Bought some powder horns

[Frontier's]

In the making!

Cut, drilled and made base plugs for 3 of them and now have applied epoxy to the plugs and set them to the side to dry over night.

I'll tack them tomorrow and add the staples for the straps I'm going to make later.

I used ponderosa pine for my base plugs. I'll try some stain and see what i like best. My last one i burned the wood for coloring and loved it.

And nope, they will not get polished out! I love the natural look.

 

[oldwood]

Light wt. pine plug very traditional. Nice selection of buff. horns. Some time back was a Forum discussion , about would a KY. Buffalo horn be black , or blond colored like found in New England buffalo horns?? Since then , Read from an actual testimony given by a fellow from pre -1800 KY. , where a comment was made about how black and shiny the buff. horn was the "scout" carried..............oldwood

 

[Frontier's]

First time doing a round top plug.

 

[oldwood]

I build rifles for folks who want them. Seems like now-a-days , customers want a shot pouch and powder horn w/the rifle. I'm not a leather worker or a talented horn smith. Glad shot pouches are in catalogs to order , but still make powder horns. It's fun to plug a horn , thanks to epoxie , and some tacks or wood pins , and don't forget the cake of bee's wax in case I screw the thing up and need to fill a gap. Good fun......oldwood

 

[Pete G]

There is a school of thought that you should NEVER use glue on a base plug.

 

[Frontier's]

This is a super strong/flexible epoxy i use to completely seal them. I still have to drill and tap in the tiny nails.

 

[olfuzzy]

Is it safe to assume that you didn't "round" the base but went with the natural contour of each horn ?

 

[Frontier's]

Yes i trace out the pattern of the horn and get them as snug as possible. You can see in the first pic, i have the pattern to a horn traced out.

 

[Frontier's]

This was the smallest horn i had, and was my least favorite until i started working it. I semi polished out the natural smooth areas and lightly scraped the rougher areas with my knife blade. I love the natural look, so thats why i am not big on the fully polished out horns i find. I want something with natural beauty i guess you could say. Im not 100% sure what I am going to do for a front horn strap, maybe go pound out a small i hook, not sure yet.

In the end, this small horn actually turned out to be my favorite with its smooth clean flowing lines.

 

[jdw276]

This was the smallest horn i had, and was my least favorite until i started working it. I semi polished out the natural smooth areas and lightly scraped the rougher areas with my knife blade. I love the natural look, so thats why i am not big on the fully polished out horns i find. I want something with natural beauty i guess you could say. Im not 100% sure what I am going to do for a front horn strap, maybe go pound out a small i hook, not sure yet.

In the end, this small horn actually turned out to be my favorite with its smooth clean flowing lines.
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So how did you achieve the consistent black? have done 2 in a similar manner style but the color was black with shall i say dirt in the small cavities. Shoe polish? How clean out the cavities if not?

 

[Frontier's]

Cavities are spotless. As for consisten color, anything thats polished smooth, is black. I buffed everything with 800 buffing pad then rubbed in a thin coat of linseed oil.

Making some spout plugs now.

 

[Frontier's]

This one really stole a spot in my heart! I don't know what the heck is it about this one.

 

[toot]

I like buffalo horns, the rich black and they have a rely short curve to them.