Asian Water Buffalo Care

[ilvexyret]

Good day! What kind of care is required for the Asian Water Buffalo horn? Is Camellia oil good for this?

I received my 110th from the Custom Shop and am waiting for another one, I would like the handle to last long and not dry out. To polish, in theory, Flitz paste is suitable. But what is the horn impregnated with?

 

[afishhunter]

I've used lemon Pledge furniture polish on my buffalo horn powder horns, and bovine bone knife scales and covers for maybe 30 or 40 years.
No problems with shrinkage or cracking yet.

 

[RevolverGuy]

Never tried that oil before but I would assume that since horn is a natural product like stag, any similar oil rubbed in would work. I don't have any Buck's in buffalo, but do own a Henckels and Case with these scales. I use a few drops of Rem Oil to keep them hydrated. Another thing, make sure to never drop your knife. For some reason I have seen buffalo horn crack easier from small falls, that other material like wood, cow bone, and stag would normally hold up fine to.

 

[sportingspecialist]

No slight intended afishhunter but like most chemical products made during the last half of the 20TH century there are health concerns with their use.Lemon Pledge is one of those products.

Tea seed oil,camellia oil,has been used for centuries for cooking and preventing carbon steel from rusting.Perhaps that why Boker knife company recommends its use.I don't see how it may preserve buffalo horn though.

People who make products from horn usually recommend some form of carnuba wax.Some makers also recommend Renaissance Wax,which is used in museums for preservation of expensive knives and firearms.

 

[jbmonkey]

bone, horn and stag dont do well with oils. some swear up and down it's a good application, but i've seen Mr. Deshivs who makes and repairs auto knives for many manufacturer say hes has repaired many stag, horn and bone scales from oil use. im no expert but he is and he would know. I seem to remember he prefers a wax product.....

wonder what Buck factory folks say to use? anyone ask them?

 

[afishhunter]

No slight intended afishhunter but like most chemical products made during the last half of the 20TH century there are health concerns with their use. Lemon Pledge is one of those products.

Tea seed oil, camellia oil, has been used for centuries for cooking and preventing carbon steel from rusting. Perhaps that why Boker knife company recommends its use. I don't see how it may preserve buffalo horn though.

People who make products from horn usually recommend some form of carnuba wax. Some makers also recommend Renaissance Wax, which is used in museums for preservation of expensive knives and firearms.

I've never worried much about the "food safe", to be honest.
I don't use a lot at any one time, and wipe off the excess, anyway.
That said, my "normal" knife lube and sharpening stone oil for 60 or 61 years, has been the venerable "3 In One" sewing machine oil. Though I've also used (fresh and used) motor oil, transmission fluid, and un-mixed two stroke oil, when that is all I had. No related health problems from that, or eating a sandwich with dirty/greasy hands yet.
I don't use the Pledge on a knife handle very often; maybe once a quarter, of that. When I do, I spray it on a rag, then wipe the handle down with the rag.

 

[GPyro]

I've read that horn is more durable than bone or ivory. I've also read to never soak any of it in water, tho I'm sure a knife handle has been treated somehow.....

I also recall suggesting use of a sort of wax if you were to use anything.
I'd just keep it clean and dry and out of sunlight. I'm sure it would outlast my use that way.

This doesn't talk of suggested coatings, but does have some interesting info;
https://www.canada.ca/en/conservati...titute-notes/care-ivory-bone-horn-antler.html

 

[afishhunter]

Sorry ... I just thought of something somewhat relevant to the care and feeding of horn.
I don't remember the exact year, only that it was between 1970 and 1973.
My mother and step father went Antelope hunting in ... Wyoming(?). Allegedly, my mum got one. (I strongly suspect my step pop is the one who actually bagged it, and blamed her.)
My mum could not hit the broad side of a barn - with a shotgun - while inside said barn. I watched her miss a spread out newspaper from 20 feet while trying to pattern her 12 gauge, using 3 inch "Squirrel and Pheasant" load, with number 7 1/2 shot, I believe it was. (she "borrowed" a few shells from me, to pattern her shotgun.)
If she really did bag that antelope, it was an accident/miracle shot ...

Anyway, they had the head (with horn) professionally mounted.
They moved to Missouri maybe 10 years later. Roughly 5 or 6 years after step pop passed, mum "donated" the mount (which by this time was in pretty rough condition, insofar as the hairy part was concerned) to one of the restaurants in town, to go with their deer, elk, moose, and fish mounts.
Mum and step pop never cleaned the mount or treated the horns or mount. As I said, the furry/hairy part of the mount deteriorated rather badly over the years. Developed a "few" bald and thin spots, it did. The antlers on the other hand remained pristine. I would not be surprised if the restaurant moved the horns to a horn mount, and disposed of the head, since they received it.

Anyway, after at least 20 years with no care (other than maybe an occasional dusting) (my mum was not big on dusting. She (rightly) considered it a waste of time and effort.) or treatment, the horns were fine. No shrinkage or cracking, at least not when I last saw it circa 1996.
So far as I know, the restaurant didn't/doesn't treat the horns on any of their mounts. (I have no idea if they have shut down between 1996 and now.)

It may be that it is un-necessary to oil or wax horn, or do more than wipe it down with a damp cloth every once in a spell to clean off any dirt.

 

[ilvexyret]

No slight intended afishhunter but like most chemical products made during the last half of the 20TH century there are health concerns with their use.Lemon Pledge is one of those products.

Tea seed oil,camellia oil,has been used for centuries for cooking and preventing carbon steel from rusting.Perhaps that why Boker knife company recommends its use.I don't see how it may preserve buffalo horn though.

People who make products from horn usually recommend some form of carnuba wax.Some makers also recommend Renaissance Wax,which is used in museums for preservation of expensive knives and firearms.

Camellia oil is recommended for protecting the wooden handles of kitchen knives so that they do not deform from moisture.

If those who work with horns recommend carnauba wax, would a car wax like one from Turtle do or similar for use on car paint?

 

[ilvexyret]

[QUOTE = "afishhunter, post: 19889905, member: 392875"]
No shrinkage or cracking, at least not when I last saw it circa 1996.
So far as I know, the restaurant didn't/doesn't treat the horns on any of their mounts. (I have no idea if they have shut down between 1996 and now.)
[/ QUOTE]

My grandfather has a wine horn. As far as I can remember, I remember that horn hanging on the wall. Perhaps he is the same age as my mother (or older than her).
It also hangs on the wall the whole time, and dust is sometimes wiped off with a damp cloth (about once a year). If it was just a horn, I would not have noticed the deformation all this time. But since there is a combination of horn + metal on it, the deformation became noticeable.
The same situation (in my opinion) and on bucks 110 - horn + metal rollers. It is on them that the deformation will be visible.

Perhaps I will write to the firm and find out the manufacturer's opinion.

 

[pjsjr]

But since there is a combination of horn + metal on it, the deformation became noticeable.

When an trophy antlered/horned animal is taken, Boone and Crockett requires a length of time to allow for drying/shrinking before measuring for record points. FYI

 

[ilvexyret]

I got the answer

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hello,



Thank you for contacting Buck Knives.



The horn is not impregnated with anything it is all a natural material. Since we don’t wax them or put anything on them, I have heard that Wenol works great on Natural Materials like horn.



Thanks

Buck Knives, Inc.

P: 800.735.2825

F: 800.733.2825

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Wenol is a metal polishing paste? Flitz analog?

 

[jmh33]

I use Ren Wax on all my knives/handles/sheaths..
John

 

[jbmonkey]

I got the answer

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hello,



Thank you for contacting Buck Knives.



The horn is not impregnated with anything it is all a natural material. Since we don’t wax them or put anything on them, I have heard that Wenol works great on Natural Materials like horn.



Thanks

Buck Knives, Inc.

P: 800.735.2825

F: 800.733.2825

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Wenol is a metal polishing paste? Flitz analog?

yeah seems like a flitz type product. dont know this other brand product one. do know flitz claims, and I'm paraphrasing, to leave behind a "protective" coating. how long it last dont know. I use it on my zippos and brass Bucks. doesnt seem to keep corrosion off for very long though. not sure if done and placed on a shelf rather than in a pocket and held and used if it wouldnt last longer? never tried.

 

[RAZORBLADES]

I wouldn't anything except mineral oil,and mineral oil only,everything else mentioned would not be used on my stag or horn knife handles