Thread: Warped horn scales

To just flatten them, place them into boiling water until they go soft and rubbery. You don't even need boiling water - steam can do it, so can hot air or another dry heat source - but then you risk scorching. To make them go really soft - soft enough to take a pattern by screwing them down in a vice with a pattern carved in a mould, boiling in oil is better. If you just want to flatten them and want something to retain the heat longer than pressing between slats of wood, get two bits of steel plate, heat them, smother them with oil or tallow, put the softended scales on them and screw the plates down in a vice and leave until cold.

Regards,
Neil

posts 9,10,11 are new thread merged with the previous one on the same subject

soaking in warm oil sounds interesting...but boiling oil? Does that work without making crispy scales?

Originally Posted by Neil Miller

To just flatten them, place them into boiling water until they go soft and rubbery. You don't even need boiling water - steam can do it, so can hot air or another dry heat source - but then you risk scorching. To make them go really soft - soft enough to take a pattern by screwing them down in a vice with a pattern carved in a mould, boiling in oil is better. If you just want to flatten them and want something to retain the heat longer than pressing between slats of wood, get two bits of steel plate, heat them, smother them with oil or tallow, put the softended scales on them and screw the plates down in a vice and leave until cold.

Regards,
Neil

It is used to get them very soft, soft to the point where they will accept an imprint from a mould. It is quicker than boiling in water (which doesn't get as hot as oil) and sometimes just a 5 - 15 sec dip will do, depending on what you are trying to do to the horn. It can be heated even higher, at which point it begins to flow and turn into a jelly-like mass. They used to make water-tight vases, square in shape, by feathering out two ends, folding it around a former and pressing it in contact until cool, then applying more localised heat to the feather ends and fusing them together. The base was attached in the same way. Little trinket boxes were made in the same fashion - sometimes you can't even see the join.

I have read about (but not tried!) people using ammonia - you soak the horn into it until it goes soft and carry on from there.

Regards,
Neil