Abalone How Do They Do It

[Billyfish]

Abalone shell approximately eight by six inches. I see lots of stuff called mosaic abalone and you can see the joints in the surface sometimes if you look carefully. Abalone is delicate in thin layers. What is the process of making solid and mosaic types?

[Bill DeShivs]

The mollusk applies nacre in layers.
Most shells are not large or thick enough for knife handles, so the shells are broken into pieces and layered with adhesive.
Mosaic is larger pieces laid out and glued together.
The laminate that I use has a very thin layer of premium shell sandwiched between a Micarta backing and a clear acrylic over the top.

[Billyfish]

Thank you, Bill.
They do a very similar treatment with some opals.

[JulesVane]

I think people get confused when they hear the term "laminated abalone", like it meant artificial. But, I believe it refers to the protective coating genuine abalone is encased in.

[Billyfish]

I don't think I've ever seen artificial abalone, Jules; or maybe I have and wasn't aware of it being so.
There have been so many advances in acrylic/plastic materials lately.

[Bill DeShivs]

Billyfish- yes, doublets and triplets.

[JulesVane]

I don't think I've ever seen artificial abalone, Jules; or maybe I have and wasn't aware of it being so.
There have been so many advances in acrylic/plastic materials lately.

They actually have “stickers” that are supposed to look like abalone. Like a tape adhesive. But, some people think that laminated is referring to plastic abalone. But, we know it’s not.

These are printed out on vinyl stickers, and could be inlayed onto a knife handle...(to fool blind people )...

[gravknife]

Does the same apply to mother of pearl ?
I have a couple of old victorian and Edwardian fruit knives and it looks like 1 solid piece .

[JulesVane]

Does the same apply to mother of pearl ?
I have a couple of old victorian and Edwardian fruit knives and it looks like 1 solid piece .

Hi Ian, hope all is well! I have heard the term "slab" of Mother of Pearl and/or Abalone when referring to knife handles. Maybe it does exist, but in my mind, that mollusk would have to be so big it sounds like something out of a sci-fi movie . Here's a close view of an expensive Italian piece I bought that the seller called "imperfections". We can see where the protective laminate is missing and how paper thin and fragile the MOP actually is. Exposing whatever substrate beneath it that it was adhered to. I believe dark mircarta. Looking closely at abalone, these imperfections can also be seen, but mix in very well with the colors. On MOP, it sticks out like a fly in my oatmeal!

[JulesVane]

As I'm not a fan of thr prmary green color of abalone, I have quickly learned to never buy any without seeing it first. But, when the colors lean more towards the purple, pinks and blues, I find it gorgeous. I know the shells must come/grow much bigger, because I can't imagine much use coming from these little ones ...

[Bill DeShivs]

Both abalone and white mother of pearl have been traditionally used in solid form. Shells 6-8 inches in diameter are not uncommon, though quality of the pearl has gone down-probably due to over-fishing and pollution. I have several 6+ inch shells here that we use for soap dishes. They were traditionally used as caviar plates. Pistol grips were commonly made of pearl pre-1950. The large shells are expensive.

Abalone is usually dyed to accentuate the colors today.

White pearl is available as a laminated material in addition to abalone.

Today, the pearl is processed as flakes overlaid on one another and glued together in very thin sheets. These sheets are processed in China and are used in musical instrument inlays and other decorative arts. These sheets are then layered as described above- generally with a phenolic backing and a clear (sometimes tinted) Plexiglas-type acrylic lens in different thicknesses.

[jerryk25]

I knew what "cultured Pearl" was . . but I only thought of crushed pearl balls, being re-inserted into shellfish.

I never thought of laminated flat flakes . . .Makes sense though.

[Billyfish]

Billyfish- yes, doublets and triplets.

A nice opal triplet would make a beautiful switchblade button; ever done one of those Bill?

Abalone scales and an Opal button, maybe the button would be just a bit oversize; not too large though, yep.

Jules, those abalone sheets are pretty impressive looking, at least through my monitor.

[Billyfish]

When I was 17 60 years ago one of my buddies found a set of Colt Woodsman grips of real mother of pearl carved with dragons, the dragons had pearl eyes. The place was a curio shop. Well, he had a Woodsman and he snapped them right up. I'll never forget the way that pistol looked with those grips on.
Real Yakuza.

[Bill DeShivs]

I have never done an opal button, but I have used a lot of different materials.