Boar tusk question

[Voodooracer]

Hi all, I have a bit of an odd question and would like everyone’s thoughts/opinions. On a recent Nilgai hunt, I took a very nice boar that I’m having euro mounted. In the course of that hunt, I found and collected a sun bleached boar skull with an impressive set of lower tusks. My question is, I’d like to turn each of the tusks into something like individual necklaces or some piece of men’s jewelry. I’m not a huge jewelry fella, but something like that I feel would be unique to have or display. I guess the second part to that question, do you all know of anywhere to send the tusks to in order to have them made into something like that? Any thoughts/ideas are greatly appreciated!
Thanks,
Voodoo

 

[forshoes]

Thought about having them made into knife handles? Arno Bernard in South Africa does a great job and told me he would do so with any that I might take in an upcoming safari.

 

[poco]

My uncle would take his boar tusk and have replica made , for some reason they are prone to splitting if not treated or replica

 

[Sarg]

My uncle would take his boar tusk and have replica made , for some reason they are prone to splitting if not treated or replica

It is best to fill them with Paraffin or candle wax as they split & warp when they dry out, I guided on hundreds of Boars & that is what we do, I lost a huge set of my own (my largest ever) when I put them in my tent to fill when I finished the hunt, on returning I thought some one had smashed them up with a hammer, broke my heart !

 

[Voodooracer]

Very interesting and good info, thank you very much. I wouldn’t have guessed about the warping and splitting. I’ve got a block of paraffin wax for my bullet casting needs to I will definitely fill them in the meantime. I wasn’t sure if they could be clear coated with some type of epoxy for preservation? Replicas would also be a good idea. I will think on the knife handle idea @forshoes, I hadn’t really considered that option.

 

[cms62236]

Not sure if this helps but I have stabilized wild boar tusks by filling with a simple quick set 2 part epoxy. It adds vey little weight overall. After it dries you can coat the exterior with a clear coat in shiny or satin depending on your tastes. I have done 2 or three sets and they have all remained perfect. Not sure if the boars in Africa tusks are similar enough to work but thought I would throw it out there.

 

[buck wild]

If you want to make a necklace, you can fill with fiberglass resin. After it hardens, you can add a hanger into the fiberglass for attachment to a necklace etc. I have even "colored" the fiberglass blackish with temper paint then added a brass hanging attachment into the glass before it harden. Check to see if there are any hobby jewelers in your area. They might enjoy a new project. Or places like Michael's Craft or Hobby Lobby would have stuff you can use.

A real jeweler can probably made a metal end cap for them.

I have a hog and javelina tusks necklace I made. It was used in a Cherokee dance at a pow wow in Oklahoma once by a friend that has native american descent.

 

[Ngaka]

Here, in Spain, it's very common for hunters to make various jewwelry such as necklaces, bracelets or key chains with wild boar tusks. See these

 

[Ngaka]

In the first photo you can see a necklace made with the lower tusks of a male and a bracelet made with the lower tusks of a female. In the second picture, a key chain with a upper male tusk

 

[Bearskinner]

You can treat them with a wood hardner or preservative so they will be more stabilized to humidity and dryness. Here’s one option:

 

[Voodooracer]

That’s all really good info, I am going to seal them myself. I’ll be going on a pig hunt in June, so I will see how many hogs I can take, I might be able to make something similar to the picture you posted @Bearskinner !

 

[Sarg]

You can treat them with a wood hardner or preservative so they will be more stabilized to humidity and dryness. Here’s one option:

View attachment 526858

Haha, that is some else that one, isn't it on backwards ?

Warthog Grinders which are the trophy on Warthogs as not the Tusks as such, don't seem to explode as much as the actual tusks, the lower tusks on a Warthog will also crack apart, as I said I have done hundreds of both as part of my work !

I also keep a few for myself !

I also have a few Bushpig & Warthog Skulls .

 

[Hunter-Habib]

With the tusks of the first wild boar that I had ever shot (in 1988), I had them made into a handle for a bowie knife which a local blacksmith had made me from a strong piece of truck leaf spring (which is 5160 carbon steel).

 

[Sarg]

What ya using there @Hunter-Habib old Martini of some type ?

 

[Hunter-Habib]

What ya using there @Hunter-Habib old Martini of some type ?

Hi, Sarg. My assistant officer (left) was carrying a 12 gauge ( 2 3/4" chamber) W.W. Greener G.P single barrel shotgun. But he didn't shoot the wild boar. I did. I'm on the right side, holding my BRNO Model 2 in .22 Long Rifle.

And that's what I used for shooting the wild boar, in a failed attempt to use it as bait for a man eating Royal Bengal tiger. It didn't work, because tigers in the Sundarbans aren't enticed by baits.

I managed to drop the wild boar with 1 shot, but I’ll never recommend using a .22 LR against such a huge & aggressive creature (with razor sharp tusks). I only did it out of compulsion, since the sound of any larger caliber firearm might have alerted the man eater. My assistant officer was armed with the shotgun (loaded with an Eley Alphamax L.G buckshot cartridge), so that he could quickly provide a backup shot in case my shot was unsuccessful and the wild boar decided to charge. I actually assumed that I couldn’t drop the boar with the .22 LR.

I succeeded, but I’ll never shoot another wild boar again with a .22 Rimfire. Always either my 12 gauge or my 7x57mm.

You can read the story here:

My Second Man Eating Royal Bengal Tiger

Hey, gents. I’ve been throwing together a little book about my tiger hunting experiences since I’ve been told that there’s a market for this sort of thing. As many of you know, I used to be the D.F.O (Divisional Forest Officer) of the Sundarban mangrove forests from ‘81 to ‘89. After the...

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