Any tips for polishing the inside edges on a horn carve ?

[Sudsy]

Working on my first horn
I'm about to go at it with chopsticks and stuff wrapped in sandpaper, but if anyone has a better suggestion I'm all ears

 

[CuNosecap]

Needle files, chain saw files. sand paper. scotch brite pads of varying grits

 

[Sudsy]

Needle files, chain saw files. sand paper. scotch brite pads of varying grits

Yup, went that way, finished it this morning. What a PIA !
Came out pretty OK though, next one will be better

 

[Sudsy]

Next move is something decorative around the top and inlet my initials in brass into the flat top cap (what's the word for that part?)

 

[CuNosecap]

Well done.

 

[Sudsy]

Well done.

Thank you but really just OK

 

[Tanglefoot]

Abrasive cord. Amazon. Different grits, just like sandpaper.

 

[Sudsy]

Abrasive cord

I'll be damned, all these years and never knew that existed. Just bought a series of grits.
When my accountant wife freaks over the Amazon bill, I'm blaming you

 

[pilot]

That's a nice looking horn. Don't be so modest.

 

[Sudsy]

That's a nice looking horn. Don't be so modest.

Thanks, but if you look at it close you'll see a lot of mistakes. The top edge of the horn not being level with the wood cap, and in an unrepairable way, a lot of slips, gouges and messed up file marks that can't be fixed, air leaks that took epoxy to seal. Without the epoxy to seal the top edge it would have failed the dunk test miserably.
The camera hides as much as it shows

 

[Sudsy]

Just realized, I never posted what I've done to it since that last photo.

Put a brass tip on it
Used one of these things, a plumbing fixture used to attach tubing to something (or something like that)


Came out pretty good, needs a bit more polishing the get the final grinding marks out



I decided to learn the art of bending horn
Filed off the attachment hole thing I was going to use to tie the strap onto the horn



Turned a hardwood cone to shape the end which was oval (ish) - I needed it to be round


Heated vegetable oil in a coffee can to 250 degrees, took the can off heat and let about 5" of the wide end of the horn sit in the oil for about 10 minutes to get pliable.
Shoved the cone up there and let it sit until cool

While that was cooling I turned a new cap with an acorn finial where I'll tie off the strap.

During the final touching up the #$@& tool caught (you can see the line in the photo, can't really see it in real life) and the whole piece flew off the lathe, always a lot of fun. The tip of the acorn is where it broke when it flew off, so I made a tiny tip out of a bit of brass bar. I think that came out pretty good.

Also made my first attempt at checkering on the cap of the acorn. My hat is off to the guys who do some of those amazing checkering jobs, it's not easy.

Attached the cap with 11 brass nails



Now I have to make the plug for the pouring end, need to work a taper into the brass tip so the plug will seal and hold, haven't figured that part out yet.

Sand sand sand to get the rest of the scratches out of the cap. I'm holding it in my hand right now and you really can't see them, but now that the camera showed me they are there I'm not going to be able to live with it.

After its fully sanded, about 10 coats of TruOil and a lot of buffing



Last thing to do is learn how to do scrimshaw to put a design and my name around the top of the horn.

 

[Sudsy]

Decided to thread the spout and began making a threaded antler plug
The threads are cut in the spout, the plug is threaded and roughed out, I'll be working on shaping it tomorrow.

 

[Sudsy]

Shape of the plug is roughed. I'll engrave it after I fill it and check to see that it's going to work.
Added some embellishment around the edge of the wood cap, needed something.

 

[ScottK]

Nice job so far!

I’m just starting down the horn building rabbit hole. The information/instructions are surprisingly sparse and scattered. Seems like a lot of trial and error is the name of the game. Keep up the good work!

 

[garypl]

Just realized, I never posted what I've done to it since that last photo.

Put a brass tip on it
Used one of these things, a plumbing fixture used to attach tubing to something (or something like that)
View attachment 352983

Came out pretty good, needs a bit more polishing the get the final grinding marks out

View attachment 352984

I decided to learn the art of bending horn
Filed off the attachment hole thing I was going to use to tie the strap onto the horn

View attachment 352985

Turned a hardwood cone to shape the end which was oval (ish) - I needed it to be round
View attachment 352986

Heated vegetable oil in a coffee can to 250 degrees, took the can off heat and let about 5" of the wide end of the horn sit in the oil for about 10 minutes to get pliable.
Shoved the cone up there and let it sit until cool

While that was cooling I turned a new cap with an acorn finial where I'll tie off the strap.

During the final touching up the #$@& tool caught (you can see the line in the photo, can't really see it in real life) and the whole piece flew off the lathe, always a lot of fun. The tip of the acorn is where it broke when it flew off, so I made a tiny tip out of a bit of brass bar. I think that came out pretty good.

Also made my first attempt at checkering on the cap of the acorn. My hat is off to the guys who do some of those amazing checkering jobs, it's not easy.

Attached the cap with 11 brass nails

View attachment 352987

Now I have to make the plug for the pouring end, need to work a taper into the brass tip so the plug will seal and hold, haven't figured that part out yet.

Sand sand sand to get the rest of the scratches out of the cap. I'm holding it in my hand right now and you really can't see them, but now that the camera showed me they are there I'm not going to be able to live with it.

After its fully sanded, about 10 coats of TruOil and a lot of buffing

View attachment 352988

Last thing to do is learn how to do scrimshaw to put a design and my name around the top of the horn.

Alternate method to soften horn when fitting a plug is to heat it with a heat gun. A couple of minutes will soften the horn and make it pliable to shove onto a form or horn plug and no oily mess to clean up!

Horn looks good but I prefer a smaller base plug - less weight to carry around

 

[pilot]

Alternate method to soften horn when fitting a plug is to heat it with a heat gun. A couple of minutes will soften the horn and make it pliable to shove onto a form or horn plug and no oily mess to clean up!

Horn looks good but I prefer a smaller base plug - less weight to carry around

If you do it first, you can hollow the powder end of the base plug to lighten it and give yourself more powder capacity.

Sudsy, that scratch on your plug? Mine has one, too.

 

[LME]

Thanks, but if you look at it close you'll see a lot of mistakes. The top edge of the horn not being level with the wood cap, and in an unrepairable way, a lot of slips, gouges and messed up file marks that can't be fixed, air leaks that took epoxy to seal. Without the epoxy to seal the top edge it would have failed the dunk test miserably.
The camera hides as much as it shows

All you are doing is admitting your flaws? Do you think everyone does? You have a very nice horn and you are honest as well.