Buffalo Horn / Ox Horn / Bull Horn Handles ... Post 'em Up

BrotherJim said:
Ever notice how when damp or wet, horn immediately becomes more sticky/grippy? I like that. Grip security is a good thing. This phenomenon is kind of interesting given the organic and usually highly polished nature and appearance of horn.

The warm organic properties of horn provide a fine textural transition from cold inorganic steel to a feeling and guiding hand, but it does have some disadvantages. It can be scratched and scarred more easily than some other handle materials or at least more likely to reflect those imperfections on its polished surface than some other materials subjected to the same wear and tear might show.

Additionally, being an organic material, horn might require some care to maintain its appearance and structural integrity. I've read recommendations for a very thin coat of Neats Foot Oil or mineral oil from time to time. Couldn't hurt I suppose.

I only have one knife with a Water Buffalo Horn handle. I like this material and have another on the way. Tracking indicates it should be here Thursday. But, I'm sure there are some collectors of horn handled traditional knives and I'd like to see some of those and hear your experience and insight concerning your Buffalo Horn / Ox Horn handled knives. Post 'em up please and Thank You !!! :cool:

A. Wright & Son LTD, Sheffield England, Single Clip Point Blade Barlow, Water Buffalo Horn, Carbon Steel Blade, 3 5/8" closed ...

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Wow I love this knife. Where did you pick it up?
 
Jack Black said:
That's a nice-looking Viper :thumbup:
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Thanks Jack! A photo that Fausto posted a few years ago is what got me interested in the Viper brand.

5K Qs said:
Fantastic knife, Railsplitter; WOW!! :eek::thumbup::thumbup::eek: Have you looked into any sort of adhesive that you could put in the crack to stabilize it? It sure is a looker!

- GT
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Thanks GT! No, I haven't but that's not a bad idea. I guess in the back of my mind I was kind of assuming that GEC would have stabilized the horn but that was just an assumption. I might look into some filler.
 
AusLoX said:
Wow I love this knife. Where did you pick it up?
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Thank you sir. I purchased it here in the states but the vendor is not on BF's vendor list so I can't link to them. Perhaps if you search around for A. Wright Barlow and follow the search results, you will find them.
 
BrotherJim said:
I wonder if the use of horn in that Italian knife is tied somehow back to the older traditional days when that knife was used by shepherds? Wherein the handle material provided a sensorial affinity with their endeavor of herding horned animals? Kind of like hunters going afield with stag handled blades might be seen by some as a nod all the way back to days of hunter gathers. ... or maybe I'm over thinking it LOL
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I wish I knew...tbh when I go back to Italy with her hopefully next year to the cutlery shop she bought it from I shall give the woman she bought it from an ask :)
 
BrotherJim said:
Nice horn Trand. I particularly like the red. Nice
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I'll second that. Nice red subtleties. Red Buffalo Horn always reminds me of the "Dusk" Buffalo Horn White Owl I used to own. Those started out with red slabs but in the finishing phases GEC polished off all the red and had to change the name to Dusk. It was still an attractive handle material though.
 
WOW -that red.
Also starting to think Ox horn is better looking.
This ettrick is blacker than a satanic mass in a black pudding factory.
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Oh you should have seen what I was going to write.I thought better than to try the mods out with a reference to draculas dunny seat...oops.
yeah its a good knife the double butt ettrick.Its a bit rough round the edges and I had to supaglue one of the scales because it lifted.All good now AND it is living history.
 
Will Power said:
This David from France is an old Lag...Don't know if it's bull-horn or cow-horn (do they test the gender? :D ) but it's Bovine horn anyway.

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Buffalo Schrade 3 OT lockback

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Wright, Sheffield. Looks OK but the finish and construction is abysmal...

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Thanks, Will
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Beautiful knife none the less!
 
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Here's a couple of more Moore Makers in buffalo. Camillus made, they are well put together.



 
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