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Building a Powder Horn

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James Kopp said:
ANY TIPS FOR LINIED UP A WOODEN CAP TO A HORN...ALL BE IT A SMALL PRIMING HORN, anything is appreciated....
Click to expand...
Here's what I did (I am no great horn maker mind you).
I made a wooden cone as a mold to make the horn a concentric circle heated the horn with oil and shoved the cone in. Then I made the plug. I have a crappy lathe but it's a lot of work to setup, so I did it by hand. I started with a 3/8" step in the plug to go inside the horn. I cut that with a Japanese pull saw and chisel. I sanded the horn rim flat on a piece of sandpaper on a table and very carefully tapered and reduced the insert part of the plug until it fit.
I had to trim the edges of the step with the chisel until it fit perfectly. ( I made a pencil mark on both to keep them lined up because the horn still wasn't a perfect circle). Once I had that, I traced around the horn into the plug. Removed the plug, trimmed down to the line, and shaped it. When. I was happy I glued and tacked it in place with brass brads.
After all that the wood was still just slightly larger than the horn. I used a steel scraper to make it even with the horn, but probably would have been fine like it was. Not a 5 min job, it took a full evening. The lathe would have definitely been faster.
 
CuNosecap said:
I also used The book by Sibley to supplement tutorial by PathfinderNC.
What I learned and will do differently next time is the boiling or heating to make the base fit a round base plug. I tried to fit an irregular space with lots of sanding. It is airtight now but it took more effort than necessary and the cosmetic results, are, well, rustic at best.
I can say that drilling the spout was not a problem for the first timer.
Click to expand...
 
I like it, based on other viewings of authentic 1700's horns and repro amateur products, it is very good. It was after all, an personal expression of someones art and story telling. You got me interested, now I want more!
 
Notchy Bob said:
That's a really nice looking little horn, @Kev308 . I especially like the carving around the spout. Taking off material to slim it down while leaving the "collar" as you did takes time, but it makes a much more graceful and visually balanced horn than one with a really thick neck.

Strong work, my friend.

Notchy Bob
Click to expand...
Thanks Notchy Bob! I appreciate the compliment
Kevin
 
Hey Lucky, my powderhorn kit and horn roll primer parts arrived today...looking great!

For those in the know, does anyone have good reference materials for early 1800's horns carried in the western territories. I'm not seeing much art depicting NWC or HBC folks and their horns. Best I can figure, based on First Nations and Canadian War Museum pieces, is that the base plug should be either flat and flush or sticking out about 1/2" rounded down to the horn (i.e. a flat top dome). If anyone has any other info, please let me know :)

My horn is going to be fairly plain (or at least that is the plan at this point) and I'll likely dye my stopper and curly maple base plug to match what I did with my Colonial.

I also have a black horn roll and priming spout....I'll drill the roll and thin it on the spout end to make a little primer to replace my brass one that split (and to "blend in" better....I know priming horns and flasks really weren't a "thing" out my way for quite some time after the general period I'm going for).
 
I finally finished Horn #2.

Polished horn from Gerry (PH and More), Copper tacks cut and filed. Maple end cap and spout plug stained colonial red. Staple made from welding rod beat square and bent cold. Rit dye chocolate brown with a bit of red wine dye added. I did not dye the upper end this time.
Scrimshaw (second attempt) performed with Xacto blade from freehand drawn picture, then washed with dark walnut oil based stain and wiped off. Paste wax finish.

I will call it "folksy" to cover my amateur attempt at scrim. Feel free to call it what you like. Critiques, and especially tips welcomed and appreciated. I have 3 more from Gerry awaiting my butchery!
Rick
 

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CuNosecap said:
I also used The book by Sibley to supplement tutorial by PathfinderNC.
What I learned and will do differently next time is the boiling or heating to make the base fit a round base plug. I tried to fit an irregular space with lots of sanding. It is airtight now but it took more effort than necessary and the cosmetic results, are, well, rustic at best.
I can say that drilling the spout was not a problem for the first timer.
Click to expand...
I do admire the people who can make a horn into a work of art and I have one that I won at a blanket shoot which is a prized possession. I much prefer the style of your horn which looks like someone sitting around a campfire and scratching on his horn. Just an ordinary everyday horn that someone scratched on to pass the time.
 

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