How do you tell if a handle is genuine horn?

[Emmett]

I picked up a vintage Plisson over xmas (pic here (http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showpost.php?p=1736958&postcount=30)) and I don't know how to tell if it's horn or not. There are some faint marks that might be tooling, but might also just be scuffs from wear. The striations vary with depth and are very irregular. My only point of comparison is a Shavemac faux horn that looks nothing like this. How do I tell? Or can any B&Ber help me out? I'm not sure what to do with it but I couldn't pass it up!

[Kevan]

Does it have spots of smoothness and some irregularity? My genuine horn razor handle has developed some wear over the last six months....kind of like the surface of a fingernail. Oh, and does it smell funky when wet? It might not since it's vintage, but I remember my razor handle smelling quite strongly like pork rinds for awhile.

From what you've said, it sounds real.

[cooncatbob]

Smell, if you have a spot that won't show touch it with a red hot pin.
It should smell like burning hair.

[Emmett]

Smell, if you have a spot that won't show touch it with a red hot pin.
It should smell like burning hair.

Thought about that, but being a brush it doesn't really have any inconspicuous spots. :sad:

[valmara1971]

Smell, if you have a spot that won't show touch it with a red hot pin.
It should smell like burning hair.

I think that covers a whole range of materials :lol:

[Emmett]

Thought about that, but being a brush it doesn't really have any inconspicuous spots. :sad:

On closer inspection, I found a spot where it looks like someone did just this a long time ago. There's a tiny pockmark up near the metal rim. My camera has crappy macro or I'd take a pic.



Does it have spots of smoothness and some irregularity? My genuine horn razor handle has developed some wear over the last six months....kind of like the surface of a fingernail. Oh, and does it smell funky when wet? It might not since it's vintage, but I remember my razor handle smelling quite strongly like pork rinds for awhile.

You mean like grain ridges? Not really. There's a few spots where there might be some, but it's not obvious. It doesn't smell at all either.

I went and looked at Plisson's imitation vs genuine horn brushes and the patterning is definitely closer to the real stuff. But without visible graining, I'm really hesitant.