Water Buffalo Horn

Walt2

Walt2

Well-Known Member
A customer brought me a set of water buffalo horn scales that he wants me to put on a blade that I ground for him. I know about temperature when using this stuff, but one of these peices is warped a little and if I have to grind it flat, it will then be odd shaped. The scales are 3/16" thick. Is there a practical way to get this stuff flattened out?
Thanks for any info.
 
Forgive me for being brutally honest but the best thing to do with that stuff is throw it in the trash. It is very unstable and when finished properly it is so slick you can barely hold on to it especially on a skinner. Just my opinion.
 
You got that right brother !!! And as well if you are using metal bolsters, you are going to find it very difficult to finish them and the buffalo horn to the same hight. Frank
 
Just to throw in my own 2 cents, I personally enjoy working with buffalo horn, and have not found it difficult to finish with bolsters. The only thing I dislike about it is the smell while grinding it down.
Sorry Walt, I don't know how to flatten it. You could just buy some more of it since it's pretty inexpensive.
 
I did scales with it once. They delaminated round the holes that I drilled with forsner bits for insets to glue decorative washers in. I don't know if I tried to drill to fast or what. I installed cuttler's rivets over the washers to give an "eye" effect, something like Hudson Bay trade knife handles. They are very slick. I think from here on I'll restrict it's use to spacers.

As far as the warping goes, you can boil the scales until it is soft and clanp it between two flat metal plates or something else that is thick enough not to warp the clamps are tightened down.

Doug Lester
 
I actually like working with it but since I've had it shrink and crack before I tend to steer clear of it. I will only use it under certain circumstances and I warn the customer of the possibility of it doing silly things. I wish it could be stabilized but I've been told it cant be.

If you cant get that piece to work and he wants the same look without the shrinkage and warp problems he can go with black paper Micarta. It has almost the same look and feel. I have mentioned that to some of my customers and after seeing it they usually go that route unless they want buffalo horn with the streaks in it.
 
I have been using it for 20 years and love it, I have used it for spacers,bolsters and scales as well as full handles on stick tangs.Several things that I have found over the years is that is must sit quite awhile to stabilize, anything freshly purchased may move or crack.I usually like to keep some on hand so I can rotate my stock.Also you must use fresh belts and NOT get it hot.Most of what I use it for these days is spacers but that is just chaning styles and trends.For scales, use I only do screw on scales, pins don't work well unless peened and then you will probably start cracks.I have never tried straightening them but have heard boiling then flattening in a vise will work, but you will of course have a long drying time to deal with.If they are already warped and too thin to grind flat, then I would say no and save the pieces for spacers.Dave
 
bjohnson. Would you pass along to me your meathod of working the buffalo horn when it's against metal? Thanks Frank.
 
Frank Niro said:
bjohnson. Would you pass along to me your meathod of working the buffalo horn when it's against metal? Thanks Frank.
Click to expand...

When working with buffalo horn against metal, I have had success shaping the bolsters first and then grinding the horn down to the metal. Then I hand sand using a piece of leather as a backing, and then buff lightly. With corby rivets, I grind them down with a coarse belt to keep the heat down, and then hand sand using the same method.

I haven't had problems using belts, but I have seen it burn when buffed too hard.
 
I for one love the stuff, but as said above, I let it lay in my shop at least 6 months before using it, I have had one handle warp up at one end, and it was put on as soon as I got it in the mail. Also if it is warped bad now I would be afraid to straighten it in fear of it just repeating the warp as it dried again, another thing I have noticed while letting it set around the shop, is alot of times the scales will come to me really nice and straight, but in a few months it has more warp, from drying. It would be best to buy the 3/8" scales and let dry out good, then sand them flat, taking care not to get it hot, as that will cause some warpage. As far as being slick, I don't see that it is any slicker than stabilized wood if it is polished to a high shine, even G10 is slick when sanded to a high grit and buffed. Just my 2 cents.
Dale
 
Thanks for the replies. I have convinced the customer to go with some other material.
 
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