Polishing Cattle Horns

[gumamelagomez]

hi everyone! does anyone have any suggestions on how to polish cattle horns and get them to a sheen without using lacquer? i've been going at them with sandpaper and some wax and have gotten them clean enough but still quite dull. any suggestions will be much appreciated

[Yuri]

A cloth polishing wheel with some polishing compound is the answer. The wheel held in any stationary revolving contraption like a lathe chuck or drill press chuck. Can be bought at any hardware store my way, but at any engineering shop anywhere.

[alain]

you can polish as described above ,

 

or by hand and elbow grease with felt ( old felt hat ) and compound ,

Toothpaste is a polish agent, metal polish gives also a good result , https://www.google.b...m=isch&imgdii=_

or Polishing Compound , comes in different colors

or a level higher with plastic polis ,

 

 

if you have a rotary grinder flexible flex shaft , https://www.google.b...m=isch&imgdii=_

use Felt Polishing Wheel

 

https://www.google.b...m=isch&imgdii=_

 

There are several polishing compounds , https://www.google.b...ounds+&tbm=isch

 

for horn , bone , ivory , skulls , use polishing compound tripoli brown , https://www.google.b...m=isch&imgdii=_

on e-bay they come big and small sizes , http://www.ebay.com/...cat=0&_from=R40

 

for very high gloss use plastic polis also for amber polishing , https://www.google.b...m=isch&imgdii=_

 

I use NOVUS 1, 2, 3 Plastic Polish Kit , or greygate acrylic polish , http://www.ebay.com/...at=0&_from=R40

or http://www.ebay.com/...=item5af1c7c4e3

 

you should always keep in mind the burning of the bone , horn , ivory , etc ( burnt brown spot )

do not press too hard on the workpiece, let the wheel slip on the work surface,

 

[Ed Twilbeck]

Just to add a little to the polishing ,,, I use chamois wheels on my rotary tool, I made them and have some to use with compound ,, and some to use with wax,, they work well with wood and they should work well with bone.

You can purchase them at at jeweler's supply site.

[gumamelagomez]

thank you yuri, alain and ed! off to the hardware store now to look for some polishing compound! can't wait to try it!

[Tom Edward]

my 2 Lincolns, go through the grits as high as possible then on a cotton buff use ZAM and the a small amount of mineral oil to complete the job!!!