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Buffalo Horn?
- Thread starter gull wing
- Start date
- Joined
- Nov 27, 1998
- Messages
- 2,602
Buffalo horn isn't as hard or stable as those oily hardwoods, but it should be fine with an occasional moisturizing treatment to help avoid shrinkage or stress cracks. Opinions vary on the type of treatment; anything from mineral oil to moisturizers containing lanolin to hair conditioners (horn is basically stiffened hair) have been recommended.
- Joined
- Jul 25, 2010
- Messages
- 7,432
I can 100 % agree with Rick.
The reason, why horn isn´t as hard as stag (for example), horn grows with the animal and won´t be lost durign life of the animal. Stag is someway of disposal. A deer, for example, will loose its stag during life a couple of times. It doesn´t grow with the animal so it can be harder than horn.
Horn is pretty soft and smooth, so it needs some attention agains scratches etc. But some of the hornhandles look really nice. I saw some of Faustos (quattromori), which were traditional italian patterns. Beautiful material! But imo it needs a lot of attention.
Wood is imo nearly as bone. It doesn´t need so much attention. The material is pretty tough.
Hope this could help a little bit!
Kind regards
Andi
The reason, why horn isn´t as hard as stag (for example), horn grows with the animal and won´t be lost durign life of the animal. Stag is someway of disposal. A deer, for example, will loose its stag during life a couple of times. It doesn´t grow with the animal so it can be harder than horn.
Horn is pretty soft and smooth, so it needs some attention agains scratches etc. But some of the hornhandles look really nice. I saw some of Faustos (quattromori), which were traditional italian patterns. Beautiful material! But imo it needs a lot of attention.
Wood is imo nearly as bone. It doesn´t need so much attention. The material is pretty tough.
Hope this could help a little bit!
Kind regards
Andi
)
- Joined
- May 7, 2011
- Messages
- 3,426
Between my dad and me, we have three knives in buffalo horn. Personally, I do like it alot.
I love the looks of this dark smooth and slightly shiny material, and the way it sticks to my hands due to the little sweat we always have on our hands (ivory can give the same feeling).
It's not easy to compare it with wood (also, not all woods are the same). I do like both.
As for maintenance, a little attention to it, and some occasional oiling/moisturizing, will keep it fine.
As a sidenote, I never handled GEC's buffalo horn, so my opinion is based on the "general" material rather than the one offered by GEC in their #68 White Owl.
Fausto
I love the looks of this dark smooth and slightly shiny material, and the way it sticks to my hands due to the little sweat we always have on our hands (ivory can give the same feeling).
It's not easy to compare it with wood (also, not all woods are the same). I do like both.
As for maintenance, a little attention to it, and some occasional oiling/moisturizing, will keep it fine.
As a sidenote, I never handled GEC's buffalo horn, so my opinion is based on the "general" material rather than the one offered by GEC in their #68 White Owl.
Fausto