Human hair as horn substitute

[sleek]

I mentioned this in a past thread, no clue where it is, so I'll start this one. Hair and horn are both the same material, so why not soak it in hide glue and give it a try?

I have spent the last 5 years growing my hair out for this very purpose. I've cut my pony tail off once, when it got down to my belt line. Now it's almost time to do the same again. That should give me enough to line the belly of a bow and get a horn like belly. I was hoping I'd be going grey by now as some grey streaks amid the brown would look cool.

I also grew my beard out and cut 5 inches off to use that as a test piece for glue adhesion. But, then I realized my hair brush accumulate s enough hair to test, and that's what I am doing today. I got a one inch wide by about 8 inches long strip of hair washed in dawn soap well and soaked in hide glue curing up. I'm hoping the glue will hold it together and stick to the hair well. I need to figure out some way to compress it to remove voids as it cures. maybe a vacuum sealed bag?

Anyways, I'll update this as it progresses.

[HanibalLecter(InnerSmile)]

Recent research indicates that human hair bio-composites do indeed have remarkable physical properties.


https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0967391119872399?journalCode=ppca

[Stickhead]

This I gotta see!

[bownarra]

Dude...do you want me to send you some water buffalo horn strips?!?
The glue won't stick well enough to make a composite out of it.
Hair is good in tension as the paper says but those bio-composites are using epoxy....hide glue is not the same thing at all. If you wanted to make something that might work you woul;d have to use epoxy or somehow liquify the hair then somehow get it all to form back into a 'chunk'.......Grozer does something weird with his bio-composite bow bellies...that might be where to start your search
But 5 years to wait to start making a bow...you could've let a hornbow cure for the full 3 years and spent your time tillering it by now

[sleek]

Dude...do you want me to send you some water buffalo horn strips?!?
The glue won't stick well enough to make a composite out of it.
Hair is good in tension as the paper says but those bio-composites are using epoxy....hide glue is not the same thing at all. If you wanted to make something that might work you woul;d have to use epoxy or somehow liquify the hair then somehow get it all to form back into a 'chunk'.......Grozer does something weird with his bio-composite bow bellies...that might be where to start your search
But 5 years to wait to start making a bow...you could've let a hornbow cure for the full 3 years and spent your time tillering it by now

Well, I ain't got nothing against some horn strips haha

It's a curiosity thing to be honest. I don't know how well hide glue will work. One lady learned gorilla glue certainly will hahaha. But, if hide glue won't, I strongly suspect milk or egg glue might.

[HanibalLecter(InnerSmile)]

Hide glue will favorably bind the hair fibers, due to the porosity of human hair.

[sleek]

Hide glue will favorably bind the hair fibers, due to the porosity of human hair.

I hope so, if not, I'll use sulfuric acid to etch the hair for better binding.

[HanibalLecter(InnerSmile)]

Good call. It may be possible to fuse the hairs together without glue.

https://www.diva-portal.org/smash/record.jsf?pid=diva2%3A1468151&dswid=fQCqXW9T

Quote from abstract:


"The project Kera-Plast aims to re-loop humans and nature by questioning the current systems and ethics through materiality. Human hair, currently considered as waste, functions as the base for the material exploration fabricated through thermo-compression molding. The flexible, short and opaque keratin-fibers get glued together with heat, pressure and water, acting as a plasticizer during the compression molding process. The results are stiff and remind on plastic due to shine and translucency."

^A lot of "Europeanisms" in the abstract, but it's readable. Seems the past couple of years have seen a booming interest in hair as a structural material. In keeping with the "greenization" of everything.

[ssrhythm]

I have a lot of thoughts on this…and I also realize that none of them are based enough in actual science to even mention.  Digging the dedication and curiosity and can’t wait to see this progress.

[Gimlis Ghost]

Perhaps related I recently read articles on the use of human hair to make bowstrings, as mentioned in older Norse sagas and other stories.
Apparently those who have tested this in modern times found that a human hair bow string was very strong but did not last very long.
I've wondered if the Native Americans ever used horse hair for bow strings, since they did use it for lariats and bindings of various sorts. So far I've not run across any mention of horse hair bowstrings. They seem to have stuck to more ancient methods and materials that pre date the introduction of the horse to the Americas by the Spanish.

[sleek]

Right now the hair is in a vacuum bag setting up. Food savers are great! After a few hours I'll open it up to allow it to air dry.

[Deerhunter21]

I remember the old thread for this!!! I’m real curious to see how it turns out!!

[ssrhythm]

Yo sleek…2 ?s

1.  You know how to post photos on here to bring us along gor the ride, right?!
2.  Is your screen name derived from a particular boat produced in the mid to late 90s?

[sleek]

Oh yeah, sorry, posting photos is such a pain, but, I have been taking them. I'll post soon as I get them sorted, sized, and I got something other than a sticky hairball to show ya!

Nope, screen name is derived from when I was 17, I joined an MSN chat room called classic rock. Every name I picked was taken then the computer suggested SLEEKAEROSMITH and I though well damn, that's cool, so I been using that since 2001, it just naturally got shortened down to sleek.  I sure miss chat rooms. Those were a blast.

[Bob Barnes]

Yo sleek…2 ?s

1.  You know how to post photos on here to bring us along gor the ride, right?!
2.  Is your screen name derived from a particular boat produced in the mid to late 90s?

I think Sleek was produced in the mid 90s... '

Sleek~ missed you at MoJam bud!