Watusi horn

[bigbrowndog]

Ok Bovine bashers, and you too LSCG.  Can Watusi horn or longhorn be used for decent grip making material???

Is there enough material there for SA grips??? For that matter how about Cape Buff horn???  

I ask because there is a place locally that offers other people old mounts for relatively cheap money.

Just thinkin’........Trapr

[lscg]

Trapr,

i haven't cut up Watusi horn and the only longhorn I've messed with was pretty short so I could be wrong on this but I would imagine that both would be mostly hollow till you get towards the tip of the horn.

i have heard of Cape buffalo horn being used for SA grips (which i think is mighty cool) but I've never cut one up so i'm not sure which part of the horn is the most solid. i would imagine it's not very different from Water buffalo horn.

I've seen ads for places in Austin that sell old taxidermy items and have given some thought to checking it out but haven't had the chance.

[bigbrowndog]

That’s what I was wondering, is it too hollow.

The cape buff, might be worth looking in to???

Trapr

[lscg]

I think the cape buffalo horn would certainly be worth looking into.

[princeout]

If I'm remembering correctly,watusi horns are hollow giant radiators to cool the animal in Africa's warmish climate. I remember seeing a bunch at a taxidermist in the Texas hill country. Huge horns!
Tim

[bigbrowndog]

Hmmmm, huge giant hollow,......beer mugs!!!

Trapr

[clintsfolly]

Going to be boiling/cleaning my longhorn soon. Will see if there is enough material to make something.

[bushog]

Am I nuts or do I remember reading something about steaming and flattening hollow horns for grips?

Maybe it was for 1911 grips.

The colors sure would be cool...

[lscg]

Yes Sir, you are correct. however the thickness of the horn would more than likely only work for 1911 grips.

[bushog]

I wonder if you could laminate it to some type of a liner like knife makers to make up the thickness?

A dark liner with colored horn might look nice...

There are Redhawk grips on Rob Rowan's gallery of grips with some cool red liners.....

[lscg]

something like these?

for it to look right your horn needs to be .375 or thicker. then you can use a sheet of .125 paper Micarta, thin it to .100 or so and epoxy it on. when all's said and done you end up with a set that can go up to .450-.475 at it's thickest point.

[Rimfire69]

Do those ever look great Zane, I think its only a matter of time till I need some. Guess I better start keeping my eyes open for suitable horn.

[lscg]

thanks Kris!

[CraigC]

Not thick enough for grips but would make a hell of a powder horn!