Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Horn Bows => Topic started by: tattoo dave on September 03, 2014, 08:30:45 pm

Title: horn supply ?
Post by: tattoo dave on September 03, 2014, 08:30:45 pm
The big question, where do you guys get your horn from? And is there someplace that sells pre-ground horn, cause I don't have a band saw. I know we can't post non-sponsor names and links, but can somebody point me in the right direction, or maybe send me a pm.

Thanks!!

Tattoo Dave
Title: Re: horn supply ?
Post by: mullet on September 03, 2014, 09:46:28 pm
I got mine from Pearlie, and he said he has one more set.
Title: Re: horn supply ?
Post by: wizardgoat on September 03, 2014, 10:31:42 pm
I ordered 4 horns from china on that big auction site.
They cost me about 80$. I have no idea if they are good or not.
Water buffalo I think, they are quite curved, ill need to figure out
how to straighten them
Title: Re: horn supply ?
Post by: Blaflair2 on September 04, 2014, 01:11:35 am
I believe u just use dry heat to straighten em. I've saw ibex horns done that way on the tube of you. Water buff horns or pretty big. So I dunno. Maybe rough a lam out then straighten and gring flat?
Title: Re: horn supply ?
Post by: swamp monkey on September 04, 2014, 08:08:45 pm
I have found some bison horns fairly easily through web searches.  Domestic cow  horns seem easy to find too.   Lately I have been fascinated with eskimo cable backed bows and found that musk ox horns were sometimes used.  That is something I find hard to obtain.  I can not imagine how hard it is to find.  If anyone has a source please send me a PM.
Title: Re: horn supply ?
Post by: JoJoDapyro on September 04, 2014, 11:27:45 pm
Check out Heartwoodbows.com Loefflerchuck does a how to on it.
Title: Re: horn supply ?
Post by: Parnell on September 05, 2014, 09:26:18 am
Proper Bighorn Ram horns are outrageously expensive.  Can't figure how anyone can get there hands on something like that without first hand access to the animals themselves.  $7K!!! Whew!!! :o
Title: Re: horn supply ?
Post by: james parker on September 05, 2014, 09:36:57 am
if you live where the rams free range, im sure they age out and die, takes a lot of looking im sure
Title: Re: horn supply ?
Post by: loefflerchuck on September 05, 2014, 01:25:02 pm
If your talking water buffalo. I took a chance and got a set off ebay from China. I am happy with the horns and would do it again fyi.
Title: Re: horn supply ?
Post by: Gaur on September 07, 2014, 10:20:49 am
I'm still supplying water buffalo horns to some of the horn bowyers.  I have lived in Thailand for 20 years but recently moved back to Minnesota.  I left a band saw with a Thai friend there and will continue to get them while I can.  Raising water buffalo is a dying lifestyle sadly.  Prices of the Thai buffalos have skyrocketed in the last year as the Chinese are buying them up and loading them on ships up the Mekong so it is making it hard for the Thai's to compete with the prices the Chinese are paying.  Went from 35,000 Baht ($1100)  a head to 100,000 baht ($3125) a head.  I shipped myself a box when I was back in Thailand in Aug and it should be getting here soon so I'll have some here in MN shortly if people are interested. 

PA Membership: PN500782
Pat if I need to pay a small fee for advertising let me know.
Title: Re: horn supply ?
Post by: Pat B on September 07, 2014, 01:01:30 pm
Randy, becoming a PA advertiser will help PA but also your exposure here on PA. If I can help you in any way. please contact me.

  Pat
Title: Re: horn supply ?
Post by: Gaur on September 07, 2014, 11:59:54 pm
Thanks Pat.  I'll look into it.
Title: Re: horn supply ?
Post by: stickbender on September 08, 2014, 11:49:40 pm

     Unfortunately like raptor feathers, you cannot possess them without proper paper work, due to the black market for the Chinese herbalists.  A Buddy, in Montana, totaled his Nisan Pathfinder, on stupid Big Horn sheep, and the game warden that was called in, destroyed the horns.  If you find a skull in the mountains, or plains, you had better let it be.  They don't take excuses, only proper paper work.  I told my buddy, about a beautiful, full curl, that rolled outward, standing on a boulder, at the edge of the highway, looking to see which car he wanted to jump in front of, but I could not get a picture, because of the $#@^&+! near my bumper!  Anyway, he said that if I got a Sheep tag, and ever got on of those boys, and had it mounted, the mount would sell for $25,000.00 or more. :o :o If I ever get one of those, it is sold.  I can look at pictures, and use the money, more than a mount, on the wall ! ;)

                                     Wayne
Title: Re: horn supply ?
Post by: Gaur on September 09, 2014, 12:58:30 am
Wayne,
we are talking mostly about domestic asian water buffalo here.  I had trouble with one batch I sent James that were in the raw (ie didn't have a coat of shellac or lacquer on them).  They sent James a nasty letter of all the rules we broke.  Turns out to bring the in legally they fall under "trophy" laws and you have to pay $700 per shipment etc etc to bring them in raw.  Worried about unwanted pests coming in on the horns. So we learned from that and since then I put a coat of finish on the plates and label them "finished horns for crafts" and so we haven't had a problem since.   They still need more grinding to make them into finished plates for bows so the finish doesn't effect any glue up.

Title: Re: horn supply ?
Post by: Gaur on October 01, 2014, 07:26:41 pm
for the few of you that contacted me I am still waiting one the shipment of horns to arrive.  slow boat I guess..  Thanks for your patience

If you're in a hurry James has quite a stash that he might part with a few horns.  Heard he is broke after his beach vacation so it would be a good time to hit him up  >:D