Miles of Alaska Raw materials Info

Read my bio for more information -bio select a type of raw to buy from dropdown menu above

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I sell a lot of fossil mammoth ivory to knife makers. Here is the direct link to knife scales 

fossil mammoth ivory  knife scales 

I specialize in Alaska materials. I find most myself along interior Alaska rivers.

Wood wood is local material I find when searching for firewood . This will be already dead from log jams or fire killed. Birch Alder, poplar, diamond willow. Some wood I stabilize and or dye. There is wood I offer that might be too soft for most purposes without treating, but some is 'as is.' My biggest market is knife makers seeking handles, but sell to pen turners, jewelry box makers and decoy carvers.
​Stone raw stones will be from river sandbars, usually jade, agate, jasper, conglomerates. I find, cut polish myself.  I specialize in natural shapes,  double sides so reversible so can be wire wrapped.
​Metals are usually bronze or copper. Bronze from old barge propellers off the Yukon River. Copper from 1920 water pipes in Nenana. White bronze, sterling silver I have to order. Sometimes I use gold from local prospectors.
Fossils fossils  I find myself from land with mineral rights like Native land, patent mines or old homesteads. Most areas I go  have been carbon dated about the same age between 40,000 and 50,000 years old
Knife blade blanks  blank blades I hand draw and cut each one so no two are alike. I prefer either 1085 high carbon or D2 stainless steels. Sometimes old crosscut saws are used which is L6, but this rusts very easily. I harden and doublre temper, usually just edge harden so the blade is tough. I cryo deep cold treat all steel. I test each blade and minimum standard is 250 strokes on brass rod. Most factory blades, buck Gerber rate about 50 in this test. 20 pounds of tock and 20 degrees of flex is my standard.
​Tucson Arizona. I have been doing the big gem fossil show in Tucson for over 20 years. I have a lot of connections for cut gem stones amber fossils 'things from the land. If I do not find material myself I trade del with local natives , friends and had select all I use or sell. Nothing is ordered by mail, or acquired site unseen.