New Horn question

[50cal.cliff]

I just got my new horn through mail the other day. It has been cleaned outside and somewhat polished. After looking at it the outside has a few places that look like tearouts. Not sure that is correct terminoligy but if it were a peice of wood that's what I would call them. Kinda like when you go against the grain on a peice of wood and it chunks out. Is this normal or did I get bad horn? :hmm:
Thought about sanding out to get rid of these areas but a couple appear fairly deep! :shake: Donn't think I can sand deep enough to get rid of them!
Also do you put a sealer or something on finished horn or do you just leave as is when you finish polishing out? :hmm:

 

[soggy]

I just got my new horn through mail the other day. It has been cleaned outside and somewhat polished. After looking at it the outside has a few places that look like tearouts. Not sure that is correct terminoligy but if it were a peice of wood that's what I would call them. Kinda like when you go against the grain on a peice of wood and it chunks out. Is this normal or did I get bad horn? :hmm:
Thought about sanding out to get rid of these areas but a couple appear fairly deep! :shake: Donn't think I can sand deep enough to get rid of them!
Also do you put a sealer or something on finished horn or do you just leave as is when you finish polishing out? :hmm:

:hmm: Is there any chance that you could post pictures? It would be helpful in addressing the problem.
Just a thought but if you plan to decorate the finished horn either with scrimshaw or some other method you might be able to incorporate the "blemishes " into the the final design
Soggy

 

[paulvallandigham]

Sounds like scales to me. They should have been removed by the horn-maker. Use a scraper to take them off. Then use emery or finer abrasive clothes and grades to blend the finish of the surface with the rest of the horn. You may have to put some stain on the area that is worked, and that will take some trial and error to find the right color or tone. It may be easier to sand down the rest of the horn and refinish or restain the entire thing. Without a picture of your horn, its hard to give any more specific advice.

 

[50cal.cliff]

After looking at your posts I got to wondering if I could take a pic and make what I was talking about show in a picture.
After looking at horn again to decide what would be the best way to make a picture, I know eactly what I am looking at.
The marks are caused by a power grinder or wheel of some sort, that some dumb @#%^* has used to clean the horn. He cross grained in some areas and just plain goughed up in others. Don't know if they will sand out or not. :cursing: Been doing carpenter work since I was a tadpole and it just burns me up to see someone cobble up something like that. Wish I hadn't given the guy a favorable rating on Ebay now. I would have posted, "Fast delivery, SORRY product"!
Who is a good REPUTABLE source to buy horns from? And what is a reasonalble price for horn! Before somebody posts it I know, "As cheap as yu can get it"! :rotf: :rotf: :rotf:
Well guess I will attempt to sand these marks out! Don't know if possible as some are very deep! At least maybe can lighten them up.
Will post pics later.

 

[paulvallandigham]

Check the suppliers listed her in member resources. Track sells them, as does Dixie,and Log cabin. I am sure there are others. I go to Friendship once a year, and go through the barrels and boxes of horns the dealers have there to select my own horns, and haggle price. Don't forget the primitive area, as there are seversl sutlers there, and many blanket dealers who have raw horns for sale, too. Sometimes the best prices are " across the creek "!

 

[50cal.cliff]

Sounds Cool! As far as I know we don't have any place local that I can attend something like that. Thanks for the advice. I went back and started sanding the horn, and have been able to sand out the majority of areas. Just makes me mad when I see someone who doesn't know how to handle a tool, grab one up a mess up something with it. :yakyak:
I am taking pics as I work on this horn and I think despite the original problem with deep marks I think this horn is going to turn out all right. Fixin to put her in a pot to boil this morning for shaping. Unless I really do something to screw it up will post, her later. :v