Here is my first try at making a powder horn. It actually started in the "How Do I" forum.
I have had some raw horns sitting in my basement/shop since 2004. I though now would be a good time to try and get some use of them besides using as overlay material on selfbows. LOL.
The horn I picked out for my first try had the tip cut off while it was still on the hoof. 2nd pic is after it was scraped with a cabinet scraper.
I cut off the healed over area and spliced on a tip from another horn that I used for overlays. I had used superglue to bond them together. With my dropsies,it fell to the cement floor and needless to say,came apart. I glued it back up with sg. A week later I dropped it again with the same results. DUH!!! This time I drilled and put in wooden pegs and sg'd them again. All is holding well and I haven't dropped to test it. LOL. I then made a base plug from a scrap piece of pine board and epoxied in place.
I then drilled out the tip and whittled a plug. Then I rounded the tip. My next step was to make a staple for the base plug. I cut the head off a nail, pounded flat,put one end in a vise and a pipe wrench on the other and gave it a few twists,then bent the tips to 90*. I drilled the base plug and tapped in the staple.
I have since taken a rattail file to it to engrave it a design into the tip. I then colored in to the engraving with a Sharpie to make the design stand out. I put on a few coats of Tru-oil to help seal it.
It is basically done other than a strap. My wife will be braiding me up one. I have a leather strap but it is 2 feet to short. More for display than actual use.
Link, for a first powder horn....or a tenth, for that matter, it's lookin mighty fine! A very unique rendition of a traditional design. I like it!
Ned
Thanks Ned, I hope to do better on the next ones I do. The smaller horn in the first pic I will try a pan priming horn.
Turned out great.Hope my first one comes out half that good.
Linc, That came out great!!!!! thmbsup thmbsup
Thank you very much. I'm quite proud of it. ;D
Man that's really good work.
Thank you David. I could have probably thinned it some more but I didn't want to push my luck. LOL.
I'm sure this will not be your last horn. A person just can't stop with just one cause he thinks up ways to simplify and improve on the last one. The process never ends. As your skill improves, you get more daring and experiment with different ideas and eventually different style horns. Not every experiment works, but many do. Looking forward to seeing your next horn......Bullfrog
Say that looks great. thmbsup
Well done, a different aproach to the end product, but... thats all that matters is the end product, looks good, now I must warn ya, once you get to snorting that horn dust and it gets in your blood, it becomes addictive!, and the only cure is to snort more! devel
Thanks for the kind words gents. I've got 2 other horns to work on and one coming.LOL. So this definately won't be my last. These next 2 with be quite a bit thinner. The first one had to been from an old cow or bull. But these other 2 are a lot thinner to start with. ;D