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Further ideas on flattening/processing?

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bownarra:
Yes there is a whole load of nonsense written on the subject of hornbows….even more so than with wooden bows.
You are asking too much of the horn if it won't bend after steaming. Nothing will work.
There is a reason the rounded core/horn was used traditionally :)
Balau is not particulary reseptive to glue, is too dense and oily. Massa ia definite no no for the same reasons.
The properties of a core wood should be excellent gluing properties,medium density 0.60s.g., easy to steam bend and diffuse porous for a more homogenous material. Hard maple is perfect.

MattZA:
It's just so strange that some horn will happily bend like it's made of rubber, yet others won't give an inch.

I would use a convex core, but unfortunately it's already flat... Also, I wouldn't have the first clue how to make a convex core match up to a concave horn. I'd end up with gaps 1/4" big!

How much horn width/thickness do you think I need for the bow? It's going to be between 44 and 46" (depending on if I decide to shorten the siyah length). Turkish design. Aiming for 50# from 29". I reckon if I filed these horn quarters into almost rectangular strips, I could cover about 7/8" of width for the handle and working section of the limbs. That would feather out to zero at the end of the kasan. Horn thickness would be in between 1/8" and 3/16".

My bamboo core is 3/16" thick in the working limb. Strange you say that Massa doesn't accept glue. I've found it fine when gluing bamboo as a backing for an ELB.

Hope you don't mind me bombarding you with all these questions!

bownarra:
I said it doesn't accept collagen glues well not modern glues. Of course with modern glues and their incredible wetting capabilities anything can be glued but we are talking about collagen based glues for a hornbow. Trust me you definitely do not want to be using massa, even if it glued well with collagen glues it won't steam bend particularly well and is far too dense.
You are probably too narrow. I wouldn't like to go narrower than 30mm. As stability will become an issue. This is the problem with Gemsbok and why water buffalo are the preferred horns. Good usable width and length. It is also on the thin side, not too thin yet but not far off being too thin.
You get two scrapers that match. One convex one concave. 'Gaps' aren't really an issue if you use non matching grooves.

MattZA:
For some reason I only saw this response now.

As you say, I've also only had mediocre results with bending massa. Inconsistent is probably an even better word, as I've had the occasional piece that bends nicely, but that's very much the exception.

I trust that you're right about the horn probably being too narrow as well. I'm going to give it a go purely as an experimental learning curve, but my next one will definitely have a concave/convex joint. I'm hoping that my width will be sufficient for at least 40# at 29" while remaining stable. I'll take a look at it before sinewing and make a judgement call. I've kept the siyah length at just under 4", so hopefully that'll assist stability.

Do you have Adam Karpowicz's book? I'd love to get a copy, but my school teacher's salary and the extremely unfavourable exchange rate makes it something well beyond my means, sadly.

DC:
You can get the electronic version. I know it's a poor second but it's affordable and instant. It's a good read but I found the information is rather spread out.

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