How did sailors create scrimshaw from whalebone?

Sailors created scrimshaw by carving intricate designs into bone or ivory, such as whale teeth or walrus tusks. Using simple tools like a jackknife or a sail needle, they etched various subjects—including whaling scenes, ships, and floral patterns—directly onto the surface of the material.1

Once the carving was complete, the artists emphasized their designs by rubbing black pigments, most commonly lampblack, into the grooves to make the imagery stand out. While this folk art reached its peak among American and Anglo-American whalers between 1830 and 1850, the practice of carving ivory has been a long-standing tradition among various indigenous cultures, including the Inuit and the Chukchi.12