Shell/MOP inserts

Mr. Chooch · Post by **Mr. Chooch** » Mon Jun 14, 2004 8:53 pm

Living on the West Coast, shells are in abundance. The question I have is, the shell doesn't come to you flat and beautiful. Yes they are brittle and toxic and difficult to work with. How do you get them to a nice flat piece? Is there any type of liquid that will soften them up so that you can flatten them easier?

Love to hear some suggestions!

Thanks

Pushbutton · Post by **Pushbutton** » Mon Jun 14, 2004 10:29 pm

Well I don't know what Bill would say but Madge would say palmolive dish washer soap. Your soaking in it right now.

PB

yavcon · Post by **yavcon** » Tue Jun 15, 2004 12:17 am

I use lot's of shell in the guitars I build.
I usually purchase mother of pearl or abalone in flat sheets or strips. There is also a product called "abalam" which is a veneer of very colorful peices laminated together like plywood. Much easier to work with. It's also much more avalible and cost less.
Sorry about the size of these...I cant resize in this forum?

mr_edge · Post by **mr_edge** » Tue Jun 15, 2004 2:29 am

Is that a guitar you built or a BC Rich? Really cool looking!

Pushbutton · Post by **Pushbutton** » Tue Jun 15, 2004 2:30 am

Yavcon
Your good at what you do.
PB

Post by **tr4252** » Tue Jun 15, 2004 4:33 am

Yavcon,

Beautiful work, show more.

TR

mrbigg · Post by **mrbigg** » Tue Jun 15, 2004 7:50 am

mr.chooch - are you the same mr.chooch who sells on ebay?

yavcon · Post by **yavcon** » Tue Jun 15, 2004 10:00 am

Thanks for the kind words.
Mr Edge, they are mine, but with lot's of inspiration from BC Rich.
I started Yavcon guitars because I couldnt find anyone to do what I wanted (the exotic woods and laminations).
I produced 10 guitars under the name Yavcon, then merged with a larger more reputable company (Neal Mosers MCS)
Now I only do contract work for him. Also three of my shapes are still avalible as MCS guitars.
I couldnt fetch a high enough price to keep building.
The ten I built are archived in a small site here..
http://yavcon0.tripod.com/gallery/index.html
There are two "custom" guitars. #4 and #7. Both were concepts of the customer. One with a fretboard inlay that I took a lot of heat for...the other with three glowing sixes in the style of old violin F-holes. I took lots of flack for that one too. I didnt care if I was building a guitar for God, the Devil, or Santa Claus, as long as they knew good ol Ben Franklin!

Looking back though,.....well....hindsite is always 20/20.

daddyloko · Post by **daddyloko** » Tue Jun 15, 2004 2:10 pm

yavcon, that's some real beautiful work you do. Makes me wonder the stuff you could do if you were to start building custom knives.

Post by **tr4252** » Tue Jun 15, 2004 3:56 pm

Yavcon & Abe,

I was just thinking the same thing myself. Looked at your stuff, gorgeous.

TR

Post by **Bill DeShivs** » Tue Jun 15, 2004 11:03 pm

Shell cannot be softened. It must be cut to shape. Shell is very dangerous to grind-the dust is both abrasive and toxic.
Bill

Pushbutton · Post by **Pushbutton** » Tue Jun 15, 2004 11:33 pm

Bill
I haven't seen Marge in years. Do you think thats what killed her?

PB

yavcon · Post by **yavcon** » Wed Jun 16, 2004 12:30 am

abe suarez wrote:yavcon, that's some real beautiful work you do. Makes me wonder the stuff you could do if you were to start building custom knives.

Thanks for the support, you know I gave knife building a thought, but figured it was too dificult. I learned how to build guitars by taking one apart, but wood is easy to cut. Metal work needs special tools. I have no metal knowledge or experience. If I were to do anything, it would be a swinguard leverlock. Man, do I love leverlocks. I have a Hubertus Guardian (which to the best of my knowledge is the only production lev with a swing?) but you need to press the button hard for it to open. About 10% of the time, I dont press the lever hard enough and it mis-fires. Who the hell wants a knife that doesnt open 100% of the time it is fired? Anyway. I figured if there is a place that could make the parts for me (in say a quantity of a hundred or so) I would love to get into building them. I could have the metal parts made, and could throw some artistic vision into the design and scales. The thing with guitars, is by the time I buy enough exotic figured wood to build one, I'm in the hole about $500 already. Thats doesnt include the hardware, paint, case, labor.....I needed to sell them for thousands of dollars to recover. With a knife, one only needs a hundred dollars or so to buy the product...BIG diference. I might look into doing something. Anyone know a good place to get started? Parts, blades, books, websites, ?
I suppose I should buy a few to take apart. hehehe.

JAGMAN · Post by **JAGMAN** » Wed Jun 16, 2004 1:58 am

Hi there Yavcon, beautiful work on the guitars!!!
Its sound like a mikov knife would be a perfect knife for you to start, as it is available in kit form and is a lever, and scales are big for some nice inlay work

Check em out, they are cool knives.
Jagman

mr_edge · Post by **mr_edge** » Wed Jun 16, 2004 2:13 am

Thanx for posting the site...the guitars are amazing!