid glove, capable of producing fine work; write and even shuffle cards (like the famous hand of General Davydov).

    If the amputation did not reach the elbow joint, then with the help of an artificial arm it was possible to return the function of the upper limb; but if the upper arm was amputated, then the work of the hand was possible only through the medium of voluminous, very complex and demanding apparatuses.

    In addition to the latter, the artificial upper limbs consisted of two leather or metal sleeves for the upper arm and forearm, which were movably hinged above the elbow joint by means of metal splints. The hand was made of light wood and either fixed to the forearm or movable. There were springs in the joints of each finger; from the ends of the fingers go intestinal strings, which were connected behind the wrist joint and continued in the form of two stronger laces, and one, passing through the rollers through the elbow joint, was attached to the spring on the upper shoulder, while the other, also moving on the block, freely ended with an eye. If you want to keep your fingers clenched with an extended shoulder, then this eyelet is hung on a button on the upper shoulder. With voluntary flexion of the elbow joint, the fingers closed in this apparatus and completely closed if the shoulder was bent at a right angle.

    For orders artificial hands it was enough to indicate the measures of the length and volume of the stump, as well as of the healthy hand, and explain the technique of the purpose they were supposed to serve.

    Prostheses for hands should have all the necessary properties, for example, the function of closing and opening the hand, holding and releasing anything from the hands, and the prosthesis should have a look that replicates the lost limb as closely as possible. There are active and passive prosthetic hands.

    Passive only copy appearance hands, and active ones, which are divided into bioelectric and mechanical, perform much more functions. The mechanical hand replicates a real hand quite accurately, so that any amputee can relax among people, and can also pick up an object and release it. The bandage, which is attached to the shoulder girdle, sets the brush in motion.

    The bioelectric prosthesis works thanks to electrodes that read the current generated by the muscles during contraction, the signal is transmitted to the microprocessor and the prosthesis moves.

    Artificial legs.

    For a person with a physical injury lower extremities Of course, quality leg prostheses are important.

    It will depend on the level of limb amputation right choice a prosthesis that will replace and even restore many of the functions that were characteristic of the limb.

    There are prostheses for people both young and old, as well as for children, athletes, and those who, despite amputation, lead an equally active life. A high-class prosthesis consists of a foot system, knee joints, adapters made of high-class material and increased strength. Usually, when choosing a prosthesis, the closest attention is paid to future physical exercise patient and their body weight.

    With the help of a high-quality prosthesis, a person will be able to live as before, with little or no inconvenience, and even carry out repairs in the house, purchase roofing materials and do other types of strength work.

    Most often, all individual parts of the prosthesis are made from the most durable materials, for example, titanium or alloy steel.

    If a person weighs up to 75 kg, then lighter prostheses from other alloys are selected for him. There are small modules specially designed for children from 2 to 12 years old. For many people with amputations, the emergence of prosthetic and orthopedic companies that make custom-made prostheses for arms and legs, make corsets, insoles, and orthopedic devices has become a real salvation.

    The information is mainly for fishermen who make jewelry from bone and horn as an imitation of ivory. How to make an imitation of mother-of-pearl and tortoiseshell.

    imitation ivory

    8 parts by weight of white shellac are dissolved in 32 w.h. ammonia, at a temperature of 35-40 ° C (shaking). After 5 hours add 40 wt.h. zinc oxide, mixing thoroughly. The ammonia is then removed by heating. The mixture is then air-dried on glass sheets and shaped. If you want to get objects painted in different tones, then colorants must be added to zinc oxide (zinc white).

    Making billiard balls: 1 day soak 800 g of wood glue and 100 g of Cologne glue in 1.2 liters of water. Then it is heated in a water bath until the glue dissolves and lumps disappear, after which a mixture of 50 g of spar (in powder) and 40 g of chalk is added and 10 g of linseed oil are added while stirring.

    A wooden ball of appropriate size is immersed in the mass for 5 minutes, then the adhering adhesive layer is dried, the operation is repeated 3-5 times, then left to dry for 3 months. Then they grind and immerse in a solution of lead sugar and aluminum sulphate for 1 hour, dry, grind, immerse in a formaldehyde solution for 1 hour, dry and polish.

    Production of knobs, handles, etc. Dissolve in 1-1.2 l of water, 200 g of gelatin until the syrup is thick, add 500 g of kaolin, 200 g of slaked lime, 100 g of white lead. Painted and varnished.

    Button making: Joiner's glue is placed in a 10-20% solution of sulfate or acetic alumina, allowed to soak, dried, pressed and processed.

    Imitation horn

    Horn shavings and sawdust are taken, softened in a solution of boric acid, arsenic, diluted in hydrochloric acid, for 6 hours. Then washed and molded at a temperature of 120 °C.

    Making cuttings, handles, knobs, mouthpieces, etc.: A mixture of 25 g of table salt, 50 g of cream of tartar, 500 g of potash, 1 kg of lime and 3 liters of water is boiled for 30-40 minutes, then horn waste is added and boiled until a thick mass is obtained, poured into previously oiled wooden or clay molds. If necessary, the mass can be painted in any color when pouring.

    Making buttons, beads, cufflinks, etc.: Waste horns, hooves and shavings are cleaned by boiling in a soda solution, washed, placed in a cauldron and doused with a solution of potash and lime. After 2-3 days, the mass turns into a jelly, it is heated, evaporated and pressed.

    Making combs, combs, hairpins, etc.: On the plate, the horns are cut and cut out, then soaked in water for 1 hour and the teeth are filed with a small file, first on one side, then on the other. Then they grind with a woolen cloth, first with pumice, then with crushed, lime coal (rubbing along the fibers of the horn). Then it is polished with flannel, first dipped in vinegar with the addition of common salt, then rubbed with ashes, then with chalk.

    The second way to imitate a horn and make buttons, buckles and other expensive items from it

    800 g of sodium silicate are mixed with 200 g of water and wheat flour is added until a thick slurry is formed. The mass is well mixed and left to harden, then it is put into molds by adding the desired dye. Further processing, as in the previous method.

    Imitation under a turtle

    200 g of lead litharge, 100 g of lime are mixed with ammonia and a small amount of vinegar until a thick dough is obtained. Then horn products are covered with this mass and dried in the sun, after which they are polished.

    Imitation mother-of-pearl

    Products from the horn are immersed for 1-2 hours in a hot 10% catechu decoction, then in a 5% solution of lead acetate. Then it is dried a little and placed for 10-15 minutes in a 2-3% solution of hydrochloric acid. It turns out a silvery-white coating with a pearly sheen.

    Black mordant for horn

    As you know, horn products, such as combs, buttons, cufflinks, etc., are often dyed black to fake them for more expensive varieties. There are several ways to do this:

    a) Horn products are soaked in the following solution, which is prepared in the cold: 8 parts of mercury are dissolved in 8 parts of concentrated nitric acid and 32 parts of soft water. The products are left in this dressing overnight, after which they are taken out and washed with water until the washing water is no longer acidic. From this treatment, the combs turn red, and in the case of using a more concentrated solution of mercury, they turn brown. After that, the combs are transferred to a weak solution of sulfuric liver (1 g per 1 liter of water) for 1-2 hours. Combs now stained black are washed first clean water, then acidified with vinegar and finally with clean water. After that, they are dried and polished. With the help of such processing, horn products are obtained that, according to connoisseurs, are not inferior to products made from buffalo horn. Polishing painted objects should be done carefully, as the mordant does not penetrate deep enough into the horn.

    b) Horn products are placed overnight in a cold aqueous solution of lead nitrate (in a ratio of 1: 4), after which they are placed for half an hour in a 3% hydrochloric acid solution and, finally, washed with water. If the color is uneven, then the operation is repeated again. This excellent mordant significantly raises the value of horn products.
    Gray mordant for the horn.

    For coloring the horns grey colour boil it first for 15-30 minutes in a saturated solution of lead sugar, then rinse it in clean water and put it for 20-25 minutes in a solution of nitrate, mercuric oxide heated to 60 + C. This method is not suitable for combs, as the teeth suffer from cooking.

    Red mordant for horn

    To dye the horn red, the following method is recommended. The light horn is boiled for 30 minutes in a solution consisting of 20 g of safflower and 10 g of soda in 0.5 l of water, and then placed for half an hour in a weak solution of tartaric acid. Then they take it out and, having washed it, again put it into a safflower solution and then again into a solution of tartaric acid, and so on until the desired color is formed. In this way, it is easy to obtain all shades from the lightest to the darkest red. It is only necessary to remember that the wine-stone bath should always be the last one.

    Tortoise horn dressings

    If you want to give the horn products a tortoiseshell color, then the following method is used. Horn products are first treated with dilute nitric acid (1 part to 3 parts of water) at a temperature of 30-35 + C and then pickled with a mixture of 2 parts of soda, 1 part of freshly burnt lime and 1 part of lead litharge. The action of the mordant should last no more than 10-15 minutes, so that the spots on the horn turn yellow-brown. After that, having washed off the mordant from the horn, wipe it with a cloth and put it in a cold dye bath, consisting of 4 parts of mahogany broth (in 10+ according to Boma) and 1 part of sodium hydroxide solution (in 20+ according to Boma). Then the horn is removed from the bath, washed thoroughly with water and polished after 12-16 hours. Dyeing broth is prepared by boiling 0.5 kg of fernambuco tree in 4-6 liters of water. If you add tin salts to the mordant, you get a bright red hue.

    Aniline bone dressings

    Bone etching with aniline dyes is simpler than other methods, since it is carried out in a cold bath, which eliminates the possibility of cracking objects. Etching is carried out as follows: objects are placed in a basin and so much water is poured in so that they are completely covered with it. Then 2 teaspoons of vinegar and about 1 g of paint are added to the liquid, and it does not matter whether the latter is soluble in alcohol or water. For the desired shades, choose suitable aniline paints or make them up from several. Bone objects are left in the liquid for 4-8 hours and removed immediately upon reaching the desired tone density. Then they are washed with water, dried and polished with Viennese lime and soap. Alcohol varnishes and varnishes should not be used here, as they can dissolve the paint on the surface of the bone.

    If you need to paint an ivory billiard ball in two colors with parallel stripes, then it is already sanded and clamped between three thin sticks inserted vertically into a small board, covered middle lane with oil varnish and first paint one segment, immersing the ball with it together with the board in the appropriate aniline mordant. After finishing the coloring, they let it dry, and the varnish is cleaned with turpentine and painted this part in the required color, having previously covered the already finished part of the ball with oil varnish. The same is done if the ball needs to be painted on three or four sides.

    Ivory whitening

    To return yellowed ivory to its original whiteness, practice one of the following methods. Ivory is covered with a thin layer of turpentine and exposed for 3 or 4 days in the sun. Another way: ivory is immersed for a while in hydrogen peroxide, after which it is wiped dry. To speed up the whitening process, the bone is subjected to
    the action of the rays of a blue quartz electric lamp. With both methods, the bone becomes completely white.

    Coloring billiard balls

    To dye billiard balls red, they should be immersed in vinegar, in which cochineal has been soaked, and boiled in this vinegar for several minutes. Then, to give the color a thicker shade, the balls are transferred for 10-15 seconds to a very weak solution of potash. After holding the billiard balls for 6-8 hours in vinegar or alum solution, they can then be easily painted in an excellent yellow, for which it is enough to lower for some time in alum broth of saffron. Coloring in green is achieved by immersing the balls in vinegar, in which 1 part of ammonia is dissolved in 3 parts of verdigris. If these balls are then transferred to hot potash lye, they will turn blue. Finally, to dye billiard balls black, they should be soaked for several minutes in a hot decoction of logwood (blue sandalwood) and then transferred to a solution of acetic salt.

    Silver polished ivory

    Ivory items can be given a very spectacular shiny silver finish. Here is a very simple method: after finishing, the ivory product is immersed in a weak solution of silver nitrate and, as soon as it turns dark yellow, it is immersed in clean water and exposed to the sun. After about three hours, the bone completely blackens; then it is carefully rubbed with rawhide, after which the bone acquires a beautiful shiny silver polish.