Stability of Buffalo scales

N

neeman

Joined
Apr 5, 2007
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How stable is Buffalo horn as a scale material on slippies?

I am looking at buffalo vs rosewood.

Feedback would be welcome
 
neeman, from my limited experience, if horn dries out, it shrinks and curls. It is also tasty to certain larvae.
If you use it a lot, it will pick up oil from your hands, and from lubrication smears, which helps it. Mineral oil works better than high tech lubes IMO.
Wood can crack from drying also, but I understand most rosewoods are naturally oily/waxy, especially the true ones that actually smell like roses when you sand them!!
I would use rosewood.
 
Charlie is right. Buffalo is alive. You have to keep it from drying out or it'll shrink. I've had several khukuris have their handles dry out. And if you don't take care, bugs will feed on them.
 
Rosewood is tougher by far,buffalo horn is actually quite fragile unlike say ram's horn.
 
Here's a couple of Mooremakers with horn. I like it but it does have lines in it that I'm not crazy about. the darker the better too.
P1010009.jpg


You can see the worm holes in this Hammer.If you look close you can see the shrinkage on the bottom scales in the first pic. not too bad for its age though.
P1010188-3.jpg

P1010186-2.jpg
 
I second that. Wood scales are nice. Especially Ebony. Rosewood might be a tad soft, but I imagine would look better with age if you plan to use it. More than likely on a newer knife the wood would be stablized.
Heres some rosewood up close.nicer looking than buffalo
P1010004-2.jpg

P1010005-7.jpg
 
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