GEC Buffalo horn

meako,

I wish I could say they sent different scales with the same issue, but the scales I started off with had some distinct characteristics, and when I got the knife back, they were still there. Definitely no mistaking it. By that point I had fallen out of love with the knife, and didn't feel like pursuing the matter further. My fault, really. The person that bought it from me knew of the issues, and they still loved it, so it's not going to waste at least.

It's a shame, because I do like the look and feel of the buffalo horn, but if I were to buy another knife that used it, I'd have to handle it in person first. I also wondered if the thinness of the scales were what was leading to the warping problem. I've seen buffalo horn on some more rustic designs, and it definitely seemed chunkier than what GEC uses. Course, it's possible GEC managed to get a batch that wasn't cured properly too.
 
I will echo some thoughts here. I love the look and the history behind it, especially now that the white streaked sort is coming back. I had a HI kukri with a full horn handle that never moved at all. But, a 62 Congress from GEC suffered a check at the scale pin with just light use. It seems like a highly variable material, which is a shame because it is very neat. I'd like to see a big English jack in all steel with horn scales and a grooved bolster, shades of Sheffield indeed...
 
Well crap. My #57 should be here soon. Hopefully it will be okay. The knife was supposedly hand picked so that's encouraging at least.

Are the covers on the halfwhit thin too? They *look* relatively beefy...
 
As long as it's cured long enough, I think it can be fine. I also treat my horn handled knives with an oil soak every so often.
Being into the Italian stilettos & other 'older' Italian knives, I've seen lots of horn handle covers shrink/warp/curl/lift over time.
 
I will agree and add that the level of obsession I maintain with oiling and waxing the natural covered knives I own would make any significant distortion a small probability, though I don't expect that everyone does the same :D maybe I should make a knife humidor...
 
I have a GEC white owl in buffalo horn, I'm the second owner, it's probably my most used folding knife at this point, I carry it in a pocket with little protection against keys, wallet, change etc. It does weather, I see some texture and color in it that was not there before, but it's not cracked shrunk or anything of the sort. I'd say its a material that will last a lifetime:
 
KYenglish said:
I have a GEC white owl in buffalo horn, I'm the second owner, it's probably my most used folding knife at this point, I carry it in a pocket with little protection against keys, wallet, change etc. It does weather, I see some texture and color in it that was not there before, but it's not cracked shrunk or anything of the sort. I'd say its a material that will last a lifetime:
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Your knife tricks me every time you post up pictures of it because at first glance it looks so much like ebony!
 
alfbacca said:
I've had this GEC #54 for 4 years. It spent the last year and a half in storage; I was convinced that the buffalo horn had shrunk when I went to pick my boxes up. Nope, the scales are solid - no shrinking, warping, or discoloration. When handling the knife, it has a little bit of texture from the streaks in the horn, so it doesn't feel like one of my other knives in GEC acrylic. I figure the more I carry it, the smoother it'll become.

8902701893_a522d21789_c.jpg
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I have this exact same knife.

Mine has shown no shrinkage at all in the three or four years I have had it.
 
jkulysses said:
Your knife tricks me every time you post up pictures of it because at first glance it looks so much like ebony!
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Happens to a lot of folks I think, sometimes i like to pretend it's ebony for myself as well because I like ebony as well. The other scales tells the truth though - just realized I don't have a picture of it anymore though
 
StuntDouble said:
meako,

I wish I could say they sent different scales with the same issue, but the scales I started off with had some distinct characteristics, and when I got the knife back, they were still there. Definitely no mistaking it. By that point I had fallen out of love with the knife, and didn't feel like pursuing the matter further. My fault, really. The person that bought it from me knew of the issues, and they still loved it, so it's not going to waste at least.

It's a shame, because I do like the look and feel of the buffalo horn, but if I were to buy another knife that used it, I'd have to handle it in person first. I also wondered if the thinness of the scales were what was leading to the warping problem. I've seen buffalo horn on some more rustic designs, and it definitely seemed chunkier than what GEC uses. Course, it's possible GEC managed to get a batch that wasn't cured properly too.
Click to expand...

Thanks for clarifying StuntDouble
I would be disappointed with that result too.
Its good to hear others reporting no issues.
 
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