Will the wise mind sharing some advice?

A

Acenes

Joined
Dec 24, 2006
Messages
22
Okay, I'm new to khukuris, and when I found HI I couldn't resist. I got a CAK that I love, and since HI offered it with Water Buffalo horn handles, and I'd grown up with all my military relatives storytelling about Ghurkas, I had to have that too!
Here's where I'm an idiot, grown up running round the Pacific Northwest, I've never had horn handles for any of my serious working knives, and don't know the first thing about weather proofing them.
Compounding that problem is splitting time between the west side of the Cascades where it's cool and wet, the east side where it's hot and dry, and the mountains that are basically whatever they like to be at five minute intervals.
Any advice for how to care for it in these various conditions I would be grateful for. Heaven knows I havn't a clue.
 
Acenes, welcome.

You're likely to hear a number of experiences regarding horn handles, depending on climate, how well the horn was cured, etc.

The treatments for horn vary from Hooflex (for keeping horses's hoves from cracking), Ballistol, olive oil, Watco Danish Oil, and just plain ignoring it. There are success stories for each. I personally live in central Cal, so I don't have much of a problem with changes in humidity and temparature. I use Hooflex.

For the blades, I use Murphy's Oil Soap to clean them (with a bit of 0000 steel wool if they have sap or something sticky on them), and put a coat of Johnson's paste floor wax on them before they're put away.

Good luck.
 
Welcome Acenes,
I haven't done anything special with my horn handles other than wiping them down on occasion with Ballistol. Handles, blade and scabbard, everything gets the Ballistol treatment. New England weather goes from one extreme to the other, no problems so far.
 
Personally,

any lanolin product will work.

Hooflex has lanolin, as do many hand creams.

You are in an area suited for horn- where I am in Montana it is very dry and the horn needs treatment.

I would not put mineral oil, etc, on horn. My opinion. There are some who like to use mineral oil based products for nearly everything. I'm not one of them.


munk
 
I ocasionally submerge my horn handles in mineral oil for 24 hours. Then I air dry them for 24 hours. Then I wipe and put away.
 
Yep never had any handle split on me yet or an old split get worse. whether wood,horn or ivory, even in winter when the central heating blasting out. i use mineral oil but lanolin is great.

In the yemeni desert on rhino horn handles, they use sesame oil but I havent tried it yet.

Spiral
 
It's my belief that, untreated, horn will do a bit better around here than wood will. Treated, they're both about the same. Which looks better to you?

I've used mineral oil soaks, Ballistol wipe downs, and Watco Danish Oil in the past. All of them worked.
 
Thanks for the tips all.

Anyone know of things not to do to it? My brother makes blades and I know what goes into them, I'd hate to inadvertently ruin such pretty craftsmanship.

My computer just went screwy so sorry if this is posted twice.
 
It's generally not a good idea to use a khuk to pick out belly-button lint or scratch yourself in those nether regions. ;) :D

Seriously, there's really not a lot of maintenance issues to worry about. Keep them cleaned and oiled between use and keep the edge as sharp as you require. These babies are tools and can take a lot. If all you're doing is clearing brush and chopping wood, you should have no worries.

Chopping wood can be very therapeutic, but read the safety thread before you start. Stay safe and have fun.
 
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