Musk ox horn durability?

[shqxk]

I never have experience about this material, I would like to know if it strong enough for camp knife partial tang handle?

 

[Frank Niro]

I have used it a few times without it being stabilized and find it is quite soft and flexible. I was told with a set I bought that the curved pieces I received would correct to flat once they were in my shop for a few weeks. A few years later and this still didn't happen. I found other scales I was given had a tendency to do the same thing. I suspect stabilizing might allow the scales to be more useful.
Frank

 

[shqxk]

Thank you Frank!

 

[CUTS LIKE A KRIS]

I made this puuko-esque knife for a friends wedding cake knife after her dad found me a couple horns to use as they grew up in the arctic. Now it hasn't been used for chopping, but apparently has seen plenty of use in the kitchen without any ill effects, and it's simply a hidden tang, no pins, glued with G2 epoxy. In thicker sections musk ox is very tough/resilient, and on my limited experience stays fairly stable once given some curing time. I have no experience with scales though.