maintaining buffalo horn handles

[uluapark]

Hello all,

I was wondering If you could help me select the proper hooflex for maintaining my buffalo horn handles?
i am not sure what to get, could you post up what you use, with a pix. I dont want to buy the wrong one.

thanks.

uluapark

 

[Steely_Gunz]

I think any hooflex will do. I've had the same can for nearly 10 years. I don't remember the brand or even the price but I bought it at the feed store across from my office. Lil dab will do ya.

 

[ndoghouse]

Brush it on and leave it for a few days and when you wipe it off it will still look wet! Great stuff. Mostly mineral oil, lanolin and few other ingredients. I use the regular conditioner with the black brush but as SG says prolly same stuff. You can get it online auction places as well for about twenty clams.

http://www.absorbine.com/

 

[roninsgrips]

I use whatever hoof conditioner my local farm store has. It's a mix of various oils in paste form. I rub it in by hand so the warmth of my hands helps it melt and penetrate. I usually rub it in, let it sit 10-20 minutes and then wipe it off. I may do this several times until I get the look and feel I like.

 

[bargs]

ok I have been goin back and studyin past links,i have a ak on the way with a crack in the handle,kinda confused on whether I super glue the crack 1st ,or condition the horn a while with something to try and swell the horn, and then glue the crack,if it doesn't close up,depending how bad it is.if what I wrote makes sense. thanks.

 

[Jens Schuetz]

I would drill a decent hole into each end of the crack. This will prevent any remaining tension in the material from expanding the crack even further.
Then fill it with epoxy and it should be good.
Don't know if conditioning can close cracks? But once you add oil to the handle, the epoxy or superglue might not stick anymore?

 

[davidf99]

If there's no nearby store that carries it you can order Hooflex online.

Be aware that it comes in two forms: liquid that is applied with a coarse brush, and a paste.

I much prefer the paste form for khukuri handles. The liquid version, while good for large applications or rough surfaces (like an actual horse's hoof) can be pretty messy. It has the consistency of thick glue. To do a khukuri horn handle it's real easy to rub on the paste and you can apply several layers if one isn't enough.

First time I ordered Hooflex I specified paste but the clerk packed the liquid version by mistake. Not only was it wrong but the liquid leaked from the cap and made a mess inside the shipping box. Good thing is, they fixed it by sending me a can with the paste version.
One can goes a very long way.

 

[roninsgrips]

BTW, epoxy then condition - the conditioner will act as a release agent and impair bonding if you do it first.

I use CA (super glue) on very thin cracks (maybe a hair or a couple of hairs wide) and then sand material into the crack to color match. Wear disposable latex/nitrile gloves of course.

I use epoxy on larger cracks. You can mix powdered black paint with the epoxy to color it if you want. Do not exceed about 10% of volume with the black. I use dyes so the powdered tempera paint route is a bit foggy now on how much you can add. 10% ought to be well within limits.