Main Discussion Area > Horn Bows

Bending horn

<< < (2/3) > >>

wizardgoat:
My experience is only with bighorn sheep horn.
I boil them 8-10 min and clamp them to a form to dry at least a day or 2.
As they are reduced more, I use steam or dry heat to tweak them more.

Dry heat works very fast for a thin piece of horn, so you have to be very careful and quick.
10-20 seconds is usually enough.

Stick Bender:
 Here is a interesting old thread http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php?topic=22264.0

gorazd:
I have one gemsbok horn waiting to get flatten ...
I will try with heat gun ...

BowEd:
I've made at least 6 pair of laminations from gemsbok horns 1/8" to 3/16" thick.Plenty enough for even 80# composite horn bows.Dry heating to flatten is not a flash done thing.The heat gun is held a good 3 to 4 inches away moving on high to not burn it slowly over a period of 3 to 4 minutes over a 3 to 4 inch long area.To let the heat sink in good and deep.It will plasticize like plastic.The gemsbok horn needs to be hollowed out all to the same thickness first even before heating.Outside ridges filed off first too.
As I said earlier my vice is not what it used to be or something because it is'nt getting the job done.I'll figure out a different clamping way.Maybe a new vice might do the trick otherwise I'm thinking big C clamps and hardwood boards are going to be used but don't think that'll be fast enough.I'm still not sure boiling them in water is going to be hot enough.Steam maybe yes,but got to figure out a way to get that done.
The oil frying method does'nt make any sense to me.Especially when he only sells horn for kinfe handles and inserts.No mention of horn bows.No mention of him making horn bows either.

Aaron H:
Maybe your heat gun isn't what it used to be either Ed.

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page

[*] Previous page