I have a couple sets of dyed and stabilized buffalo horn scales that have warped. They were purchased from Texas knife makers supply, and have been inside my house for about three weeks. My question is, what is the best way to take the warp out. I have read about using water, but don't want to lose the dyeing. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Buffalo horn scale question
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EdCaffreyMS
"The Montana Bladesmith"
Here's the low down on any type of "horn" (NOT antler) material. It is nothing more then compressed hair (keratin), and anything that can happen to your girlfriend's or wife's hair on "a bad hair day" can happen to this type of handle material. Personally I classify horn as something best left to experienced knifemakers.
Anyway. On to your issue. I am totally against using water, boiling, or any other type of "moisture" treatment on horn handle scales. Why? Because in the end, you will only exacerbate the problem(s).
My preferred method is to grind the warp out, assuming there is enough material thickness to allow it. Now, when I say "grind"..... I mean SLOW AND EASY! Little amounts at a time. If you allow the horn to become warm to the touch while grinding out a warp..... you'll never get it out. The warp will just keep going until you run out of material. Slow speed on the grinder, NEW/sharp belts, and grind just a bit, then allow the material to cool. Patience it key.... you try to rush it too much, and everything your doing will backfire on you. Oh, and DO NOT dip it in water if it get warm to the touch!
All of that might seem like a royal pain, but it's what you sign up for when you choose to use horn for handle material. It's not a simple or easy material to use/work with. You also need to be fully aware that the material, once on a completed knife WILL move. Meaning it will shrink and expand with environment changes. How much it moves, depends on many factors, but rest assured it will.
Anyway. On to your issue. I am totally against using water, boiling, or any other type of "moisture" treatment on horn handle scales. Why? Because in the end, you will only exacerbate the problem(s).
My preferred method is to grind the warp out, assuming there is enough material thickness to allow it. Now, when I say "grind"..... I mean SLOW AND EASY! Little amounts at a time. If you allow the horn to become warm to the touch while grinding out a warp..... you'll never get it out. The warp will just keep going until you run out of material. Slow speed on the grinder, NEW/sharp belts, and grind just a bit, then allow the material to cool. Patience it key.... you try to rush it too much, and everything your doing will backfire on you. Oh, and DO NOT dip it in water if it get warm to the touch!
All of that might seem like a royal pain, but it's what you sign up for when you choose to use horn for handle material. It's not a simple or easy material to use/work with. You also need to be fully aware that the material, once on a completed knife WILL move. Meaning it will shrink and expand with environment changes. How much it moves, depends on many factors, but rest assured it will.
fitzo
Well-Known Member
They are not very stable if they warped, no? Buffalo horn always shrinks with time, stabilized or not. And then you can catch tangs, guards, etc, with your nail, three years down the line and the customer goes, "This stuff sucks. Why'd he let me buy it?" Good for earrings, jewelry trinkets, frontier-style buttons/frogs, but not on a handle.
My 20cents worth, not even worth 2. I obviously don't like the stuff.
My 20cents worth, not even worth 2. I obviously don't like the stuff.
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fitzo
Well-Known Member
PS. Please pardon my earlier rudeness, I complained but offered no solution. I believe hand sanding is the best way short of a mill. If you don't have one yet, get a piece of 1/2" (or thicker) plate glass (preferably float glass) to your size preference, say 12" square. Float glass is flattest. Have the edges lightly beveled so they won't cut you. Tape coarse, open grit paper tightly, and you have a poor man's surface plate. Don't get the scales hot. And don't get them wet again.
Good luck with it. Hope the buffalo horn works out well for you.
Good luck with it. Hope the buffalo horn works out well for you.
I’m lucky, happy, and frustrated having worked with horn for several years. We live in Mexico and there’s lots of ranchers who will sell cow horn for a buck apiece so the raw material is widely available. Of course cow horn ain’t buffalo but close. And both smell the same!
There’s a long history of craftsmen working this material which was equivalent to our modern day plastic - tough, moisture resistant, pretty, and moldable. In researching all this I found a group of Britts who have this ongoing guild, "The Worshipful Company of Horners " where there’s lots to be learned, online. My main takeaway was that there’s a critical temperature needed to shape the horn so it lies flat and doesn’t keep moving around. 300 degrees F. for 10 minutes is the magic number and the horn scales (say, 1/4” thick) become super flexible. These are then clamped between flat surfaces and allowed to cool for 12 hours.
The blanks get stored in a plastic box to avoid moisture 'till they’re epoxied and pinned to a knife body. And I do seal the backs and oil/wax the exposed faces, just to be sure. Horn buffs up wonderfully, too.
Being a newbie I’m not sure if it’s OK to reference my own stuff here, but I’ve got a video series on working with horn on YouTube. Look up BajaKnives.
Cheers
There’s a long history of craftsmen working this material which was equivalent to our modern day plastic - tough, moisture resistant, pretty, and moldable. In researching all this I found a group of Britts who have this ongoing guild, "The Worshipful Company of Horners " where there’s lots to be learned, online. My main takeaway was that there’s a critical temperature needed to shape the horn so it lies flat and doesn’t keep moving around. 300 degrees F. for 10 minutes is the magic number and the horn scales (say, 1/4” thick) become super flexible. These are then clamped between flat surfaces and allowed to cool for 12 hours.
The blanks get stored in a plastic box to avoid moisture 'till they’re epoxied and pinned to a knife body. And I do seal the backs and oil/wax the exposed faces, just to be sure. Horn buffs up wonderfully, too.
Being a newbie I’m not sure if it’s OK to reference my own stuff here, but I’ve got a video series on working with horn on YouTube. Look up BajaKnives.
Cheers