Oh give me a home ... where the buffalo roam....

[Smitty37]

I'm a little surprised that you didn't get some flack about using buffalo horn. Given the responses awhile back about Ivory, I think this is a rare case where I agree with you - shorter pens are OK

 

[edstreet]

Ed, I really like the buffalo horn and the quality work you did with it. Not to sure about the short pen - I appreciate the pictures (very clear) and have to say that the more I look at them the more I'm inclined to try a short pen.

As is said in engineering. Try it once, if it's not ok then change it till it is ok. There is no shame in trying something new.

Thanks for your comment.

I'm a little surprised that you didn't get some flack about using buffalo horn. Given the responses awhile back about Ivory, I think this is a rare case where I agree with you - shorter pens are OK

Buffalo horn is found in many (all?) pet shops as chew toys for dogs.

Same with antler and other products. Sorry no ivory found there other than by color.

There are at least 130 million domestic water buffalo in existant and more humans depend upon them than any other domestic animal (source wiki ) Buffalo is also used in the food trade with 72 million tones of milk and 3 million tons of meat annually to the world food supply.

Which means products other than meat is used and not discarded, i.e. leather, hooves, horn.

Meat and skin products

Water buffalo meat, sometimes called "carabeef", is often passed off as beef in certain regions, and is also a major source of export revenue for India. In many Asian regions, buffalo meat is less preferred due to its toughness; however, recipes have evolved (rendang, for example) where the slow cooking process and spices not only make the meat palatable, but also preserve it, an important factor in hot climates where refrigeration is not always available.

Their hides provide tough and useful leather, often used for shoes.
Bone and horn products

The bones and horns are often made into jewellery, especially earrings. Horns are used for the embouchure of musical instruments, such as ney and kaval.

source wiki


This is why buffalo horn is more accepted than ivory is. It is nothing alike except that both happen to be exotic materials.

From this, it is our job as craftsman to use these materials wisely.

 

[Smitty37]

Ed, I really like the buffalo horn and the quality work you did with it. Not to sure about the short pen - I appreciate the pictures (very clear) and have to say that the more I look at them the more I'm inclined to try a short pen.

As is said in engineering. Try it once, if it's not ok then change it till it is ok. There is no shame in trying something new.

Thanks for your comment.

I'm a little surprised that you didn't get some flack about using buffalo horn. Given the responses awhile back about Ivory, I think this is a rare case where I agree with you - shorter pens are OK

Buffalo horn is found in many (all?) pet shops as chew toys for dogs.

Same with antler and other products. Sorry no ivory found there other than by color.

There are at least 130 million domestic water buffalo in existant and more humans depend upon them than any other domestic animal (source wiki ) Buffalo is also used in the food trade with 72 million tones of milk and 3 million tons of meat annually to the world food supply.

Which means products other than meat is used and not discarded, i.e. leather, hooves, horn.

Meat and skin products

Water buffalo meat, sometimes called "carabeef", is often passed off as beef in certain regions, and is also a major source of export revenue for India. In many Asian regions, buffalo meat is less preferred due to its toughness; however, recipes have evolved (rendang, for example) where the slow cooking process and spices not only make the meat palatable, but also preserve it, an important factor in hot climates where refrigeration is not always available.

Their hides provide tough and useful leather, often used for shoes.
Bone and horn products

The bones and horns are often made into jewellery, especially earrings. Horns are used for the embouchure of musical instruments, such as ney and kaval.

source wiki


This is why buffalo horn is more accepted than ivory is. It is nothing alike except that both happen to be exotic materials.

From this, it is our job as craftsman to use these materials wisely.

I understand all that. Vegans might not. I read the same articles when a supplier in Asia offered to provide buffalo horn blanks if I would import them. Interestingly they were emphasizing that the horn's they used were guaranteed to be from animals killed legally so I thought poaching might be a problem with them also. I guess it is with the wild water buffalo.

 

[maxwell_smart007]

Water buffalo is a domesticated animal that is essentially raised like cattle in many parts of the world for meat and milk - so when it's harvested for meat, or when it dies, they can harvest the horn.

 

[Smitty37]

Water buffalo is a domesticated animal that is essentially raised like cattle in many parts of the world for meat and milk - so when it's harvested for meat, or when it dies, they can harvest the horn.

True but it is also a wild animal (slightly different species) found in Asia and declining in numbers....also the term water buffalo is often applied to the wild Cape Buffalo in South Africa. There are also feral herds of water buffalo in quite a few countries that are not raised for domestic purposes but like mustangs in parts of the USA are wild animals.

 

[NCwoodworker1]

bad form

...

 

[NCwoodworker1]

bad form

ed4copies,

I have to agree with jondavidj. I think to openly criticize another person's work is in bad taste. If you feel the need to critique their work in a positive way...ie offer constructive advice, it could and should be done in PM's ... not in the open forum.

Furthermore, the thinly veiled hostility between 2 different venders (ed4copies and the oklahoman) is also best kept out of the open forum.

We can all have different opinions of what is pretty or ugly, and neither of you should be in such a hurry to prove that you opinion is wrong.

 

[edstreet]

I have located a 3rd party source that has some distinct setup to dealing with horn and how to work with horn.

Using and working with Horn - Working Horn

 

[edstreet]

Buffalo horn vs deer antler. I read about drilling BH, understood. What are the main differences/properties if any turning and finishing each?

This should help you greatly.

Using and working with Horn - Definitions of Horn.

 

[TurtleTom]

The one I like is the classic Parker Duofold, not exactly my color, but who cares.

 

[edstreet]

The one I like is the classic Parker Duofold, not exactly my color, but who cares.

Ahhh yes, the good old Parker Duofold. Love the color myself however the yellow is good and later models had other colors going on once they switched to plastics. The one pictured is ebonite.

 

[edstreet]

So. Shorty George not only takes a mini rollerball but a ball point refill as well, how cool is that. So roller, fountain and ball point in one gent Jr series frame.





An update on the buffalo pens. No problems to date. Nor am I expecting any.

 

[BKelley]

I notice no one has mentioned Sambar antler fron India. I have used sambar stag off and on for about 40 years. It is far superior to white tail antler or any other deer type antler, as it has very little pith. It is hard and takes a beautiful polish. Down side is it is scarce, I believe the Indian government controls the export.

Ben

 

[edstreet]

Sambar is also a good choice to use and plenty of it available.

Also status update on these 3 pens. So far there has been no reported problems with the three pens in this post. All of them are holding up very good and the 1 year mark is coming up in a few days.

 

[farmer]

Cool thread, educational, thanks Ed.