ordering a horn handle?

Y

yoippari

Joined
May 8, 2004
Messages
341
Is it possible to request (buy) just some unworked water buffalo horn about 6" long? I am building a sword and would like to use the horn for at least part of my handle. If BirGhorka wont ship the horn does anyone know where to get some?
 
I got a fair-sized piece of horn from one of our resident knifemakers several years ago after posting in the Shop Talk forum. I'm not sure where it can be bought commercially.
 
Jebadiah_Smith said:
Jantz Supply has quite a bit of horn. Get a catalog or go here:

www.knifemaking.com
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Jeb beat me to it. I was gonna suggest the knifemakers supply houses, there are several, and they handle all kinds of material for handles.:D
 
I guess some of those would work. The only problem is that the top section of the handle will have to be shorter than expected.

Also before I go and order this, how dependable is horn when working? I will have to put a rectangular hole through the length of it then shape the outside to be a bit more ergonomic than a cylinder. What are my chances of ruining the horn in the process?
 
yoippari said:
1- I guess some of those would work. The only problem is that the top section of the handle will have to be shorter than expected.

2- Also before I go and order this, how dependable is horn when working? I will have to put a rectangular hole through the length of it then shape the outside to be a bit more ergonomic than a cylinder. What are my chances of ruining the horn in the process?
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1- Yoippari why would the top half of the handle have to be shorter?:confused:

2- I have only worked with cow horn somewhat extensively so my experience is somewhat limited but horn is both easy and difficult to work with.
The buffalo horn I've worked with has been limited to slightly reshaping and repolishing it.
Horn is a very hard substance so it will be difficult to shape a rectangular hole in it, especially one that has to follow the curve of a stick tang like on a khukuri.
The chances of ruining the horn depends on your level of skill or with the lack of skill how much care and patience you take with it.
I learned long ago that a great deal of care and patience can make up for a lack of skill.:)
The horn can be worked with metal or wood working tools fairly easily.
You'll just have to be careful when getting close to the finished size not to use too rough a tool so that you won't have to go deeper than planned to get a nice finish.
Extra care must be taken when using a buffing machine of any kind so as to not "burn" the horn, generally caused by buffing too hard and fast.
 
1. This horn is for a two handed sword about 46 inches long.

I was expecting to be able to get about a 6" length of horn (shaping would leave a little less) which would take up the top half of the handle. Below that I will use a wood piece wraped in wire that tapers down to the pommel. The pommel should be about 2" long. If I go for a 10" handle (remember that the blade is about 36" long) then that leaves a total of about 2 to 2-1/2 of wire wraped wood.

The longest cyliner in those two catalogs is 5" but that is only 3/4" think. For one the right diameter I will need to go to 4 1/2" long. I will need to adjust the length of the two halves.

Since none of this is built yet The change isn't hard or anything, I just need to re-adjust my designs.

2. Since I don't have any skill in working horn (or wood for that matter) I will take extra care in shaping it. Luckily it is not as expencive as I thought to buy more.
 
Yvsa said:
I learned long ago that a great deal of care and patience can make up for a lack of skill.
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Yvsa - you got it right on the money. Only thing I'd change is to say that a great deal of care and patience is a skill of its own. ;)


yoippari - you could always buy two pieces and put a simple spacer between them. ;)

There are other sources for buffalo horn. I ordered some for DIJ's khuk-tracker....can't remember where (I'll have to look it up) but there are plenty of sources...all under $8.

try these (no guarantee...just shootin' off the top of my head)

www.texasknife.com
www.jantzsupply.com
www.knifeandgun.com


If you're lucky, you'll get one with a white streak or two in it....makes for a wonderful handle.



[edited to add]

I've seen it up to 6" long and 1.5" diameter....just fyi.
 
If you give the places listed above a call and talk to them about what you need it would help to make sure that you got what you wanted. Almost across the board the knife supply houses are great to work with and a phone call should clear up the questions that you have.



Mark
 
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