Here's a piece of Cape Buffalo horn I've been saving for a stock project.

There's plenty here to work with, but my question is about the cone-shaped hole in the middle that tapers towards the horn tip.

I'm thinking the inside of the hole should be roughed up and filled with epoxy... Then drilled for a dowel and epoxied to the stock.

Anyone have any experience or a better idea?

anyone?

yes that is a good way to do it ,or just elongate the forend beneath the horn this makes for a good strong bond ,i happen to discuss this about 2 weeks ago with a gunsmith friend who pulled out a few pieces just like yours to show me .......paul

thanks, paul.

New Guy,
You do not need to fill it. The center of the horn will be removed for the barrel channel anyway. The hollow part does not go all the way, but the center of the end does not need to be solid. It does however have to be no wider than the barrel channel will be when done.

Buffalo horn is pretty stuff, but be careful with it and keep it dry. It's not so tough.

quote:

Originally posted by Customstox:
New Guy,
You do not need to fill it. The center of the horn will be removed for the barrel channel anyway. The hollow part does not go all the way, but the center of the end does not need to be solid. It does however have to be no wider than the barrel channel will be when done.

Thanks, Chic.

I see what you're saying on the tapering hole and barrel channel.

So I guess acra-glass or marine-tex is sufficient to hold it on the end of the wood... or does it need a couple of dowels (pinning it to the stock) around the perimeter?

I am taking delivery of my 400 Whelen (AI) from the stock maker any day now, and he insisted on doing a buffalo horn fore end and grip cap.

The stock is Rigby pattern that he had, and he said that it wouldn't be right without the horn fore end.

Other than keeping it dry, any special precautions?
I wanted an ebony tip, but I've learned not to argue with gunmakers.

Garrett

If nothing else, dowels will keep things aligned while the epoxy cures. The also give support for a shear load, like whacking the fore end accidentally.

I like Scrollcutter's method of tenon and mortise. Accomplishes the shear reinforcement without the risk of splitting the horn. I believe he tenons the horn and mortises the wood.

I too would be interested in what those with experience think is the best way to maintain horn accoutrements. I have heard everything form baby oil to floor wax?

You'll want to use a dowel or tenon the stock. End grain does not make for a very good glue joint. The last one I did I used Gorrila glue, which is a polyurathan glue that expands as it dries. However, if you use it you will want to make sure you have a very good joint between the end of the stock and the horn or the glue line will show becaue it dries a tan color. How I usually do ebony is to use epoxy and color it black and you will never see the glue line.

John

please post photos of the forend tip and grip cap when you're finished.....we'd like to see it.

This is buffalo horn on a 416 Rigby that I had.

Sorry, that I don't have a better photo. The horn just looks black and shiney... but it can have some "grain" contrast to it.

New Guy, dowels will work well to keep it in place. I use epoxy with a black dye to make the glue black. That way if you end up with a slight gap somewhere and it does happen, it looks just like the horn. You can use the black toner from print cartridges to color your epoxy. It works great. The horn tips polish up beautifully with 600 or 800 grit wet and dry and a finishing oil.

quote:

Originally posted by new_guy:
This is buffalo horn on a 416 Rigby that I had.

Good God! You let that one get away?

quote:

Originally posted by ForrestB:

quote:

Originally posted by new_guy:
This is buffalo horn on a 416 Rigby that I had.

Good God! You let that one get away?

exactly what I was thinking.....

quote:

Originally posted by vapodog:

quote:

Originally posted by ForrestB:

quote:

Originally posted by new_guy:
This is buffalo horn on a 416 Rigby that I had.

Good God! You let that one get away?

exactly what I was thinking.....

I thought I had posted photos of that gun here before? Maybe not.

It was a nice gun. A completely reworked 602 with case colored accents by doug turnbull.

The double rifle bug bit and that one had to go several years ago.

Come to think of it, I even made a few bucks on that rifle... (as rare as that is in a custom rifle)... a few hundred bucks in case-color work looks like several thousand come sale day.

As good as it looked - it never quite fed right. The maker and I couldn't agree on how it should feed... I thought it should have been slicker than it was. He thought it was slick enough. So he hasn't built any more guns for me.

Now I'm interested in the next time a double rifle bug bites you, geez! My jaw dropped when I saw this beauty.

Nice stuff,

That is full on gun porn!