EXPERTENWISSEN ABZIEHLEDER

Properties

Origin and quality

Horn is obtained as a material from almost all horn-bearing animals, e.g. cattle, wildebeest, sheep, goats, zebu, water buffalo, yak, etc. The horn is a by-product of the slaughtering process, so the animals are not killed for their horn.

It goes without saying that the horn we sell comes from animals that are not subject to species protection and are not endangered. These are usually domesticated or semi-wild species of Indian or African buffalo.

Depending on its origin, horn varies in colour from black to mottled brown to yellow or almost transparent, as found in albino animals, for example. Colour says nothing about the quality. This is primarily determined by the living conditions of the animals. Experience has shown that horns from animals that live in the wild or under harsh conditions are harder and have a finer structure. Storage and processing also play a major role. The majority of horns on the market come from regions with high humidity. During storage, care must be taken to ensure that the horns do not dry too quickly, otherwise they will tend to crack and become brittle, similar to tropical wood. Excessive localised heating should also be avoided during processing, e.g. cutting or welding.

The intensely coloured, usually richly patterned horn of the Madagascar zebu has made this country of origin a centre of horn production and processing. The good quality of the products, characterised by their high breaking strength and fine structure, is due to the species-appropriate free-range husbandry of the animals as well as the traditional knowledge and sense of form of local horn craftsmen.

Antler or tooth material is to be distinguished from horn, although this is often also referred to as "horn" or "antlers". Deer antlers, reindeer antlers, elk antlers, wild boar teeth etc. do not consist of keratin but essentially of calcium phosphate, i.e. bone substance. Accordingly, they are much harder than horn and require different processing techniques.

Processing

A special feature of the horn is that it is easy to machine mechanically and can also be plastically moulded when exposed to heat.

1. Mechanical processing
   Japanese pull saws with universal teeth, e.g. Dozuki Universal (No. 712808) or Kataba Universal (No. 712478), are suitable for sawing. When using band or circular saws, make sure that the material does not overheat (embrittlement and risk of injury due to jamming). Cool with water if necessary. Horn can be easily rasped, filed or drilled as it does not have a pronounced fibre structure. Finishing is carried out with abrasive cloth (No. 706350-57) and then Micro Mesh polishing pads (No. 705420), with the addition of water or non-drying oil (e.g. camellia oil (No. 705280), up to a high-gloss polish.
   
   Alternatively, traditional polishing agents such as pumice flour (No. 810050) and tripoli, bound with oil or water, can be used on a cotton cloth or with a buffing disc. A wooden disc covered with suede leather and polishing paste (No. 705266) has proven to be effective for precise grinding and polishing work.
   
   
2. Plastic moulding (bending)
   If horn is heated to a temperature of approx. 150-200°C, it can be easily bent. If it is fixed during cooling, it will largely retain its shape. Thin parts can be heated with a hot air dryer, for example. As horn is a poor conductor of heat, care must be taken not to burn the surface. Thicker material should first be boiled in water for at least 20 minutes.
   
   Heating in an oil bath to bending temperature is also possible; a deep fryer with cooking oil, for example, is suitable for this. In this way, horn can also be pressed into thin sheets or laminated (welded) to horn parts at a correspondingly high temperature. The parts should then be pressed until completely cooled and dried.
   
   
3. Bonding
   As with all bonded joints, it is advisable to roughen the surfaces of the two bonding partners, e.g. with 60 grit sandpaper. As horn contains oil, it must be thoroughly degreased before bonding. You can use a solvent such as acetone, but it is better to clean the surface with a scouring agent and water (binds the grease as opposed to the solvent).
   
   Epoxy glue (no. 450382) is suitable for horn-metal and horn-wood pairings (knife handles). It is transparent and gap-filling, but requires completely grease-free surfaces. Very reliable bonding, even with oily woods, is achieved with a resorcinol resin adhesive, which, however, does not cure transparently. Cyanoacrylate adhesive (superglue) can be used to bond smaller horn parts to each other; it is also suitable for correcting small surface defects.
   
   As mentioned above, horn plates can also be laminated (welded) to each other by pressing after heating to a correspondingly high temperature.
   
   
4. Surface, Colour
   To prevent polished horn surfaces from drying out and becoming dull, you can either polish them regularly with a non-resinous oil (e.g. camellia oil) or wax or apply a thin shellac sealant (DVD no. 713753). This preserves or even enhances the lustre, makes the horn insensitive to hand perspiration and prevents embrittlement. However, shellac is sensitive to solvents and cleaning agents.
   
   Horn can be bleached, stained and dyed with aniline dyes.

Care

Horn items are not only durable, they even gain character through use if you follow a few care instructions:

• Do not expose to dry heat (headlights, sun) for too long.
• Do not store too dry.
• Never put in the dishwasher, do not leave in water or boiling food for too long. Do not clean with household cleaners containing solvents or abrasive cleaners. Rinse with warm water and light soapy water is sufficient.
• Do not apply high bending loads. Horn becomes brittle at sub-zero temperatures and its breaking strength decreases.
• Occasionally rub with cooking oil, camellia oil or Vaseline and polish.