What grit sandpaper for mirror finish on black horn?
Just a quick question, what grit sandpaper should I use to get a mirror finish on horn? 2000grit sandpaper or do I have to do something else?
The local hardware store does not stock sandpaper above 1200 grit, and I don't want to risk damaging the mirror finish of the horn. Is 1200 grit sufficient to get a mirror finish or do I have to source 2000 grit sandpaper?
Thanks in advance
The local hardware store does not stock sandpaper above 1200 grit, and I don't want to risk damaging the mirror finish of the horn. Is 1200 grit sufficient to get a mirror finish or do I have to source 2000 grit sandpaper?
Thanks in advance
plain old brown paper,the kind used for paper bags is 2000 grit.
As PJ says or you can use the back of the paper you have eg. not the grit side the back of the paper.
How about thin hide glue?
Wet and dry 1200 is what I finish with for things like thumb rings that experience wear. A final polish with jeweler's rouge will give a mirror finish.
Aafter reading some of the suggestions, I went ahead and tried some.
1) Brown paper bag method (supposedly 2000 grit)- didn't work. I basically want to get rid of the "haze" from abrasion on black buffalo horn and get it to shine like mirror. No effect.
2) Wet 1200 grit sandpaper from Bunnings (local Oz super-hardware store) - It made the polish black horn took on a "matt" color, (i.e made it loose the mirror shine)
I did however, found an awesome product that worked very well to bring horn to a mirror shine (mirror shine is an understatement). Its called
"Novus plastic polish" It comes in 3 different Bottles 3, 2, 1 and is sold as a pack of 3. I got the 2oz version. Bottle 3, is to remove rough scratches, Bottle 2, polishes haze to a mirror shine. Bottle 2 is where the money is at. Bottle 1, is a cleaner to remove any residue from 2 and make it shine more.
This product is pretty amazing, it even restore the haze on my old mobile phone screen. Just thought of giving forum members a heads up on this incredible and simple to use polishing cream.
Anyway, thank you for all those who took the time to reply.
1) Brown paper bag method (supposedly 2000 grit)- didn't work. I basically want to get rid of the "haze" from abrasion on black buffalo horn and get it to shine like mirror. No effect.
2) Wet 1200 grit sandpaper from Bunnings (local Oz super-hardware store) - It made the polish black horn took on a "matt" color, (i.e made it loose the mirror shine)
I did however, found an awesome product that worked very well to bring horn to a mirror shine (mirror shine is an understatement). Its called
"Novus plastic polish" It comes in 3 different Bottles 3, 2, 1 and is sold as a pack of 3. I got the 2oz version. Bottle 3, is to remove rough scratches, Bottle 2, polishes haze to a mirror shine. Bottle 2 is where the money is at. Bottle 1, is a cleaner to remove any residue from 2 and make it shine more.
This product is pretty amazing, it even restore the haze on my old mobile phone screen. Just thought of giving forum members a heads up on this incredible and simple to use polishing cream.
Anyway, thank you for all those who took the time to reply.
If you want to acquire a mirror-like look of the horn you can use the little plastic files that our ladies use to polish their nails (also a kind of horn :)). Those files have usually four surfaces, from smoothly rough to smoothest (this one looks like a rubber). And the finish you'll get is astonishing. I use this kind of nail files to give the final touch to the thumb rings, and they look like polished marble.
I had a friend who made thumb rings with nail files and he managed a very high polish. His girlfriend did not approve.
I am sure she'd approve, if she knew horn is the same material...
The old method was rubbing black horn with charcoal and oil. I suppose one can do the same with white chalk for white horn. I have little experience in polishing, but it seems to me water should rather be avoided as the lubricant on horn (or other organics). Oil or mineral spirits (paint thinner) will be best.
Adam
The old method was rubbing black horn with charcoal and oil. I suppose one can do the same with white chalk for white horn. I have little experience in polishing, but it seems to me water should rather be avoided as the lubricant on horn (or other organics). Oil or mineral spirits (paint thinner) will be best.
Adam
Adam,
I have had not problems using water as a lubricant, but it gives a false impression of the smoothness until it dries. Then the surface seems a little powdery. This is in the case of horn which is not glued to something else. Your suggestion for mineral oils might be better for horn on bows.
I think Kani had something about using chalk to polish ivory.
A little beeswax polished into the finished surface works well.
I have had not problems using water as a lubricant, but it gives a false impression of the smoothness until it dries. Then the surface seems a little powdery. This is in the case of horn which is not glued to something else. Your suggestion for mineral oils might be better for horn on bows.
I think Kani had something about using chalk to polish ivory.
A little beeswax polished into the finished surface works well.
Cristian, what a brilliant idea :D . Now, the problem is how to avoid getting strange looks when buying a fancy ladies nail file. I just started to make horn thumb rings and faced a similar problem, I tried a dremel tool, but it didn't work.
Slightly diverting from the subject, when making longbow horn nocks I got to deal with a batch of buffalo horn that seems to be quite oily and rubbery, I've been wondering, is that perhaps fresh horn? Or is it simply of different origin, coming form different animals or a different climat?
If we are on subject of nail care, for degreasing bow laminations, socets of field arrow points etc. it's much cheaper to use nail polish remover/cleaner, rather than more expansive acetone, prepare yourself to get strange looks and questions regarding fragrance preference when buying the stuff though.
Slightly diverting from the subject, when making longbow horn nocks I got to deal with a batch of buffalo horn that seems to be quite oily and rubbery, I've been wondering, is that perhaps fresh horn? Or is it simply of different origin, coming form different animals or a different climat?
If we are on subject of nail care, for degreasing bow laminations, socets of field arrow points etc. it's much cheaper to use nail polish remover/cleaner, rather than more expansive acetone, prepare yourself to get strange looks and questions regarding fragrance preference when buying the stuff though.
this is the polished surface obtained using the nail files. Those rings are made by Ginni.
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I use 350 to 500 grit sandpaper and a polishing disk. JJ
I make horn and bone jewellry finish with 1200 grit and white jewellers rouge on a cloth wheel, before that i used liquid metal polish (brasso).
I have done that too. There are several proprietary jeweller's polishes that work really well, but most rouges are good.
I did however, found an awesome product that worked very well to bring horn to a mirror shine (mirror shine is an understatement). Its called
"Novus plastic polish" It comes in 3 different Bottles 3, 2, 1 and is sold as a pack of 3. I got the 2oz version. Bottle 3, is to remove rough scratches, Bottle 2, polishes haze to a mirror shine. Bottle 2 is where the money is at. Bottle 1, is a cleaner to remove any residue from 2 and make it shine more.
This product is pretty amazing, it even restore the haze on my old mobile phone screen. Just thought of giving forum members a heads up on this incredible and simple to use polishing cream.
Anyway, thank you for all those who took the time to reply.[/quote]
I bought some of this stuff just to see what it was like and have found that I can get the same finish with sandpaper/wet n dry down to 2000 grit. Back of the paper and a buff with a soft cloth! A cheaper version of this stuff is called autosol here in the UK and some brands of toothpaste also work well.
"Novus plastic polish" It comes in 3 different Bottles 3, 2, 1 and is sold as a pack of 3. I got the 2oz version. Bottle 3, is to remove rough scratches, Bottle 2, polishes haze to a mirror shine. Bottle 2 is where the money is at. Bottle 1, is a cleaner to remove any residue from 2 and make it shine more.
This product is pretty amazing, it even restore the haze on my old mobile phone screen. Just thought of giving forum members a heads up on this incredible and simple to use polishing cream.
Anyway, thank you for all those who took the time to reply.[/quote]
I bought some of this stuff just to see what it was like and have found that I can get the same finish with sandpaper/wet n dry down to 2000 grit. Back of the paper and a buff with a soft cloth! A cheaper version of this stuff is called autosol here in the UK and some brands of toothpaste also work well.