# Buffalo horn fish



## cobalt (Nov 14, 2013)

Got into the workshop today .at last

started to carve a fish from water buffalo horn something i had planned for a while .

The shape and thickness of the horn is dictating the shape .so it will be some what stylized .Had planned to make it like a kio carp but not enough bulk on the horn.to shapeit as i wanted ,so it will end up with features of a trout with a japanese style scales i think? it depends what the material dictates .

Its pretty easy to saw and shape with a rasp and when i get the basic shape right i will start adding detail .had to find the best way to mount it ,but as its a experiment i will see where it leads me.IThe material has the same features of finger nails but will polish up well when i get the features as i want them.

its pretty crude at the moment but i few photos where i am at.


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## CV3 (Jan 30, 2014)

Your off to a great start cobalt. I have not worked with water buffalo, It will be interesting fallowing your process. Will you use burrs to set the detail or can the horn be carver?


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## MJC4 (Mar 6, 2014)

It will be a unique piece for sure.

I have never seen water buffalo horn up close. Is it all blue tint? American bison horns tend to run brown to black.


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## cobalt (Nov 14, 2013)

managed to get back into the workshop after lunch and do a tad more refining the shape , just on my own today seems ages to be able to do my own thing.

The red and blue is paint its used to identify the animal for the farmers it will end up black with white streaks in it with a good sheen on with a bit of luck. Water buffalo horn unlike bison and cattle is solid with a fair weight to it

most of the work so far has been done with a tennon saw and a rasp just started useing the rotary tool with the burrs trying to refine its shape

There is a defect in the horn where i will carve its mouth so hopefully i will be able to incorparate it into the design its one of those things in natural material you have to live with . not to sure whether to fill it in 1st or carry on carving then fill if need be?

I havnt used my chisels yet and dont want to use the best ones so will try out the cheap ones to see how it goes but it should be fine also will try the carving knifes for fine detail again reluctant to use them on this material till i am more familar with it .


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## cobalt (Nov 14, 2013)

still removing some waste materail on the fish but not a lot of material to play with . had to enlarger the hole for the shank fitment slightly with the spade bit and its as large as i can go to ensure it sits okay

need to cut out the mouth of it trying to cut out the defect area so the mouth isnt in the position i would prefer . still a way to go before i draw detail on for carving

Havnt used any burrs yet just the rasp and a coarse sand paper.details need marking out for eyes gills mouth and reshap dorsal fin


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## CV3 (Jan 30, 2014)

It is looking nice cobalt, it polishes up great.


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## Sean (Dec 29, 2012)

That is looking great. Nice to see the progress made on it.


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## cobalt (Nov 14, 2013)

tad more done today . just using the rotary tool to cut the detail and cut the mouth with the tennon saw.

The daimond tip burrs should help to clean it up before i start shaping the scales , it will need a aggresive polish to buff it up when carved.


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## cobalt (Nov 14, 2013)

more detail added to the fish but quite a bit of rubbing back to do


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## MJC4 (Mar 6, 2014)

Looks good Cobalt. What will you use to buff/polish it with?


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## cobalt (Nov 14, 2013)

i will use the finest sandpaper i can lay my hands on then use 0000wire wool .use some metal polish or t cut on it and finish it of by buffing it up useing the rotary tool with a cloth wheel on it

i may have to clean the scales up with a diamond tipped rasp ther a tad coarse

i only used a saw and the rasp the used the rotary tool .found they worked the best.

you have to be carefull not to put too much pressure on it when polishing with a machine you can burn it and it could distort if got to hot..Also if it gets to hot the smell is pretty bad.


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## CV3 (Jan 30, 2014)

Well done cobalt.It is looking good. There are some products that are use finishing plastics that are used in pen turning that works well on finishing bone.I am sure you have suppliers over there.I use these for fine finishing on many hard wood projects as well as pen you can get these type of pads from 300 to 12000 grit. They are very flexible and work well in hard to get into places, you can wash them out with water as you go. http://www.pennstateind.com/store/PKFINKIT.html

Randy


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## cobalt (Nov 14, 2013)

Interesting items. i havnt come across them before , but sound as tho they could be useful in polsihing up the scales are tricky to clean up .will shop around some sites


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## cobalt (Nov 14, 2013)

I have started to use wire wool on the fish still quite a bit to do on it ,the shapes makes it difficult to get into arkward places , mayby i will have to get those pads after all

this is what its like at present


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## CV3 (Jan 30, 2014)

The fish looks great cobalt. It is going to be a really unique cane!!


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