Horn

Post by **jim d,** » Sat Mar 26, 2011 1:48 pm

Much has been said about modern horn not being as nice as vintage horn. This may be true in many instances, but not all. Here are a few modern knives from my collection with what I think is some pretty horn.

: Horn1.jpg (58 KiB) Viewed 3375 times

Jim

Tom19176 · Post by **Tom19176** » Sat Mar 26, 2011 1:57 pm

Jim, I agree with you that in the last 5-8 years the makers woke up and started using colorful horn again. The first few were mostly greenish horn, but then the nice colors came back ! It is hard to compare them next to the ones from the 50s to 60s as the horn has aged on those. There were a few that had colorful horn in the 80s and early 90s, but very few, and they commanded top dollar for it. Since I don't think the horn producing animals went on strike for 20+ years, it seems the makers went for the cheapest horn they could get. The Frank B's from the 80s to early 90s had black horn that was barely polished!
Nice collection by the way!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

FreeTheArmy · Post by **FreeTheArmy** » Sat Mar 26, 2011 3:27 pm

I agree, there are some beautiful horn scales being used right now.
I prefer cow horn (as there seems to be more color samples available in cow horn), and i like buffalo horn with light grains mixed in.
I like the black beauty look too, but I prefer ebony to all black horn, as far as that look goes.

Jim, those are some nice samples!
love that picklock!
If you'd be willing to post some 360 pics of that big 15 incher in it's own thread, I sure would like to know some more about it.
and also, I was curious if you had a favorite horn material (i.e. buffalo, water buffalo, brazilian cow, french cow, etc.)?
Thanks for posting!
-free

lars · Post by **lars** » Sat Mar 26, 2011 3:32 pm

Excellent horn on all of them! But I think the upper one´s my favorite. It shure is awesome!
Lars

birdieman · Post by **birdieman** » Sat Mar 26, 2011 3:51 pm

Hey Jim, what is the make on that first knife? The bolsters look super shiny on it! Is the red dot a FB? Can't tell for sure.

-Rick

peter44 · Post by **peter44** » Sat Mar 26, 2011 4:36 pm

nice and shiney, lovely collection!!!

Post by **whippersnapper** » Sat Mar 26, 2011 4:37 pm

Gorgeous!

Post by **jim d,** » Sat Mar 26, 2011 4:51 pm

Thanls all. The 15, like all 15's and 18's (I believe) is a Campolin. That one is stamped Rostfrei over Italy. The red dot picklock is an FB - good eye. Here is another pic of the 15 along with a 15 picklock, a 15 red frostwood, and a couple of little guys.

: Long-Short1.jpg (78.98 KiB) Viewed 3344 times

Jim

Post by **jim d,** » Sat Mar 26, 2011 4:58 pm

Regarding the request to post additional pictures of the 15 in the first photo, here you go.

Tom19176 · Post by **Tom19176** » Sat Mar 26, 2011 5:44 pm

Great knives!! Seems like Mayberry has a lot of sharp things now....lol....

Post by **Viking45** » Sat Mar 26, 2011 6:13 pm

Incredible! The top one caught my eye first but taking another look that pick lock really did-it for me.
Some excellent samples of nice horn. Love the back scale on the AGA 15

birdieman · Post by **birdieman** » Sat Mar 26, 2011 6:30 pm

I didn't realize it was a 15''. Wow, ty for the xtra pics! Super nice horn on all!

Horn is so damn subjective that I have no understanding in any logic suggesting that 'older knives have better horn'. IMHO, some of the nicest horn scaled knives I've ever seen have been done in more recent years.

METALGOD · Post by **METALGOD** » Sun Mar 27, 2011 3:49 pm

i think i may have re-started a trend here lol, about 2003 or 2004 i did my first run of mini picklocks (4-3/4" & 5-1/2") with real black/white Brazilian horn as that was the horn used in the 50's on the picklocks so i wanted to keep the knives "period correct" in the making of them , also did them in sambar stag (stag they used in 50's) and another that was not used since the 50's i used was genuine Rams horn. up until that time in 2003 -2004 no knives from italy had used genuine black/white Brazilian cowhorn since the 1960's, im not 100% positive but im pretty sure i was the one who first re-used Brazilian cowhorn on italian stilettos out of italy, like i said before 2003-2004 you didnt see any stilettos in genuine brazilian now you see more makers willing to use it again as with sambar stag and genuine ram-horn, i have to say i was the first one to re-introduce these materials on italian stilettos(Brazilian horn, Rqams horn, Sambar stag) as ive seen none before i did them except in the 50's & 60's.

Post by **jim d,** » Sun Mar 27, 2011 6:15 pm

Free,

I don't know that I have a favorite type of horn. I do like high contrast and translucent horn.

Jim

FreeTheArmy · Post by **FreeTheArmy** » Sun Mar 27, 2011 11:16 pm

man, Jim, the horn on that 15" is glorious!
I think we share a love for the same horn. Although, I am becoming a big fan of the ram horn that's been used lately. I saw a shaved ram horn stubby folder that looked like black marble. The bat swinguard I got is in French cow horn (honey/ french tip, whatever you wanna call it) so i'm really looking forward to seeing the color variation on it.
Thanks for posting the extra pics! I do appreciate it

Usually I assume that Buffalo horn and Stag are favorites for Italian pieces, but given your post I assumed yours would be either French or Brazilian bovine. Due Buoi has a few stilettos in "honey buffalo horn" which looks really pretty and unique. I'm not sure as to the region of origin for a honey horned buffalo, but, hey, it looks beautiful.

Anymore samples you wanna show off, is fine with me, partner

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