Buffalo Horn

[mick]

Bought some buffalo horn blanks off eBay.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Pen-Blanks-Real...8QQihZ013QQcategoryZ71234QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Really nice looking stuff, solid and heavy. Turned round. Even pre-drilled with an 1/8 inch pilot hole, dead center.

My question, what can I expect? How different is it from turning Deer antler? I've seen past posts that it cracks easily. Any hints or tips would be appreciated

 

[mick]

Originally posted by wdcav1952
<br />Mike,

The one buffalo horn pen I did cracked in multiple places. I have heard (IIRC) that it should be soaked in water prior to turning. I hope you have success with it, but I am not going to try the material again. (Lots of help, I know.)

Cav, I'm gonna try drilling real slow on the lathe and maybe squirting water into the cavity as I go, clearing the flutes constantly. After that I'm open to suggestions as how to go about turning. If I dont get any I'm thinking round nose scrapper close to shape and then very scarey sharp skew.
This is really pretty stuff and I hate to think I might mess it up!

 

[Dario]

Mike,

FYI, antler is bone and horn is like hair/fingernails. Horn is made of several layers and may (after a while) peel off.

Sorry but I haven't tried turning horn yet (and maybe never).

 

[its_virgil]

You can expect it to crack. It is horn and not antler. Different material. Antler is bone and horn is the same as fingernail. So, it turns a little differently than antler; stinks but not the same odor as antler. It does make a nice pen until....it cracks!
Good luck and I don't mean to discourage. Maybe I should put the 4 blanks I have on eBay. I'll not be turning any more of it.
Do a good turn dailyu!
Don

Originally posted by mick
<br />Bought some buffalo horn blanks off eBay.
My question, what can I expect? How different is it from turning Deer antler? I've seen past posts that it cracks easily. Any hints or tips would be appreciated

 

[AFTim]

Believe it or not, my best luck with turning the buffalo horn was with a parting tool and then mostly sanding to final shape and fit.

 

[Ozzy]

I turned one back in Feb. and it is still good; no cracks.
I did not soak mine in water, that just doesn't make any sense to me.

 

[its_virgil]

I don't recall any particular problem with the actual turning of the horn itself. I used a skew as I always do. Best I remember it turned rather nicely. As most of us do I turned some of everything I could when I first started. I was intrigued with the variety of materials available. Some I just didn't like and others proved, to me at least, to not be good choices once made into a pen. Buffalo horn was one of those. I am 6 for 6 with the cracking.
Do a good turn daily!
Don

Originally posted by Ozzy
<br />I turned one back in Feb. and it is still good; no cracks.
I did not soak mine in water, that just doesn't make any sense to me.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Others have told you what you need to know. Except, forget soaking. Water will not affect it. The cooling while drilling is not a bad idea however.

 

[barrels]

I have turned some buffolo horn pens, no diferent than acrylic. It turned very smooth. My only problem was the odor, man i was having a very hard time with that. It smelled like burning fingernails. I have never had a crack nor did i ues water support. Just turn it as you would acrylic.

Eric Spatt

 

[rhahnfl]

I bought some from this same seller a few months back on ebay and am waiting on my PH drilling vise before I attempt to drill them. I was advised to take a hose and attach it to the exhaust on my shop vac and stick the other end out the door while turning as it tends to smell... much like when the dentist drills on you only more intense. I got some black powder coated 308 casings from Gary Max. I plan to use the horn for the upper assembly and am trying to find a gloss black slim line kit to use for the nib... solid black. Plan on calling the finished pen "Night Fighter". I know... kinda corny... what the heck. []

I think the key is to take light cuts and sand... a lot. Figure I get two chances out of each horn blank as they are fairly long.

 

[Fred]

I believe that since the horn is pre-drilled that this hole will aid in keeping the material cool. Just redrill the new hole slowly and do not over tighten the material in your pen vise.

As for the burning fingernail smell it just comes with the material. A good steady fan will help a great deal. Or, if the smell is still a bit much, do as we forensic dudes do/did and put a good sized dollop (a large glob) of Vick's vapor rub on your upper lip and under the face mask. In real life we 'techs' used a special salve, but I couldn't tell you where to buy it. Undertakers use it as well if you know one []

 

[KenV]

Charles Martin (Tangboy5000) has some imitation horn on his website at http://www.woodchipshome.com/. Anyone use that material as a horn substitute??

 

[rhahnfl]

I just took a look at it. Looks pretty nice. The horn I got off ebay is almost solid black in color with very little in the way of light areas. I'd be willing to try it at some point. I'd also be interested in his imitation ivory. I can see a lot of possibilities for that.

 

[TellicoTurning]

Mick,
I've turned several buffalo horn pens.. none have cracked yet.. I unually only use them on high end pens.. cigars, gentlemen's, panache, etc.. I never soak mine before turning and don't use any water or anything while drilling, but I do drill slowly and carefully so that there's little heat build up.. clear the flutes regularly. Everyone is right about the smell, but I don't find it offensive enough to stop me from turning either the horn or deer antler.. I think the buffalo horn pens are really elegant.

 

[arjudy]

I made this from stabilized buffalo horn and a .340 Weatherby Magnum Casing and actually sent it to Roy Weatherby Jr. I had no problems with cracking but it does smell terrible. It will stay with you for days.

 

[EasyGreasy]

I enjoy turning a good horn pen. It has a nice chocolet color. It goes well when doing segmented pens. It shines up real nice. Its got a different tactile feel to it. And when you are showing it to someone and mention Bufflo Horn about 90% of the time they say.... "ooo" and "wow". I have never had any issues with cracking. But I did blow out a blank drilling a piece.

Cheers Greasy