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Author Topic: Polishing horn.  (Read 4552 times)

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Offline kid bow

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Polishing horn.
« on: May 02, 2016, 10:13:29 am »
Got some horn from a water buffalo collecting dust and I want to know how to polish it really well for my trade bow. Anyone know how???
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Offline Marc St Louis

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Re: Polishing horn.
« Reply #1 on: May 02, 2016, 10:30:39 am »
I start with medium grit paper and work up to 220 then switch to steel wool going up to 0000
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Offline Accipiter

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Re: Polishing horn.
« Reply #2 on: May 02, 2016, 10:34:42 am »
My experience is that it sands/polishes more or less like wood, but that it needs to get up past 800 grit (or the equivalent steel wool grade) to look any good. Also, it really benefits from buffing with red rouge or the like. A dremel works pretty well for this, if you want to do tips or other detail work.
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Offline DC

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Re: Polishing horn.
« Reply #3 on: May 02, 2016, 10:39:15 am »
Like they said :D :D
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Offline bubby

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Re: Polishing horn.
« Reply #4 on: May 02, 2016, 12:40:42 pm »
I get it shaped the way i want it and sand up to about 600 800 wetsanded and then buff it with white compound, a big no no is to buff it on the same wheel that you buff brass or other metals it messes it up. Buff and check if it needs more sanding you will know after buffing
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Offline bubby

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Re: Polishing horn.
« Reply #5 on: May 02, 2016, 12:42:13 pm »
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Offline PEARL DRUMS

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Re: Polishing horn.
« Reply #6 on: May 02, 2016, 01:00:15 pm »
I've had some finish peel off the horn when I got it too polished. A surface poly needs something to stick to, oil finishes will peel easier yet.
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Offline kid bow

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Re: Polishing horn.
« Reply #7 on: May 02, 2016, 01:52:42 pm »
Bubby that is exactly how i want my horn to look
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Offline JW_Halverson

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Re: Polishing horn.
« Reply #8 on: May 02, 2016, 02:13:00 pm »
Then you will need to go to 800 grit, minimum before buffing compound!!!

And if you are using a buffing wheel on a bench grinder, keep that material moving and NEVER NEVER NEVER bear down with any effort.  You want to avoid building up any heat at all because the horn will scorch at a very low temp and then you have to sand it out!
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Offline Del the cat

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Re: Polishing horn.
« Reply #9 on: May 02, 2016, 02:18:00 pm »
Buffing wheel and polishing compound will bring it up like glass. I go to about 240 -320 grit then on to the wheel , 2 polishing compounds 'Vonax' and then 'Lustre'
To polish the grooves, use an old bootlace which you have pulled through polishing compound and use it diablo fashion.
http://bowyersdiary.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/horn-nock-instructional-part2.html
I'll have to do another video and post it directly to Youtube. Those old ones got compressed to within an inch of their lives!
Del
« Last Edit: May 02, 2016, 03:10:42 pm by Del the cat »
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Offline DC

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Re: Polishing horn.
« Reply #10 on: May 02, 2016, 02:23:02 pm »
Is there any reason to put a finish over the buffed horn? I don't but I've wondered if it might oxidize or some mysterious UV interaction over time?
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Offline JW_Halverson

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Re: Polishing horn.
« Reply #11 on: May 02, 2016, 02:25:42 pm »
Quote from: DC on May 02, 2016, 02:23:02 pm
Is there any reason to put a finish over the buffed horn? I don't but I've wondered if it might oxidize or some mysterious UV interaction over time?

On my powderhorns, I have never had luck with anything but a thin layer of beeswax warmed in and rubbed to a fair-thee-well.  Everything I have ever tried peeled up, chipped off, cracked and crazed.
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Offline loon

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Re: Polishing horn.
« Reply #12 on: May 02, 2016, 09:36:32 pm »
My horn bow has shellac but shellac seems to tend to crack
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Offline BowEd

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Re: Polishing horn.
« Reply #13 on: May 02, 2016, 10:41:20 pm »
220 to 0000 steel wool then oil from your skin or bees wax does the trick for me.....or finish after 0000 steel wool.
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Offline loon

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Re: Polishing horn.
« Reply #14 on: May 02, 2016, 10:42:12 pm »
wonder how well tung oil would do... maybe a mixture of that and wax or something, thinned down
how is the belly finished in manchu bows?.. they were known to resist quite a bit of weather
It might be nothing at all.. just polishing
« Last Edit: May 02, 2016, 10:50:46 pm by loon »
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