Thread: How to flatten slab of honey horn?

I used a reputable ebay seller; asked that the pieces be flat; explained I was using them for straight razor scales... You know they showed up with a gentle bow to them.

It's not horrible but I can't see it being acceptable. I chose 5mm slabs so I have a little bit to work with, but I don't think I'll have much left if I try to surface the slabs flat. Plus, they have a bit of give to them so any of the methods I have used for thickessing material won't work. The slabs will just flatten out and rebound back.

Any suggestions on how to take some of the smile out of translucent honey horn? If pictures will help, I'd be happy to post them..

I think the general method is boiling water until the soften and then clamp them flat and cool quickly. There have been a few threads if you want something more exact and full of pictures.

Here's a link from a recent thread on this topic.

Click link here. http://straightrazorpalace.com/works...horn-flat.html

Bearing in mind that you need to take the thickness down to about 3mm it might be worth considering just sanding out the bow - if it's not too bad. There's far less likelyhood that they will bow again if you do that.

Heat and Pressed

That part is undisputed


How much Heat = Argued quite a bit

What kind of Heat = Argued

How long in the press= Argued

Straightened before or after shaping = Argued

Cooling after = Argued


Heck pretty much all everyone does is argue about it

Me I just keep on doing the same thing that has worked for years and I can't count how many sets of horn

If I have the time I boil the horn and then press the horn blanks in a vice, 24 hours later I do it again and leave them in the press until I use them... Smells up the whole house so pick a day when SWMBO is away...

If you are doing one set and want a faster way use Steam it has more heat energy, you have to make a press that will allow the steam to penetrate to the scales.. I uses two pieces of Oak that have had multiple 1/4 inch holes drilled through them...

I also built a really complicated system to concentrate the steam, it might take some time to build one of these but it is well worth it for many scale adjusting techniques...

In case that hint wasn't totally obvious you can use the steam pipe for slight adjustments on scales that are on the razor, Horn Celluloid even Bakelite all these can be tweaked pretty easy if you take your time...

Here are the plans ps: I have a patent don't try and steal it hehehehehe

Thanks all.. Glen, though I am quite mechanically inclined, that contraption has me flabergasted.. Looks like you canibalized the Tin Man from The Wizard of Oz. ;-)

Like most good plans, mine is to use a little of all of the above. Cut to basic profile. Heat, clamp & Cool. Let the thinknessing process do the rest.

Stay tuned...

Originally Posted by gssixgun

Heat and Pressed

That part is undisputed


How much Heat = Argued quite a bit

What kind of Heat = Argued

How long in the press= Argued

Straightened before or after shaping = Argued

Cooling after = Argued


Heck pretty much all everyone does is argue about it

God I love when I am right...

Actually even the "Pressed" part is now up for debate