Water Buffalo

[Chasper]

I have a water buffalo on the mandrel (not like a beef on a spit) and I'm not happy with the finish. I've MMed it three times and I still see micro scratches. I went back down to 220, and took it all the way up to 12000 all three times.

The advice in previous posts say to finish it like plastic, I can buff it out and then put on some wax, but since I'm a CA junkie, I was thinking that maybe that would do a better job, plus make it tougher on the surface and possibly prevent the cracks that I've been warned about.

To CA or not to CA, that is the question. Whether it is nobler in the mind to suffer the nicks and cracks of outrageous usage. Or to take CA against them and hopefully end them.

 

[PenWorks]

JMO, anytime I do an antler or a horn material, I try not to achieve a high glossy finish. I think a more natural low sheen adds to the appeal of the horn. When I do Buffalo horn, I just buff with rouge and just a touch on the white diamond to remove the rouge.

 

[Ligget]

As Anthony says, keep it natural looking!

NO CA!

 

[Chasper]

OK
no more CA
no more soliloque
I'll do it your way

Tks

 

[Hello]

A true french polish would help fill the smalls imperfections of the bone and give you a better substrate for applying a CA finish, it would also reduce the # of little visible scratches I think.

 

[edstreet]

Keep in mind that horn = compressed hairs. Any type of heat/humidity change/etc can/will cause it to warp and crack. Horn also has a 'bad memory' as to returning to it's normal shape.