Abalone Paua Natural Shell Veneer

There are several ways of cutting shell veneer, anything from craft knife to laser cutter. It depends on the tools available, your experience with them and what effect you are trying to create.

A craft knife or scalpel and a metal ruler, or something similar that is the shape you require - we recommend testing a small piece first. Do this mainly for cutting straight lines. Use on a hard surface, press down firmly on the line or position you wish to cut. Drawing the knife gently across a few times times - just use gentle pressure -, scoring the shell deeper each time until it separates. Repeat several times with increasing pressure as you cut through the shell into the adhesive backing (if it has been applied). This should give the best result.

Scissors - Must be very good quality, very sharp with tight blades. Scissors can be used to cut curves. Using masking tape on the edges may minimise any fractures to the edges. We have found scissors generally cause minute cracking along the edge, which may not be acceptable to your project, depending on intended use.

Other tool to use is a high speed fine tooth blade, e.g. router or circular saw with diamond blade.

Natural Mosaic or Natural Strip describe how the feather-thin strips of shell veneer are arranged on the sheet: in a mosaic-type form or strip-like. Natural also describes that they have had a clear coat of laquer to protect the shell veneer; it enhances their natural colouring. No colour is added to the coating process.

In our catalogue you see the amazing colours we have developed for our coated shell veneers. These get applied with the coating of the shell veneers. Note when you sand the shell veneer that you are likely to sand through the coloured coating. For an application where the final product needs to be sanded we recommend using composite veneers.

We work with a number of instrument makers around the world, who create their own shapes and designs from our shell veneers.

Our shell veneers come standard with a plain backing sheet. We offer shell veneer with a commercial peel & stick backing, that adheres to most surfaces. Shell veneer can also be glued with two-part epoxy.

On New Zealand Abalone Natural we use a UV cured acrylic gloss urethane.
Spray coated as 100% solids coating with excellent resistance to abrasion, moisture, petroleum solvents and mineral and vegetable oils, alkalis and acids. UV stable.

For all other shell types, we use Urethane Acrylic Gloss Finish. This is a unique high performance two component finish coat with excellent resistance to abrasion, moisture, petroleum solvents and mineral and vegetable oils, alkalis and acids. UV stable.

The standard thickness is 0.3mm, however because this is a natural product the thickness may vary plus or minus 0.1 mm.