MEMBER ITEMS FOR SALE
Custom Knives | Other Knives | General Items
-------------------------------------------
New Posts | New PhotosAll Photos



Go Back   The Knife Network Forums : Knife Making Discussions > Custom Knife Discussion Boards > Knife Making Discussions > The Newbies Arena

The Newbies Arena Are you new to knife making? Here is all the help you will need.

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 03-05-2009, 08:18 PM
TheClash TheClash is offline
Steel Addict
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 127
sheep horn

i have a friend that wants a knife built out of a sheep horn from a ram he took this fall.....so my question is this...for handles made out of horn/antler do they need to be stabilized/sealed ...if so....how?? thanks all
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 03-06-2009, 09:47 AM
Ray Rogers's Avatar
Ray Rogers Ray Rogers is offline
Founding Member / Moderator
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Wauconda, WA
Posts: 9,840
They don't need to be stabilized but sheep horn is a material that could benefit from stabilizing especially if you are making scales from it. If you want to stabilize make sure the material is dry, cut it over size, and send it off to K&G or WSSI .......


__________________

Your question may already have been answered - try the Search button first!






Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 03-06-2009, 09:57 AM
dbalfa's Avatar
dbalfa dbalfa is offline
Skilled
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: North Alabama
Posts: 363
I don't know about sheep horn per-se, but antler does not need stabilizing. Even so, you can expect some level of shrinkage..(I hate that term ) I'm sure you could seal it with some type of urethane or other cosmetic sealer but it is not needed for the handle to be "weatherproof" in any way. I've got sheds that have been laying around outside for years and they show minimal effects of weathering. Squirrels, on the other hand, can be hell on them
Horn is actually a lot different from antler as it is "alive" as long as the animal is, and continually grows, like a horse's hooves or your fingernails. It is a hair-like substance at the molecular level. This would make it more sucseptible to moisture transfer after it is cut-off. That being said, it may well be good to seal the cross grain ends of a set of scales or handle roll with something. Horn is basically made of tubules, long straw-like cells that trasfer moisture, nutrients, etc. When the horn is cut off, you cut the ends of these tubules and there will be immediate moisture loss. I know if left out in the weather, any horn will eventually come apart from moisture breakdown. I'm sure there are differences in the rate of breakdown with type of horn. I know Cape Buffalo horn is very hard and stable compared to say cow horn but they are both the same basic material. A lot of that has to do with the melanin in buffalo horn - helps stabilize it naturally. Once all the drying is done, it can be a stable structure, but there will be significant shrinking until.

This is not the case with antler. Once velvet is shed and it hardens, it is "dead" and becomes a very stable, calcite structure. It will allow moisture transfer but not much.

Sheep horn makes beautiful knives IMO. I would like to make one myself one day. I'm sure there are some guys around here that have made one or two and will tell us how they proceeded.

Probably more info than you wanted or need. But I guess my Animal Science degree can be of use even in knifemaking...if not for anything else.


__________________
Dennis

"..good judgement comes from experience, experience comes from poor judgement.." -Gary McMahan, a cowboy poet and good dancer.

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/p...24112090995576
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 03-06-2009, 03:10 PM
GHEzell's Avatar
GHEzell GHEzell is offline
Skilled
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: North Alabama
Posts: 591
I'd strongly suggest flattening it if you plan to, then let it dry another year before you use it. It's tough as nails, but does like to warp, particularly if used for scales.


__________________
A good friend told me one time about forging "What is there not to like, you get to break all the rules you were told as a kid, don't play with that it is sharp, don't play with fire, and don't beat on that"
Wade Holloway


See some of my work.
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 03-06-2009, 10:42 PM
TheClash TheClash is offline
Steel Addict
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 127
wow, you guys are awesome..wealth of information here...i love it.

thanks so much guys....keep the info coming if you have more..and any pics would be appreciated as well.
Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
knife, knives


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 05:22 PM.




KNIFENETWORK.COM
Copyright © 2000
? CKK Industries, Inc. ? All Rights Reserved
Powered by ...

Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
The Knife Network : All Rights Reserved