Buffalo horn skinner-new pics

[Ray Hammond]

 

 

Cape buf horn ...damascus blade with a ladder pattern on it, mosaic pins...file work beyond the handle...its clean, pretty, beautiful in the hand...and its going to be a special high school graduation gift to a fine young man from his Dad.

Almost want to keep this one.

The new owner is only 18...and I knew that I wanted something he could pass on to his son, so instead of vulcanized paper liners or plastic, I used thin brass for the liners. I drilled 1/8 inch holes all through the brass, and ground it rough on an 80 grit belt, then drilled corresponding 1/8 inch deep holes in the inside of the scales so it would form epoxy "hidden pins" from one scale across the liner, through the blade, and out the other liner and scale, ensuring a couple lifetimes of service even with hard use.

As you can see, the horn has some really unique qualities- just like sheep horn it shows color.

I hope you like it.

[Mechslasher]

looks like one of my pictures! lol  wish i could figure out how to take a good picture that shows the details in mosaic pins and the blade.

[skullworks]

Nice job Ray! Try taking them outside with no flash...works better for me! Keep up the good work!

[sticshooter]

Very nice Ray.<><

[OconeeDan]

Ray, that looks real nice.  And the sheath...awesome!
Dan

[Bodork]

Very nice Ray! The recipient of that knife is a lucky young man. I imagine it'll be with him until he passes it to his own son.

[Kevin Evans]

Very Good Job!!!
When you figure out how to take good pics let me know I have the same trouble.

[Ray Hammond]

I'm going to try Skullwork's suggestion!

Thanks everyone. I will post a better pic from outdoors tonight.

[el oso]

great shape! nice leather too.

[MYSTIKBOW]

Ray, Skullworks kinda beat me to it but. Yeah, whenever ya have the chance take your pics outside using the natural light. Most all pics come out so much crisper in contrast and color.
You can even use the direct sunlight for highlighting . This pic was taken out side using late afternoon light.

This pic was taken using the sunlight streaming through the back kitchen door.

[DW]

Super nice, Ray.....natural light and no flash....overcast works best for us or late or early........Love the knife......Don and Sky

[JL]

Hey Ray,

I got a nice Nikon digital SLR and plenty of sunshine here in Maryland. You could always send it over my way and I'll take some pic's for you. Sending it back,well...that may be another issue!

Nice knife!

Jerry

[vermonster13]

That is one sweet knife Ray!

[Ray Hammond]

I added some pics.

[Lewis Brookshire III]

Great looking knives Ray!!

Where are you buying your blanks? I have been cuting mine out of mower blades but Its too time consuming and I just dont have any time to do it anymore with my new job. I really like the mascus blades you are getting and would love to have one I can put my own handles on.

Also where do you get your horn??

[Ray Hammond]

[Ray Hammond]

you can buy blades on the web, Lewis...just plug a search in.

There's lots more to it than just popping handles on, though, as you probably know: making pins, tapering the blades, blind epoxy pins to hold the blade/liner/scales together, etc.

The horn? I am a very lucky fella to have wonderful friends...I dont think you can buy cape buffalo horn...you can get horn on the web as well...asiatic for sure.

[Lewis Brookshire III]

Oh yeah I know its more work than that I just meant that I  dont have time to cut the blades out anymore but I love the look of those Damascus blades that you are getting. Are you making your Mosaic pins? I read about doing that and it seemed like a great idea but I never got around to trying it. It seems like you could get some cool patterns with different colored/shaped rods and different epoxy colors.

Yeah I did a search after posting and the horn is hard to come by and is expensive. I might stick to the wood for now. You are a lucky man to have a stash of the cape horn!!


Again, Great Looking Knives Ray!!

[Ray Hammond]

the pins are a little tricky- there are combinations of rod that work inside each different diameter ( inside diameter) and you have to figure it out.

You also have to be absolutely careful not to bend ANY of the rods while you are building the pins, because you will mess up the look wherever its bent, or it may not even allow the rest of the rod to get inside the tube...its tricky.

I think its worth buying someone else's work, actually, given the difficulty and expense of the components.

Thanks for the compliments!

[el oso]

Great looking knife and the sheath is top of the line.