Shell Craft Placemats (Set of 4). An exclusive set of table placemats that will always Conch shell craft is one of the oldest folk crafts of West Bengal. The craftsmen who make conch shell products (Shankhari or Sankhakar) belong to the ancient 'Nabasakha' which is one of the so called nine craftsmen communities of Bengal. Since the conch shell has a hard surface, it does not cut easily. While today slicing is done largely by electric disc saws, the traditional method of cutting involved using a special type of semi-circular saw with a minute sharp edge called Sankher Karat. The process involves collection of raw materials, processing of the conch shell, shaping of the object with the help of tools, engraving or embossing various designs and then the polishing and completing of the product.