I have a skull of a longhorn steer and we want to polish the horns. Could a person just sand them with sandpaper (220 - 600 grit) then put a couple coats of wax on them to achieve the shine. I don't have a buffer or a grinder as some suggested in the archives. Also the thing has been dead for ten years and the skin as mummified. I told the guy to soak it for a week or two and this will come off, I'm I right? I did a hog skull last year but it was straight of the hog, very fresh. Thanks for any help.
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your steer horns all by hand. It takes a bit, but you can bring them up to shine like glass, all by hand. I used to make powder horns from raw cow horns and I did it all without the aid of buffers or grinders. Back then I had more time than sense or money. I have had some that where so rough, that I had to first scrape them with the sharp edge of a piece of glass, just to get everything started on an even playing field. Once that was done, just keep working them down through the grades of sanding paper, then finish up with rubbing compound, followed up with polishing compound. It is not quick, but end result is quite nice. Good luck.
Where can I get rubbing and polishing compound?
The last that I bought , came from Wal-Mart. The rubbing compound is in a red and white tub, like paste wax, and the polishing compound is in a green and white tub. You use a damp rag and elbow grease to apply. The brand name is Turtle Wax. The containers may have changed colors, but look for the key words of buffing and polishing. Good luck.
Thanks for the help.