Paua Shell Purchase

[Dan]

Some of you might know about my love of inlay. I want to get some shell chips for inlaying into my wood turnings things like mother of pearl and paua. My craft calls for tiny pieces and I need help in finding what I need for a resonable price. Instead of cuting pieces to fit a gap I use tiny pieces and mix with superglue or epoxy. I then fill the depression with the mixture and eventually Sand it smooth. Is there a market for tiny paua shell chips? What is that called? is there grades like with gems? Someone with experience shell please help me.

[Billy]

Hi Dan.

 

You can buy paua shell fragments/pieces quite easily in NZ. How much do you want?

 

Billy

[Dan]

not sure how its sold seen in piece, weight, and size i need tiny pieces like 2mm

[Billy]

I have a small container of small fragments but not sure how much you want. It might not be worth sending. Could you get whole shells and break them up?

[Dan]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Paua-Shell-confetti-1000-pieces-/301394999945?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item462c8aba89

 

I had thought to buy this but I don't know realy how much it is if I had an idea of how big a bag or box it is then I would have a better idea if I want to buy it. I would end up paying 50 US dollars (60 Australian dollars) for 1000 pieces which I don't know if it's a good deal.

 

I easily break up stones for smaller pieces I don't know how easily you can break shell and still have the colors needed.

 

How many do you have and how much would you want? Also you mention it's easy to buy it, if you would be interested in buying it locally and selling it to me? If you can buy it cheaper then I can in the us it would be cool. Maybe I could buy something you can't get easily in Australia like white tail deer antler or catlinite which is a deep red stone that you can carve easily I can buy it at a local rock shop probably much cheaper then you can. It would also be fun to do a art swap trade you something I make using the shell and wood in exchange for something you carve from the stone.

[Sebastián Urresti]

Dear Dan,

Long time, no post! I`ve been away from posting but I always come around the carving path to see how things are evolving and what other carvers are doing. I just saw your post and I clicked on your link and I was able to see that this products are sold by www.pauamana.com. You can make the purchase or you can contact Malcom (that´s the name of the owner) as he is a GREAT lad. I made a purchase years ago and I still have plenty of paua to work with. As mentioned by Billy, you can purchase the shells and cut them. Malcom has different grades of shells measured by its thickness.

Contact him, send him an email and he will guide you through.

By the way, I live in Argentina (a looooong way from NZ) and got a box with everything that I order in a timely manner.

Go for it!

(I hope this help)

Best,

Sebas

[Billy]

PM me your address. I'll send you what I have in small fragments and let me know how long that sort of quantity would last. Then I may have a better idea of where to direct you to get more. I get mine from NZ. I simply ring my mum and get her to send me a few whole shells. They last me for a year or two. I don't get the fragments as I prefer to cut out from the whole shell. But I know you can buy fragments for quite cheap.

 

Sebastian has given you a good option, but if you only want tiny pieces, this option might be a bit more expensive.

 

Remember that paua shell is carcinogenic. Make sure you wear a mask at all times if you're creating dust.

 

Cheers, b