Water Buffalo horn for tip overlays

[Robyn Hode]

I went to a new pet store to get my dog a Christmas present and they had water buffalo dog chews. They had full horn chews about 1/8 inch thick and larger pieces about 2.5 inches wide 3 inches long and 1/4 inch thick.

Will these work for tip overlays? Their suppose to be all natural.

If so, how thick do you usual make your horn tip overlays?

I've never used horn and appreciate your input.
Thank you

[mwosborn]

Yep, they will work.  Can make them various thickness - the few I have made were maybe 3/16" thick at the string groove.

[scrub-buster]

Those will work great for tip overlays.  Occasionally I'll see solid horn tips at our local farm store.  The thickness depends on your tip design.  It doesn't take much to make a good tip overlay.

[Robyn Hode]

Thank you.

I'm going to get some and give them a try.

Thanks again.

[Roy from Pa]

That is all I use for tip overlays. I buy slabs of it from a knife making supply. It comes 2.5 x 5 x 7/16th thick. I get 2 of them for about $15.00. Enough for about 15 bows.

[scrub-buster]

That's probably better than buying the dog chew horns.  You will get more tips for your money.

My favorite overlay material is big horn sheep.  I trade staves to a horn bow builder for a large box of his scrap pieces.  He only uses the outside curl which is about 1/3 of the horn.

Is horn just as good as glass for FF strings??

[Roy from Pa]

Yes it is.

Very Cool... Thanks... I imagine a bit lighter also...

[scrub-buster]

Horn is plenty tough enough for FF or any other modern string material.