turning buffalo horn

[rangeric43]

i have turned buffalo horn for the past three years with no problem until recently. after turning it down and polish, i sat my pieces off to the side to work on some other projects. a couple of weeks later i went back to assemble my pen. when i picked up the piece i noticed it had cracked all the way down the length of the tube. the finish i used was triple eee polish and shellawax. could there have been a stabilization step taken before i finish the pieces. just wondering if anyone else has had this problem in the past.

 

[ed4copies]

Yes, I have had LOTS of water buffalo horn crack. Months after making pens, or hours after making pens. It is a natural product--so, for me, it cracks.

 

[its_virgil]

Yep...it cracks. There are way too many other excellent materials to use than to use those that crack. I have not made a water buffalo pen that didn't crack. I stopped using the material after the first 10 or so. Too bad...nice material.
Do a good turn daily!
Don

 

[keithlong]

Same here, I was given a couple of nice pieces of this stuff and like the others have said, I made a Wall Street II and used it as my carry pen, six months later it cracked all the way down the blank. Have not turned another one since. I have been told that it is not horn material like antler, it is hair.

 

[its_virgil]

Correct, horn and antler are not the same material. Antler is bone and horn, hooves, fingernails are much the same meterial. So, deer have antlers, not horns. But the terms deer horn and deer antler are often used interchangeably even though they are not the same.
Do a good turn daily!
Don

Same here, I was given a couple of nice pieces of this stuff and like the others have said, I made a Wall Street II and used it as my carry pen, six months later it cracked all the way down the blank. Have not turned another one since. I have been told that it is not horn material like antler, it is hair.

 

[PTsideshow]

This is what I love about this site not only how to turn, but what not to turn! Thank you will be putting the money towards something else and removing horn from the want to turn list!
:clown:

 

[ren-lathe]

Turned a lot of buffalo horn only had the first one crack. Found out it was mainly heat that was causing it so I only wet sand & make sure it stays cool have had no trouble since.

 

[Mack C.]

In consideration of the above posts etc., I have 3 pen blanks which are labelled buffalo horn, a couple of them I have no idea where I acquired them from.

One I consider to be true buffalo horn, the other two I have no idea.

They are labelled in large caps "PBBUFHORN" underneath in normal lettering "Buffalo Horn". Are the 2 above real or pseudo buffalo horn?

No matter, I will be putting them up in the Deals, Trades, Gifts, and Wants forum very shortly as soon as someone answers my question. I have no intention of trading them off as something they really aren't!

 

[ed4copies]

Hey Mack!!
That is Woodturningz letter designation for real Buffalo horn.

I have never known Ryan to deceive, so I would believe it is REAL buffalo horn.

(In his description, he suggests using it as a highlight in laminated work---that would probably work very well)

 

[PTsideshow]

The all caps sure looks to be a PSI sku number? Since most of their numbers are alphabet soup. Might check their catalog.
:clown:

 

[76winger]

I've turned three buffalo horn pens and had none crack so far that I know of. Two were sold early last year and the 3rd is still in my inventory and looked solid back in December when I last looked at it closely. I'd be about 9-12 months old now as well.

 

[rangeric43]

I would like to thank everyone for their input on this material. i will try wet sanding the next time i turn this stuff.

 

[Mack C.]

Hey Mack!!
That is Woodturningz letter designation for real Buffalo horn.

I have never known Ryan to deceive, so I would believe it is REAL buffalo horn.

(In his description, he suggests using it as a highlight in laminated work---that would probably work very well)

Thanks Ed; Most likely came from Woodturningz in the blank prize I won from them in last years Birthday Bash!

 

[toddlajoie]

Anyone have experience or care to list what styles did crack and what styles did not crack?

I've heard a lot about Ebony cracking, so the only pen I've ever made out of it was a cigar, which keeps a substantial thickness of wood on the pen when compared to a Sierra (not to mention the El Grande or Churchills and such)

Is it possible that the final thickness (inner vs outer diameter) might have something to do with the chances of cracking? Could explain why some have all crack and others have hardly any...

 

[ren-lathe]

I have made cigars, sierras, cartridge, baron, sedona. Only had 1 crack a cigar & have made several cigars since.