Whaling in the Azores was always near the coast and the boats were only harnessed after a whale was spotted, so on the islands scrimshaw was not born on board, but on land and through the hands of craftsmen who were not necessarily whalemen. However, not many Azoreans manned American whaling vessels, which not only brought a countless number of pieces but mainly the manufacturing techniques that have been transmitted from one generation to another.
In choosing the Scrimshaw materials, it was natural that the craftsman first chose the sperm whale's ivory tooth. Only the tip of the tooth was smooth and it was necessary to prepare the rest of the rough surface by polishing it. The tooth was well soaked in salt water or hot water, often with potassium. Then a rough file was used to rub and round the surface, and finally a fine sandpaper (long made of shark skin) was used to complete the process.
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