Carolina Banded Horn?

[Woodland Roamer]

Hey everyone, I'm interested in making a Carolina banded horn at some time and have a couple questions. How are the bands made and applied? Also what time period are these from?

Alan

 

[2172]

I just finished my first banded horn. I'd made a horn, and before scrimshawing was thinking of doing some carving near the spout...I did put in a strap retaining notch, but I realized the horn was unusually thin. The horn was also a lot more white than usual...almost no color. I had an old black horn, one that was really too big to have messed with, and which I'd ruined by carving in too deeply. I cut a ring on my bandsaw from it, from an undamaged portion. I boiled the ring and then slid it over the spout of the white horn...it went down about 2 & a half inches...when it dried, it stayed there. Looks pretty good. I have no idea if this is the "approved " technique, or the time period. Since I'm in North Carolina, I guess it is a ringed Carolina horn. I look forward to the other answers you get from folks who actually know what they're doing...Hank

 

[Goldhunter]

:thumbsup: That's the way I did it. just cut a ring, Filled the inside of it a little to get a uniform thickness, got it soft and pushed it onto the horn. After it cooled, I drilled through the band and shallow into the horn. Used wood pegs just like pinning the base plug.

I had to cut about three different rings to get one that would end up in the place I wanted it.

 

[J.D.]

Banded horns, in general, are a 1790s, to about 1820-30 phenomenon. Carolina banded horns were made in the Alamance, Randolph, Moore, Guilford, Davidson, and Forsyth counties of NC.

The bands can be carved from the parent horn, or applied, as mentioned in other posts. Common materials for rings included pewter, wood, bone or antler, though bands made of horn appear to be most common. In addition, raised, "beehive" butt plugs were common, as were applied tips made of wood, bone or antler, pinned to the the horn. Screw tips were not all that common.

An internet search might turn up more information or photos.

 

[Woodland Roamer]

Thanks for the info everyone. Now I have a better idea of how it's done.

Alan