Ram Horn / Sheep Horn

Well folks, I went up to "the Faaam;)" in VT yesterday to see what's up with my nieces flock. There's some good news, and there's some bad news...

The bad news first. They have a flock of about 350-400 sheep that used to consist of about 50% Horned Dorsets, with the other 50% being Pollypay, Isle de France and a mix of the last two breeds. Unfortunately, they have changed their flock composition to about 1/3 Horned Dorsets, with the remainder being the other two, non-horned breeds.
Essentially, this means that there won't be as many horns available as I'd hoped.... BUT...

The Good news... I have convinced them that they need to be saving any and all horns that they can harvest from those sheep. Those that go to slaughter, and any that might die from natural causes.

While at the faaam, I looked over about 40-50 sheep that are being finished for slaughter. I'd estimate that there are about 10 to 15 +- that will have horns they can harvest. Some have fairly large sets, some have smaller sets of horns.

At any rate, I have convinced my niece and her husband that they should harvest all of these horns because I might be able to get a few bucks for them and it is a possible new revenue stream for them. Rather than letting the butcher throw horns into the trash (or whatever), and rather than them throwing a horned carcass into the compost/trash... GET THOSE HORNS FIRST!!!

My plan is to get the horns, and then offer them at a reasonable price to knife makers who would use them. I may or may not get into cutting horns into scales, I don't know. I find it nice to have the entire horn in hand when looking at it for handle material so that I can pick and choose which part of the horn I want to use. I'll have to think about it.

I do have one little problem though... At my current Blade Forum Membership, I'm not sure that I can sell anything here. I'd originally thought I'd sell these for my niece on "the Bay", but I'd rather offer them here first. I'll have to look into the "legality" of offering them for sale here on BF before I proceed (perhaps a Moderator or someone can advise me on this???).

If you are interested in some sheep horn, keep an eye on this thread. As I get answers to my questions about legalities, and how best to offer these to the membership here, I'll update this thread. If I can move forward with this, I'll also try to get a "heads up" from my niece as to when I can expect some horns, and how many I will have available.

Understand that I don't personally expect to make a dime on this little endeavor. All that's in it for me, will be first choice on some nice horn:):thumbup:... I'll take a couple sets of horns or scales for myself if I need them. I am however hoping that I can make a few bucks for my niece and her husband who run the faaam... it's a tough business and they just scrape by from the sales of their lamb, pork and a few chickens.

I will keep you posted...
 
One thing I do is keep a record of bucks purchased at the sale barn, photos of bucks or heads with horns. Personally I do not work any wild sheep horns, you never know what game and fish rules apply to the state you are shipping to. Domestic sheep horns should not result in any problems, especially if you can document that they came from domestic sheep. A simple written statement from the butcher who butchered the rams will be proof enough.
 
Well, I'd like to get a set of horns (or two) or some scales.
If they're cut in to scales they'll fit a flat rate box.
I'll pay a fair price, no problem :)

Just a question: Can you expect to get one scale per horn or more than one pre horn?
 
Hengelo_77 said:
Well, I'd like to get a set of horns (or two) or some scales.
If they're cut in to scales they'll fit a flat rate box.
I'll pay a fair price, no problem :)

Just a question: Can you expect to get one scale per horn or more than one pre horn?
Click to expand...

Really depends on the size/shape of the horn.

I would expect more like 4 to 6 individual scales per horn for the size horns I show in my pictures. I split the horn in half. The first 3/4 of the horn is hollow. The last third toward the tip is solid. The horn I have pictured which is shown already cut into pieces, I cut up to use for the folder (pictured), and I was also able to get another set of good sized scales for a large fixed blade. I probably could even get another 2 sets of scales from the horn tips. In total, I figure I'll get 6 scales from each horn (total of 12 individual scales from one dead sheep:D).

The "scrap" left after those cuts would still provide additional horn bits that could probably work for slipjoint scales.

While at the farm, I saw some of the sheep which will soon go to market that had fairly small horns... perhaps only 4-5 inches. I would expect to get 2 sets of scales out of them (1 good matched set per horn). I also saw quite a few that had horns similar to those I've shown in the pictures. Again, they (each horn) ought to yield 3 or more sets I would guess.

It's interesting how these horns grow. The entire left horn, is pretty much a mirror of the right horn as far as "growth rings" and ridges go. You could cut a scale out of the left horn, and get a fairly good match for it from the right horn... I'll know more when I get my hands on the lambs that go to butcher.

I'll keep details posted here as I get them.
 
I just realized I hadn't posted these pictures that will give you a bit of scale concerning these horns. I'm going to leave most as thumbnails to save space.

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The other set I haven't cut yet. And the profile of the knife scale on the knife.

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timcsaw said:
I just realized I hadn't posted these pictures that will give you a bit of scale concerning these horns. I'm going to leave most as thumbnails to save space.

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Click to expand...


I'd love to get a matching set of horns like that.
(or a few)
I hope you'll get a nice supplie
 
Just in case anyone is still keeping an eye on this thread... I'm expecting a bunch of ram's horn this week end, and I hope to be offering them fairly soon. I have a couple of sets similar to those shown in my previous posts, but have been waiting until I had a larger selection to choose from.

I haven't forgotten... just been gathering more to offer.

Thanks,
Tim
 
Will you be offering them here on the BF 'for sale' section, or otherwise?
I'm interested in this beautifull material.
:)
(hope this is no april fools post :P)
 
Hengelo_77 said:
Will you be offering them here on the BF 'for sale' section, or otherwise?
I'm interested in this beautifull material.
:)
(hope this is no april fools post :P)
Click to expand...

Real deal (not April fools).

As soon as I get my hands on enough horns, I'll be offering them for sale here on BF. Will probably try to offer a variety... scales and whole horns.

I will update this thread when I get enough horn to offer.
 
I love this!
I live he-ah in Vuhmont...and I am very happy that you are endeavoring to supply members of BF with quality natural knife handle materials, promoting grass roots marketing and helping out your hard working VT farm family members.
Cool.
My best friend does on site butchering in the mid-Vermont area. Could be he has been to the Faahm. Your family would like him...he does very good work.
I would love to see some of that beautiful rams horn gracing my Emerson Persian.
I'll bookmark this for sure.
Good luck.

CP
 
Bumping this up... Honest... the sheep/ram's horn is coming, I promise.

But you DON'T want any of these yet!!!:eek::barf:

I had to macerate these to separate the "cores" from the horns so it will take a few more soaks and some drying to "de-funkify" them (imagine if you will... a bunch of ram's horn with the skull "cores" still in them and the "cores" are still full of flesh and marrow. Soak them in a sealed bucket full of water, setting in the sun for a couple weeks so that the "cores" rot from the horn. Yes, opening the bucket was NOT a lot of fun, but the cores slipped right out of the horns!!:barf::D)

But honest... they ARE coming along and I hope to have something to offer of them in a couple weeks (depending on "de-stinkification";))

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Yes, some of these are BLACK!!! Some excellent, glossy black!

I'll keep you all updated...:)
 
Make sure you keep us posted on your progress. I am very interested in grabbing some. By the way I used to live in Alstead, NH and worked at the white river junction VA. beautiful country you are in there. Great mushroom hunting.
 
Boatbuilder said:
I would be real interested in some horn as well. Let me know how to purchase some.

Jim
Click to expand...


Will do Jim.

Keep an eye on this thread as this will be where I offer it. I haven't decided if I'm going to sell these whole, or cut them into slabs and solid tips. Personally, I find that having the whole horn makes it easier to "find" the piece that would work best for the individual knife handle I want. Additionally, I can plan the use of "waste" better to yield additional pieces for slip joints and smaller knives

Once their sufficiently dried, I'll know better...
 
I never knew horn like that existed in black.
I always thought it was more brown/amber colour.
But it looks GOOD

I agree on your point of selling the whole horns (as pairs to bookmatch)
But will it not skyrocket shippingcost?
 
I would love to have a couple large, WHOLE, black ones. Mostly if you can acquire those that have attained a full curl - the tip curls all the way back to the base to make a complete circle like the one in the upper left of your photo. 3/4+ anyway.
I'll do my own cutting as I use the outside of the horn and flatten the heavy part - not the sides.
 
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