telling bone stems from horn

Log in

SmokingPipes.com Updates

New Cigars




PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

Drucquers Banner

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

Status
Not open for further replies.

irishearl

Lifer
Aug 2, 2016
2,146
3,762
Kansas
Years ago bought from an online seller a 117 year-old S&G bulldog with threaded tenon. He advertised it as having a bone stem. it's a yellowish tan color, (sorry don't do pics). Never seen a horn stem in person but wonder if horn is what he meant. How do you tell the difference? thanks.

 

pitchfork

Lifer
May 25, 2012
4,030
605
It's almost certainly horn, not bone. I've seen Salmon & Gluckstein pipes with horn stems, but never bone. The threaded tenon is probably bone, though.
Horn, unlike bone, is striated. If you look closely, you can usually see the strands running through it. And usually horn will be streaked rather than perfectly solid in color.

 

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,433
No expertise in this, but I think bone is more porous and would show at least slight texturing from that.

 

mawnansmiff

Lifer
Oct 14, 2015
7,385
7,295
Sunny Cornwall, UK.
Pitchfork has it. Horn is actually rather like heavily compressed hair hence the striations. If broken, the exposed ends are a mass of very fine hairs.
Regards,
Jay.

 
Status
Not open for further replies.