Buffalo horn?

[Martin S.]

Does buffalo horn make good handle material? A search showed lots of water buffalo horn info but nothing dealing with buffalo.

 

[allan lanigan]

Any of the buffalo( american) horn that i have have thin cross sections probably about 1/8" thick,probably not worth working with.

 

[Will52100]

Not sure, maybe if you got the tip sections? I've used cow horn before with good results, but for the most part have been only able to use the tips as spacers in hidden tange knives. Water buffalo makes a great handle and the tips are big enough for the main handle section. I'd love to get my hands on some long horn horns, bet the tip on them would be big enough for a whole handle. Horn requires a drying and curing time, normaly I like fresh horn to weather at least a year or more.

 

[Barkes Knife Shop]

Use Water Buffalo Horn If you are going to use horn. You can jig it yourself and give it the look you want. It come in many kinds of colors. Look around for something you like. Hope this was of help to you and have a great knife day.
:thumbup:

 

[P.K.Hansen]

Anybody ever seen it stabilized ?

 

[Martin S.]

Thanks guys. Saw a guy selling some buffalo horn for cheap but there's no sence in buying it to sit around in the junk pile.

 

[Bruce Evans]

I have never used American buffalo horn,would like to though.The Texas longhorn does have a long solid section,I have seen some huge horns at flea markets but they are not what I was using and the tips on them were not solid,check the horns you want to use.Stabilizing horn is a great way to keep it from moving and makes it look cool also.No horn should set in a junk pile,I use all kinds of horn for spacers if it is to small for full handles...
Bruce

 

[Gossman Knives]

I've used alot of it and it is pretty durable. I use the impala jigged water buffalo horn. Most of the time it's bowed, so I just sand it flat on the grinder.
Scott

 

[bikermikearchery]

thin hollow horns that have the feel you like for a handle can be filled with a mix of sawdust and epoxy to make a solid handle.
You can shape horn by boiling and clamping also.

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

Most "buffalo horn" for sale is really water buffalo.Most of the world just calls it buffalo. Think of Mozzarella de Buffala. Cheese made from buffalo milk - but it isn't an American Bison, its an Italian water buffalo.

I remember another forumite who went to an Indian pow-wow a few years back and saw a vendor selling all these items carved from "Horns of The Sacred Buffalo". They were all water buffalo. When questioned about the source of the 'buffaloes' he said he had been assured by his supplier in Hong Kong that they were indeed buffalo horn.Well, it wasn't a lie,just not what American Indians hold sacred.....or call buffalo.
Stacy

 

[Bruce Evans]

You can stack a whole handle with thin pieces of horn and screw on a buttcap then shape,just like a leather stacked handle.They look really cool also.As I said no horn should be left in a junk pile,neither should any small thin scraps of ivory or wood or antler,it all still makes great handles,just use your imagination.
Good Luck on your search for American bison (Buffalo) and when you get some use it with pride,and yes it will make a great handle (you may have to back fill it but that is ok)
Bruce