Buffalo Horns (American Bison)

These are great buffalo horn caps that average 14 inches long (measured on outside curve). They are not cleaned or polished and are in their natural state. Buffalo horns were traditionally used to make spoons, ladles, and of course, for buffalo horn bonnets. Note that most split-horned bonnets only require one horn. The horn is split in half (almost quartered, really) and then shaped and polished. A trick to make these really nice and shiny is to use sandpaper to smooth them down. Once the outer layer is worn off, use successively finer grit until you are basically polishing the horn. When it is completely smooth, apply a layer of animal fat or vegetable oil and polish into the horn. It will take on a beautiful deep black luster. Just a helpful hint (we know this works because that's how we made a horned bonnet).

Please note that we do not have these horns available in matched pairs. We buy them in bulk and get an assortment of sizes, lefts, rights, etc. Also note that these are fairly rough on the outside. Buffalo are an aggressive animal and grind their horns regularly against trees and other objects. If you are trying to purchase a horn for use as a powder horn, please be aware that these horns are not smooth. They may have gouges and other rough areas. Please DO let us know your needs and we will certainly try to select appropriate horns. We just can't promise that we'll have horns that match your specifications. Please DON'T ask us to find horns to fit a skull you already have. Each skull is unique and horns are not interchangeable.