Another new hornmaker

[Comrade Coffin]

Good afternoon gents, here is my first effort at a powder horn. I cannot decide on straps. I know that many folks attatch the horn to the hunting bag, but I haven't made my hunting bag yet, and I also may want the horn seperate for range days.

Any advice on common straps welcome - I was thinking of just cutting a 1" wide cow hide strap.

 

[omarick1948]

Nice first powder horn, Doc! ... Your most common type of HC horn straps were simple leather, hemp cord, finger woven or linen strip. .... I like braided leather straps!

 

[hoochiepapa]

Nice! I like the stopper.

 

Haha :haha: very creative stopper... it adds a nice touch that sets it apart.

 

[rafterob]

The stopper; If I look at it one way, its a duck. If I look at it another way, its a rabbit. Intentional? As far as straps, I prefer the braided cords or woven straps. I think for your horn a simple braided cord would work nicely.

 

[wattlebuster]

:thumbsup: :thumbsup:

 

[Comrade Coffin]

Thanks gents - glad you liked the stopper - it was a happy accident really - there was a dead tree near my local rifle range that was well seasoned & I chopped off a branch to carve into a stopper and the bird just emerged during the whittling. I had intended to make a plain one. I may do some file branding on it to add more detail.

 

[William O.]

A strip of leather would work and look fine. Here is a source of some really nice woven straps in case you decide to go with something different; http://theweavingwelshman.com/straps_page_1/straps_page_3

 

[MSW]

I agree with Horner75 - go with braided leather.

Don't feel compelled to attach it to a bag. Some do and some don't . . . check out how you carry whatever stuff you want to carry, and pick the system which best fits your personal needs. Don't go with one method simply because "they" said to do it that way or this way.

By the way, you will start getting the itch to make another horn pretty soon.

(insert mad scientist laugh here - bwhahaha - he's hooked for sure!)

:wink:

 

[Comrade Coffin]

Thank you for all the advice my friends, which has convinced me to make a braided strap. I have some cow hide and a strap-cutter, so I shall get to work braidind some thin strips together as soon as I figure out a method.

You are right about being hooked. I'll post some pictures of my rum horn as soon as I can.

 

[BillinOregon]

Doc, nice job. As others have noted, the practice of attaching your horn to your bag straps will date your outfit to very late 1700s early 1800s I believe.

 

[gus13]

Aw darn! here I was going Pelican! :rotf: :rotf:
look forward to seein' more from ya, Doc!

 

[ohio ramrod]

Nice work! Hemp straping is available from uphostery shops.It is nice to work with and esy to add beading to. :idunno:

 

[rijerolmon]

I like both the horn and the stopper, has the look of "made to use" and still has individuality.
Question: Is it possible to alter the color of a horn of this shade other than to make it darker? I have one and may want to change it's color someday.

 

[ohio ramrod]

Horns may be bleeched with common clorox bleech to some degree. But be carefull the bleeching dries out the horn and makes the horn brittle.Also just letting the horn exposed to the weather and lots of sun will bleech it. But again it will become brittle. :idunno:

 

[omarick1948]

:hmm: ...On a dark horn, you can dye it darker, but you can't make a dark horn lighter!

Rick