Thread: Tortoise shell
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Old 08-10-2012, 05:48 PM
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devellis devellis is offline
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Tortoise shell was one of a few precursors to plastic. Whale bone, horn, ivory, and other organic materials are some others that come to mind. We're talking about an era when whale oil was filling the role that petroleum largely does today, by comparison. These proto-plastics (at least shell and horn) could be processed into flexible, versatile forms that could then be cut and used in a variety of ways (kind of like plastics). The disappearance of these materials in favor of plastics was not abrupt. For years as a kid, I heard people talking about horn-rim glasses and I had no idea what they were. Well, (I eventually learned) they were plastic faux-tortoise eyeglass frames but I guess they looked like earlier designs that were made from buffalo horn or other similar materials. Use of horn, tortoise shell, and other materials for the uses that were eventually taken over by plastics was so common that it had become durably engrained in the language even though its use had greatly abated. So, tortoise shell as a precursor to plastic had its origins long ago and persisted to some degree until relatively recently.

Tortoise shell picks have an excellent feel in the hand and also a warm but clear tone. But these days, there are a slew of synthetic picks that come very close to tortoise and that, in some cases, players may well prefer. I really see no reason to lust after a tortoise shell pick on its merits. I have one (or, at least I did; not sure if I still do) and it was nice and all that, but I actually prefer a good synthetic pick. So, on merit, I don't see any strong case for tortoise shell. On top of that, take into consideration the legal hassles and potential poaching of endangered critters as a means of supplying these picks, and I really see no reason at all to covet tortoise shell. Sure, folks who have used them for years may continue to do so. But if you've never used one, truly, you're not missing all that much in my judgment.
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