buffalo horn

[Omega]

hi all, i bought some buffalo horn scales for a folder im making, on scale came out beautiful with a whole lot of white and tan streaks but the other side is pure black, i cant grind away anymore, is there anything i can do to bring out some contrast in this scale

thanks

[BrB]

You could use some heat, but that is usualy done before the scales are finished cause it will affect the shape of the horn as well. Since there?s nothing else to grind from, I sugest you leave it that way. It is always nice to have contrast in one side once in a while... and if you want to really magnify that, use a scutcheon of some kind in the black side, it will look cool, IMHO.

[Omega]

thats a good idea thanks!!!!!!!

[BrB]

You mean you will make a scutcheon right? Don?t heat that scale or you will never be able to use it again.

In the case you are making a scutcheon, no problem... that?s why we are here for.

Let us see how it it works for you when you are done, show us the results!

[Andries Olivier]

I'd say leave it the way it is, after all it's the way God made it. Your problem made me wonder however. According to the guys with the thick lensed spectacles and white overcoats, the composition of horn is similar to that of hair. It migh be interesting to experiment with hydrogen pyroxide on a scrap piece. If it can lighten hair, why not horn ?

If you do, please let us know the result. I would like to try the experiment myself, but I dont have any buffalo horn at this stage.

[Omega]

yea i took a scrap piece and heated it up and all it did was burn it and the smell almost killed me.

[Shakudo]

you heated the horn with what? buffalo horn can be heated in the over to 350 degrees with out burning and no smell. if you want smell try goat horn,lol.

[BrB]

For heating buffalo horn you might want to use a electrical pizza oven in lower temps. It ?s great to have the curved parts flat so you can use them as scales, I have noticed though some thin parts have become more translucent and clear. Not all the time though. If you do that with sheep (merino) horn for instance it will get a light honney like colour, kind of translucent too.

Now you only burn buffalo horn dude if you want to keep bugs a mile away! That smells just as bad as a vultures breath... it?s like burning rotten flesh and bone. Horrable!

[Omega]

ok ive been sanding the horn and its pretty much totally smooth but it still isnt shiny black, its more of a grayish black ....i dont havet a buffer and im usung up to 1000 grit but still no shine is there some kinda oil you guys use to get that or am i missing something

bill

[Andries Olivier]

Yes, youre missing the buffer andf some very fine buffing compound.

[Omega]

good enough thanks

[Crex]

0000 or 00000 steel wool will get you to a nice satin sheen. Then pumice and a strudy cotten rag. It's like anything else, any scratches you leave from a previous grit will be there to remind you how lazy you are when you finish. Get them all out each time. Word of caution: if/when you us a power buffer us very light pressure as it will eat up a horn and/burn it very easily.
Horn is hair as mentioned above, just a whole bunch of it "mashed" together very tightly. It is beautiful material and pretty easy to work with.

[DiamondG Knives]

Think of fingernails. What work on them will work to some degree on buffalo horn, or cow horn. A buffer will give the highest luster with the least amount of work, but a dremel tool with a buffing wheel and compound will work well if they are small scales.
Good Luck and God Bless
Mike