Horn 'o' Plenty!? (faux or genuine) - Any more examples?

[Blake the Blade]

At time of posting I was more or less convinced the scales on this knife are genuine horn, still am (I think). The debate as to whether they are or not is interesting. Please post faux or genuine examples. :thumbup:

Found this at a car boot sale recently. Made by Harrison & Fisher and Co of Sheffield, I think I'd describe it as a two blade equal end (bolsterless) penknife, but I may well have this wrong. The smaller blade had been used and sharpened a great deal in the past, so much so that the point was sticking up way above the top of the main blade when closed. Now I like my knives to be fully useable, even the old ones, and no amount of filing away at the heel of the tang was gonna bring the point of this one down to where it no longer posed a threat in the pocket. So I bit the bullet and turned the pen blade into a useful little sheeps foot and made it something I can now carry and use with confidence.

Anyway (getting to the point) what I like most about this knife are the great looking horn scales. I have nothing in my collection in horn so was happy to pay a little more than I would normally for a knife with issues. So, anyone got anything similar? or, indeed, anything in this most beautiful of natural materials. If so...post your horn here! :thumbup:


P.S. Please don't tell me this is plastic.


Untitled by Blake Blade, on FlickrUntitled by Blake Blade, on FlickrWP_20170129_13_02_56_Pro by Blake Blade, on FlickrUntitled by Blake Blade, on Flickr

 

[Will Power]

That's a really attractive knife! I'd be extremely keen to own something like that so if you paid over your usual odds, you paid wisely my friend.:thumbup:

I like the single-spring and Shadow (bolster less) construction, tidy shield and your improvements to the secondary give it fine character.

I have a Shadow horn knife made by Klaas of Germany, Pen construction and in stainless, I use it a lot.

Cornucopia...

 

[Blake the Blade]

That's a really attractive knife! I'd be extremely keen to own something like that so if you paid over your usual odds, you paid wisely my friend.:thumbup:

I like the single-spring and Shadow (bolster less) construction, tidy shield and your improvements to the secondary give it fine character.

I have a Shadow horn knife made by Klaas of Germany, Pen construction and in stainless, I use it a lot.

Cornucopia...

So you think it is definitely horn then Will? When I say "more than usual" I mean £10.00 rather than £1.00- £4.00, that's all I usually give for them. The guy wouldn't budge on that and I don't blame him really.

Like your Klass Will. Horn is very varied in terms of pattern and colour isn't it, perfect material for knife scales. :thumbup:

 

[black mamba]

Impossible to tell from a photo, but unfortunately I do think it is a synthetic material. I've never seen feathered buffalo horn so "defined." Here is one from GEC with a little feathering.

 

[Blake the Blade]

Impossible to tell from a photo, but unfortunately I do think it is a synthetic material. I've never seen feathered buffalo horn so "defined." Here is one from GEC with a little feathering.

Thanks Jeff, appreciate you're input. Obviously a seed of doubt is there, but I don't know. I like the knife a lot anyway and I could always rename my post to 'Best faux scales' or something. It's all good, but the jury's still out my friend. Many thanks. :thumbup:

 

[neal70]

Enjoy your modification Blake. If 'twere me I'd still bring the kick down a tad, as it looks like the edge is a bit proud. Don't know on the horn, so hard to tell from photos! But you're correct about it ring very attractive either way. Is there anything you can tell from looking in the well? (Sorry for the rhyme) No, it has liners doesn't it. My gut wants to say horn, but...idk.
Thanks, Neal

 

[Blake the Blade]

Enjoy your modification Blake. If 'twere me I'd still bring the kick down a tad, as it looks like the edge is a bit proud. Don't know on the horn, so hard to tell from photos! But you're correct about it ring very attractive either way. Is there anything you can tell from looking in the well? (Sorry for the rhyme) No, it has liners doesn't it. My gut wants to say horn, but...idk.
Thanks, Neal

Yeah filing the 'kick' off the tang didn't seem to lower the blade in the usual way, thus the modification. Makes me wonder what the blade started out as for it to have been set so high. Thanks for your speculation on the horn thing, its interesting one way or the other. Not going to change the title of my thread just yet.

Here's a picture of the knife before mod and clean up. Many thanks. :thumbup:

Untitled by Blake Blade, on Flickr

 

[T. Erdelyi]

Great lookin' EE the horn looks great, not dried out or hazy like it does as it grows older. Someone told me mineral oil is your friend when it comes to horn and most natural animal materials.

Horn on horn...

 

[meako]

I'm leaning towards an unnatural material Blake. at first i thought wow what amazing looking horn and to convince myself further I theorised that not all horn comes from buffaloes and theres several species of them and depending on diet and growing conditions can have wildly varying horns.
But theres one aspect that is blocking my path -that is theres a feature in the scales that looks square and not like something that would grow in nature.
You could maybe scrape a tidgy bit off and sniff it -horn stinks and plastic smells plasticy . Burning it would produce different smells also. Obviously great care should be taken I'm not suggesting introducing the whole knife to the flame.
looks great though. Interesting.
I started a thread along similar lines about antler /faux antler a while back. Some of it looks more real than some real antler and some looks like the stuff you'd find on kids plastic toys.
4 rams, a buffalo and an ox.

 

[Blake the Blade]

I'm leaning towards an unnatural material Blake. at first i thought wow what amazing looking horn and to convince myself further I theorised that not all horn comes from buffaloes and theres several species of them and depending on diet and growing conditions can have wildly varying horns.
But theres one aspect that is blocking my path -that is theres a feature in the scales that looks square and not like something that would grow in nature.
You could maybe scrape a tidgy bit off and sniff it -horn stinks and plastic smells plasticy . Burning it would produce different smells also. Obviously great care should be taken I'm not suggesting introducing the whole knife to the flame.
looks great though. Interesting.
I started a thread along similar lines about antler /faux antler a while back. Some of it looks more real than some real antler and some looks like the stuff you'd find on kids plastic toys.
4 rams, a buffalo and an ox.

Hey meako! next thing you'll be telling me this one's not horn too. I suppose these other two aren't mother of pearl either? :grumpy: Lol!

Untitled by Blake Blade, on Flickr

 

[neal70]

Meako- love the blades. I know what the kabar is, what's the stockman next to it? Brand I mean.
Thanks, Neal
Ps- that's Meako not "Marlo" $&@% spellcheck

 

[Jack Black]

Nice find Blake :thumbup:

Here's a few of mine.



Arthur Wright Lambsfoot in Buffalo



Arthur Wright Lambsfoot in Oxhorn



J Howarth Slim Jack in Buffalo



Joseph Rodgers Spey in Buffalo



Joseph Rodgers Sheepsfoot in Buffalo



Maserin Sodbuster in Cow's horn



Carl Kammerling Pruner in Buffalo



Wheatley Brothers Tackler's Knife in Buffalo



William Rodgers Lambsfoot in Buffalo

 

[meako]

Neal -its an Ontario RAT in D2 steel. its bigger and heavier than Cases Large stockman which IMO makes it the lord of its domain in my stockman department.

Jack do you think Blakes is real horn or hornite (syntho horn)?
The white maserin is superb- white horn is unusual.

Also if I had to choose -I would go OX horn over buffalo in general I like that green tinge over pure black. The TW Ablett ettrick in my pic appears jet black but at certain angles at certain times of day displays feathery layers of "grain" if thats the right word.
I think Schatt and Morgan did a Texas toothpick in Texas longhorn horn which looked fantastic. A grail of mine for sure.

Blake - they could be if you had them replaced with the genuine article handles. How good would that be?:thumbup:

 

[meako]

hopefullty you can see what Im gibbering about in this close up.

 

[Horsewright]

Water Buffalo horn, matched set commissioned by cousins:

The entire set included Water Buffalo leather sheaths and belts:

Another match set. Father presenting to sons. Sheep horn this time:

More Sheep horn. Another set:

 

[btb01]

Here's the only one I have, an Arthur Wright lambsfoot in Buffalo. These were photos I took when I first got the knife. Interestingly, I've noticed in the last couple days that the horn scales seem to have shrunk a bit, exposing the edge of the liners. I'm guessing it's a result of cooler temps and low humidity in the house. I've been applying mineral oil a couple times a day and letting it soak in, curious to see if that helps any.

 

[Will Power]

Renaud Aubry's 'Navette' Thick Ram's Horn

 

[Will Power]

More Ram's Horn. Interestingly, the 'pile' side scale is not ribbed like this but more convex,rounded. Fits the hand very comfortably.

 

[abbydaddy]

The fibrousness of the mottling almost makes me think of baleen, not horn. However, I am pretty sure you would be seeing fraying and splitting on an old knife with baleen handles (the stuff is a lot like fiberglass). Here is a picture (not mine) of a baleen handled knife for reference.

 

[waynorth]

Nice looking knife, Blake!
It does look like a synthetic I have owned.
To tell for sure, poke the handle with a red hot pin (in the end where it will barely show).
You must create a quick puff of smoke! Burning plastic is usually distinct in odor!
Horn smells like singed hair!