Cow, sheep and buffalo horn are the most common of the horns used in stickmaking. Horn will bend when heated but cow and sheeps horns are hollow and require "bulking" to make the horn solid. The process of "bulking" requires an extensive range of equipment and the process is quite difficult and time consuming. Buffalo horn is solid and requires less equipment to shape the handle making it the more popular among some stickmakers. Good quality sheeps and cow horn is difficult to obtain due to modern farming methods, this coupled with the difficulty in working the horn make them the most expensive type of handle.
