d01phn1vr
Member
I turned my first horn about a year ago after searching this site for tips. I had an epiphany that horn is obviously made of the same stuff as fingernails & hair. What happens to them when they dry out? CRACK... But water is not what keeps them hydrated, so to speak. Which led me to the only oil I have in my quasi shop - boiled linseed oil. I had already cut & drilled my pieces when I had read here about soaking them in water (I know that my nails get soft & weak when soaked in water). So to try to compensate for this omission, and after reading someone had finished his horn with some sort of oil, I generously applied my oil to the blank before & during turning. My blank had a natural crack almost all the way through it, so I was nervous & cautious. As I turned it, if the cuttings started coming off as dust, I'd apply another drop or two of oil. It wasn't until I was halfway through it that I noticed I didn't smell burning hair. Even my husband, who has a touchy sniffer, couldn't smell it!
I finished it with just 1 coat of Renaissance wax, knowing it isn't a permanent finish, with the thought that sealing the pen would be bad because the ends wouldn't be sealed & would allow the horn to gradually dry out. Then there would be no way to re-hydrate the horn. The other part of my theory came from reading that those who squirreled away their horn pen had it crack on them. I think that it should be used on a regular basis & re-oiled occasionally. I have had it for a year now with no problems, and the finish is just as shiny as when it came off my lathe. My husband can't keep his hands off it.
If and when I sell my buffalo horn pen, directions following the above including protecting it from extreme temperature changes and a vial of oil will go with it. One drop would be more than plenty per application. This would not be a guarantee from cracking, but special care instructions.
I would greatly appreciate any thoughts & feedback to my theory.
I finished it with just 1 coat of Renaissance wax, knowing it isn't a permanent finish, with the thought that sealing the pen would be bad because the ends wouldn't be sealed & would allow the horn to gradually dry out. Then there would be no way to re-hydrate the horn. The other part of my theory came from reading that those who squirreled away their horn pen had it crack on them. I think that it should be used on a regular basis & re-oiled occasionally. I have had it for a year now with no problems, and the finish is just as shiny as when it came off my lathe. My husband can't keep his hands off it.
If and when I sell my buffalo horn pen, directions following the above including protecting it from extreme temperature changes and a vial of oil will go with it. One drop would be more than plenty per application. This would not be a guarantee from cracking, but special care instructions.
I would greatly appreciate any thoughts & feedback to my theory.
