Turtle shell picks

[bluegrassplayer]

I was wondering if it is possible to make picks out of normal turtle shell. (Sorry for the example) If I find a dead turtle on the side of the road, would the shell be hard enough to use as a pick?

Hope I'm not breaking any rules.

[Bluegrass Boy]

I don't think just any old turtle will work but by all means try it.

[glauber]

This has been discussed before. There isn't enough of the relevant material in a turtle's shell.

Plastic works better anyway. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[John Craton]

Don't know about other states, but in Indiana it is illegal to make anything out of a turtle's shell, even if it is found dead. Might want to check your local laws before pursuing this.

[mythicfish]

We used to call our teacher "Turtle".
Why?
Because he tortoise.

Curt

[Michael Lewis]

It is the sea going hawks bill turtle that the suitable material comes from. Illegal for a good reason. If you want a tortoise pick go to antique shops and look for old items that are covered with the stuff. Things like comb and brush sets, napkin rings, cigarette cases, hand bag clasps, dressing mirrors, etc. You have to be able to discern the difference between celluloid and the real thing. This is how the Duke of Pearl gets his picks.

[Bertram Henze]

I see no reason in having a hard time looking for a material which has been successfully replaced by artificial stuff that has all the good properties of tortoise shell without having the bad ones. I use the Clayton Ultems (the alleged best replacement of natural tortoise shell) and I am happy with them.

Bertram

[thiggins]

Check out those Wegen picks boys, they rock !

http://wegenpicks.com/

Wegen Picks Website (http://wegenpicks.com/)

I've gone to using a 2mm Triagular Wegen. Yes, it's thick and stiff, but the TONE
it produces is great. In general, we found the thicker Wegen you use, the better the
tone. Tortoise tends to be too "clicky" and "ticky" sounding. I don't want
to HEAR the pick when I'm playing, which is what tortoise does much of the time.

IMHO

http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

Tim

[AlanN]

Tortoise tends to be too "clicky" and "ticky" sounding. I don't want
to HEAR the pick when I'm playing, which is what tortoise does much of the time.

...I get exactly the opposite effect. YMMV.

[thiggins]

Can you clarify that?

Tim

[bradeinhorn]

i agree with thiggins in that tortoise can give a lot of "string noise". wegens are quite silent in this regard. not sure i agree on the the thickness argument though. i have played identical 1.0/1.2/1.4 wegens (two different models with each size) on the same mando in the same practice session and have had little discernible difference. i happen to like the thinner ones more, especially on guitar. I think it is a matter of preference.

also-be careful when "antiquing" for it. check state laws. i know ny requires antique dealers to get a special license before even selling old jewelry/frames/ etc. Also-when you do even that, it creates a market for it and encourages bad people to kill endangered species for profit. I think this is especially egregious when there a such good alternatives out there.

[Scotti Adams]

Nothing but Tortoise hide for me...never have had a problem with pick click. Perhaps those who are experience this have not played with a properly prepared tortoise pick. They do require periodic upkeep.

[Lane Pryce]

What Scotti and Alan said. Lp

[BluegrassWarehouse]

I have 6 old tortoise shell picks, but was looking for something that I can easily buy again if I ever lose them or they break. What I use now is a pick called Tortis made by Red Bear Trading. Their website is:

http://www.redbeartrading.com/index.html

They cost about $20, but I like this pick better than my original tortoise shell. I can't tell any difference in sound.

Lance

[dochardee]

If you like the sound of real tortoise shell, you will most likely like the Tortis picks; if you don't like tortoise, you will probably be happy with Wegen. I just got a couple of the last few remaining clown barf mondo picks from Dave at Red Bear Trading and love them.

[Tom C]

I believe hawksbill is prefered because of the thicker bone once the scales are removed.

After reading a Mandolin World News (Winter 77-78 with Bill Monroe on cover), it makes me sick thinking about it.

Some Tortoises are killed before taking shell, But most realized that these creatures would become extinct, so they would try to take the shell from the tortoise leaving the tortoise alive to grow another shell. But only a miniscule would survive. To do this they would fasten him down,
cover his back with dry leaves or grass to which they set fire. The heat causes the plates to separate at their joints. A large knife is cafully inserted horizontally
beneath them and the laminate lifted from the back. They had to do this slowly as not to damage the shell. They compare this to the removal of one's fingernails. Those who did survive and later were caught again did have their shell reproduced but instead of 13 pieces they only had 1.
Do you need one that bad?

[BluegrassWarehouse]

That's what's nice about the Tortis picks. You have the sound of real tortoise, but they are man-made from a dairy by-product.

Lance

[Jeroen]

Are hooves and horns considered a "dairy by-product", or am I supposed to believe that tortis is made of whey? http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif

[Tom C]

Whats a tortoise whey?.......drum roll

[GTison]

milk a tortoise!

[Alex Fields]

My fiddle teacher orders antique jewelry cases and stuff and cuts picks from them. I use both legal shell picks and Wegen picks--Wegens right now because none of my shell picks are thin enough to work really well on light gauge strings.