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How is horn to cut, file, and sand? Where would one find buffalo horn in a block sized suitable for a forend tip?

Joe Dobrzynski, over on ASSRA forum, used to sell it, might check with him. He is a good guy. Big pieces are hard to find however. Cutting, filing, and sanding it is a piece of cake.
Phil

If you are looking for smallish pieces, check pet stores. They sell it for dog chews. Ive picked pieces big enough for carving there.
Bfly

Thanks.
I’ll try and contact him.

Bf1- some inexpensive pet store horn may be a good way to get some practice/experience. Thanks!

Horn in bigger pieces is "made" by boiling and reforming in a roller press. Hide glue is added during the forming to make things smoother. It is collagen and the same "glue" that holds horn together naturally. About 140F (maybe a bit higher) the horn slumps and can be shaped into about any form.

Bison horn does not naturally come in pieces big enough for fore end tips.

Cape Buffalo horn is the biggest, densest, natural horn I have played with and it is great on its own. Sheep horn from dall sheep is not hard to come by, but not cheap. Big horn comes in thicker pieces.

I made a form many years ago to compress horn and used it several times with some success.

Horn works easily, usually, but it can get "hairy". It does not like heat when working. It is very sensitive to heat when power sanding or polishing.

A huge tip is to polish with Mrs Wright's silver polish. It does the best job faster than about anything I have used. I have used bison, sheep, goat, pronghorn, musk ox, cape Buffalo, cow, moose and caribou hooves, and other horn for different things and some of it is gorgeous. It all works about the same.

Thanks for the feedback, all!