Polishing cow horns....anyone done it?? - Page 1

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Polishing cow horns....anyone done it??

Posted: 11/15/2022 11:46:48 PM EDT

I have an old man neighbor that gave me a set of horns from one of his long horn cattle that died on him a while ago. They are old and scaly looking.....but I'm thinking about fabricating a sheet metal skull and making some type of retro-artwork type thing out of them.

What's involved in getting the horns smoothed out and giving them a gloss finish? Can I just sand them with some 220, 320, and 400 grit paper....and polish them up with some automotive type buffing compound??

Any advice would be a big help. Thanks!!!

Posted: 11/15/2022 11:55:22 PM EDT

[#1]

No idea but free bump

Posted: 11/15/2022 11:57:01 PM EDT

[#2]

Man that's going to be stinky, ever smelled what it smells like when you cut a horn up? It's one of the nastiest smells ever.

Posted: 11/16/2022 12:00:02 AM EDT

[#3]

Treat it like ivory.

https://www.boonetrading.com/pages/working-with-ivory

Posted: 11/16/2022 1:39:18 AM EDT

[#4]

Define "Cow Horn"

Posted: 11/16/2022 1:45:36 AM EDT

[#5]

Mount them on your Cadillac.

Posted: 11/16/2022 1:52:25 AM EDT

[#6]

Expected Polish Cow

Posted: 11/16/2022 1:55:15 AM EDT

[#7]

Read up on making your own Shofar, especially out of a Kudu horn. I bought mine already polished, but I read about how they're made.

I made my own stand;

Posted: 11/16/2022 2:54:47 AM EDT

[#8]

I was thinking that this was a midcap love thread...

Posted: 11/16/2022 10:56:29 AM EDT

[#9]

Is that what you call it now? "Polishing your cow horn".

Posted: 11/16/2022 11:05:44 AM EDT

[#10]

Yes, you've got it. Start with something like 80 grit if they're scaled up though. It clogs up sanding paper quickly. Keep heat low if you're using power equipment as you can over heat moisture in the horn and cause it to crack. Work your way up to 600 grit, then buff with white or pink compound and a soft cotton wheel. You might see some 600 grit scratches through the buffing on close inspection, but for what you're talking about, I think you'll be happy with the shine they take. If those scratches bother you, a two step polish will usually take them out. Like brown compound with a sisal wheel and then the white/pink and cotton buff.

If you're lucky, there's some marbling throughout them.

Posted: 11/16/2022 11:07:15 AM EDT

[#11]

Quote History

Quoted:
I was thinking that this was a midcap love thread...

View Quote

Posted: 11/16/2022 11:20:43 AM EDT

[#12]

Sand to 3-400 grit and polish with fabuluster on a cotton buff. Horn is soft and scratches polish out easily. You can probably sand to 220 grit and hit it with tripoli, clean it and then use the fabuluster.

Posted: 11/16/2022 10:59:26 PM EDT

[#13]

That's for all the info guy!! I think I'm going to start off with some 80grit....then just work my way down to around 400 and try to use some polishing compound from there.

Posted: 11/16/2022 11:09:58 PM EDT

[#14]

Quote History

Quoted:
That's for all the info guy!! I think I'm going to start off with some 80grit....then just work my way down to around 400 and try to use some polishing compound from there.

View Quote

Post some picture when done, I bet this will look pretty cool.

Posted: 11/16/2022 11:14:47 PM EDT

[#15]

Posted: 11/16/2022 11:19:23 PM EDT

[#16]

Need more pictures of the cow horn. Normally I polish my own cow horn.

Posted: 11/16/2022 11:24:52 PM EDT

[#17]

Quote History

Quoted:
Need more pictures of the cow horn. Normally I polish my own cow horn.

View Quote

Me too ever since they shut down Craigslist personals

Posted: 11/16/2022 11:26:13 PM EDT

[#18]

Is this like the female version of a bull horn?

Posted: 11/16/2022 11:27:27 PM EDT

[#19]

Horn scrapes quite well. I went straight from scraping to 400grit with no issues. Probably could have gone straight to a buffer wheel from scraping with no issues.

Posted: 11/16/2022 11:28:07 PM EDT

[#20]

Wax and a buffer

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Polishing cow horns....anyone done it??

General » General Discussion

Win a FREE Membership!

Sign up for the ARFCOM weekly newsletter and be entered to win a free ARFCOM membership. One new winner* is announced every week!

You will receive an email every Friday morning featuring the latest chatter from the hottest topics, breaking news surrounding legislation, as well as exclusive deals only available to ARFCOM email subscribers.

Warning

Confirm Action

About AR15.COM

Stay Connected

Newsletter

Contact Us