Buffalo and cow horns

[badgeringtim]

A quick queery for those as know.
I recently got some nice cow horn and a Buffalo Horn tips - 10 inch, from Highland Horn. From what i can tell its very good value and they did get it to me very quickly.

However it doesnt half stink, ive given it all a good scrub and the buffalo particularly smells evil!

So my questions;
Should it smell?
Should i care or just cut it up as the outside will be lost with shaping.
As i understand horn (opposed to antler) can be boiled and moulded does this change the colour, and is Buffalo a good thing to be using for knife handles anyhow? (as well as other things)

For the Cow horn can i file away the damaged and rough bits to make it smooth or do i sand the whole thing down to the smooth under layers? (not sure what im doing with this yet).

Answers very much appreciated - its for a Damascus Sgian Dubh wedding pressend to a friend and really need to get started (but live in a flat so boiling stinky stuff may be a bad idea).

Thanks!!

 

[Klenchblaize]

As with rams horn I would argue it is the furls/inclusions (growth rings?) that are the most desirable aspect of such material so remove material from beneath and polish surface. The challenge is to find a cut from the horn that will permit facing off the material so it sits flush with knife tang.

All horn and antler smells really 'interesting' when worked!

Cheers

 

[jojo]

All horn and antler smells really 'interesting' when worked!

not only that but the dust ain't no good for your sinuses and your lungs!

Beautiful knives though!

 

[Colin.W]

I remember many many years ago my grandad made a walking stick with a rams horn handle, he heated the horn in deep pan of hot water he had simmering away on the end of his work bench on a primus stove

 

[badgeringtim]

Cheers for the response and very nice work.
What i mean is that it smells bad before working.
I know with reindeer and fallow that when fileing (or heaven forbid using a power tool) it has a wierd kinda melted bree smell?!?! but this is not being worked yet.

Ah well i think i will just hack it up and see whats its like then!

)

 

[brancho]

Just cut it up and shape it buffalolo horn polishes up nicley like this this

 

[demographic]

I know this is a blast from the past but I was using my cordless lecky planer today and I remembered I had some buffalo horn.
Kind of wondered about a way of flattening it off for fitting onto a knife blank and I hate sanding. Its slow and stinks.

Anyway, lecky planers work a treat on Buffalo horn. Don't go daft and take a huge cut and don't hold the horn in your hand, thats just stupid.
Just comes out of the planer in thin flakes and leaves a fairly good finish.

Looks to be good to getting the handle scales flat, then might have to shape the rest with a rasp and sandpaper but it certainly lessens the amount of sanding needed.