Thread: Horn stabilization problems

Hi gang,
I have bought and used horn from various suppliers over the past few years.
All of it seems to be unstable as to length over a period of time. The only way my rescales seem to stay straight is when the razor is straight up and down in a stand or hanging from the tail from a magnet. ADn, yes, I do use the same side of the blank for the inside of both scales to reduce beding error over time.
Any one sided support seems to cause difficulties.

Is there a way to stabilize modern horn? I believe old horn was heat presed and tht caused cross linking of the chitan strands which prevented them sliding by each other due to outside factors like humidity.
Any ideas?
Thanks
~Richard

Hell it warps on me before I get the scales made! Last go I had a heat gun out straightening the sheet before cutting.

Hone is a natural material that is made by nature into a curve, we try and tell Mother Natural that we want it straight

Even the Vintage scales warp(ed) I am pretty sure the Heat Pressing helped it but it wasn't perfect either...

All you can do is try and buy the best you can and leave it in a press until it is time to use it

A press can be as simple as two-three $3 C-Clamps and two pieces of straight Hardwood leave the Horn in there until it is time to use.. Honestly this might not be the news that many want to hear because many of you don't buy ahead...

Originally Posted by gssixgun

Hone is a natural material that is made by nature into a curve, we try and tell Mother Natural that we want it straight
Even the Vintage scales warp(ed) I am pretty sure the Heat Pressing helped it but it wasn't perfect either...
All you can do is try and buy the best you can and leave it in a press until it is time to use it
A press can be as simple as two-three $3 C-Clamps and two pieces of straight Hardwood leave the Horn in there until it is time to use.. Honestly this might not be the news that many want to hear because many of you don't buy ahead...

Thanks Glen, I been doing that! Maybe using cut off and reduced to using thickness blanks in the press would be better? Hate to have to buy a Paninni grill just for horn scales!
Thanks again!
~Richard

Panini grill on order!
~Richard

As Glen says,horn like Ivory and wood will move with changes is the weather,keep it clamped in place always until ready to use.
With horn blanks I do a one day soak in neatsfoot oil,clamp between severel layers of Newspaper.
Remove what you want, than reclamp.

You may be able to get horn stabilized, like wood.
Try KNG and see if they can do it

Originally Posted by mainaman

You may be able to get horn stabilized, like wood.
Try KNG and see if they can do it

Not, horn is not pourous like wood or even Ivory, which I have resin stabilized.

Originally Posted by pixelfixed

Not, horn is not pourous like wood or even Ivory, which I have resin stabilized.

K&G does it, and others as well
Custom Stabilizing

Originally Posted by mainaman

K&G does it, and others as well
Custom Stabilizing

Stefan,people that charge, will claim they can resin stabilize anything, even a diamond.