Finishing a Buffalo Horn

[BoomStick]

I've had this buffalo horn in my to-do box for a while, trying to decide what level of finishing is within my novice skills that would look good and be a good fit for a plains/hawken rifle. This came to me with the base plug fitted, but horn surface was not finished or polished. With about 3 hours of filing and scraping, I have what is pictured below.
I had thought to press brass wire into the 2 rings behind the neck, just as a detail, but now not so sure.
Also not sure if a staple is needed or appropriate behind the spout, or good as is...
Appreciate any comments or suggestions.

 

[Omahkapi'si]

Looks good to me, I left mine primitive...mostly because of my lack of skills

But I think a buffler horn lends itself to a nice rough finish! Not to mention it holds about a lb of powder...bonus!

 

[TDM]

I think it’s beautiful as is. Good work!

 

[DiMarco_Mercantile]

That’s looking real nice, I personally like the look of those bison horns. I’ve been meaning to make one!

 

[BoomStick]

That’s looking real nice, I personally like the look of those bison horns. I’ve been meaning to make one!

My plan is to pair this with the bag you made. I think they will look the part, similar to what RanchRoper has above.

 

[user 48679]

Powder horn strap, one end tied through the staple; the other end looped around the neck recess near the tip.

I love the rustic look, and think that brass embellishment out of place on it (YMMV, of course).

 

[appalichian hunter]

I like it the way it is,looks to me like a horn a mountainman would of worked out and carried, will fit right in with a hawken rifle.

 

[Freedom]

The rough bison horns look good!
I scraped mine smooth. I rub a little Skidmore's Leather Cream on my buffalo horn periodically,.. stuff seems to really nourish the horn.

 

[BoomStick]

@freedom475 that looks very well done. I had considered scraping the whole horn, and can see either polished or rough they look good. Maybe I'll try another one sometime. What is the smaller horn for? I thought a priming size, but not sure I see a stopper and the neck doesn't look like a spout?

 

[Freedom]

Thank you for the compliment. The small horn is a flat priming horn. It holds 350 grains of 4ffff, made it from the other side of the buffalo horn set. It has an elk ivory stopper, it's just out for the photograph. It started to take on the look of a raven as I built it, so I named it "Brother Raven"
The stoppers and wood plugs are carved from ancient cedar (juniper) fence posts.

 

[JeffG]

Very nice! I made my first from a bison kill, and went a little ornate. Not really period, but a nice day horn.

 

[The Crisco Kid]

Way off topic but maybe I can post it here. It shows another neat use for a cow horn by some one with an imagination. It was given to me by my father in law 50 some years ago.

 

[S.Kenton]

I've had this buffalo horn in my to-do box for a while, trying to decide what level of finishing is within my novice skills that would look good and be a good fit for a plains/hawken rifle. This came to me with the base plug fitted, but horn surface was not finished or polished. With about 3 hours of filing and scraping, I have what is pictured below.
I had thought to press brass wire into the 2 rings behind the neck, just as a detail, but now not so sure.
Also not sure if a staple is needed or appropriate behind the spout, or good as is...
Appreciate any comments or suggestions.

I think that two brass rings would make it look pretty nice, it would accent that fact that half the horn was left rustic, other half very refined.I’d put a strap on it one end on the spout and the other through the staple. I like that horn a lot even if left just “as is”. Good job!

 

[Shadowalker164]

Broomstick…
Love your horn! The coal black look of buffalo horn is very appealing. I too have tried my hand at one. After hours of 100 grit and a sanding block, a few more hours with a wood rasp, and more time with a Drimmel and diamond burrs. Also a fair amount of scrapping with a knife edge. Then my horn spent time under a jute wheel to really gloss out the finish. I used a fiddle peg for pour spout, and curly maple for the plug. I pined the plug with silver nails, gorgeous contrast with the black horn!
One note on buffalo horn, the blackest horn can be found after thinning, sanding, scraping a lot of material. There are a lot of long shallow cracks, and lighter than black streaks in the natural surface. When you think your done, thin some more! A stunner awaits!

 

[BoomStick]

I appreciate the suggestions and encouragement. It has been great to see what others have done with a bison horn. I finished the neck with 1500 grit sandpaper, then tried buffing with a Dremel polishing wheel, it came out smooth but not glossy. I suppose that is fine as the body is still rough, but I do like polished end to end as seen on several here.

 

[JeffG]

I appreciate the suggestions and encouragement. It has been great to see what others have done with a bison horn. I finished the neck with 1500 grit sandpaper, then tried buffing with a Dremel polishing wheel, it came out smooth but not glossy. I suppose that is fine as the body is still rough, but I do like polished end to end as seen on several here.

I have a 1/2 hp motor with a buffing wheel. Takes a lot of the work out of it.

 

[Shadowalker164]

On the glossy thing, buffing got me just so far. I could produce a satin finish, maybe a tad shinier, but almost everything that touches the finish dulls it. And a damp cloth takes it back to matt black.
I achieved my wet look gloss with one coat of Truoil. It went from looking almost black to bottomless black lacquer with one coat! Get your horn clean and smooth first, Truoil will show every flaw

 

[BoomStick]

I achieved my wet look gloss with one coat of Truoil. It went from looking almost black to bottomless black lacquer with one coat! Get your horn clean and smooth first, Truoil will show every flaw

That's a great tip, and the shiney surface looks awesome.
I have applied permalyn sealer to a few cow horns. I've been pretty happy with the results, but a couple times I had to sand back the coat because of a blemish, or rough spot and on one I got a small run. Noted that extra diligence is needed if I try on a buffalo horn.

 

[FiremanBrad]

A simple forged staple in the butt, and a brain tan wang for a strap to carry.

 

[Snake Pleskin]

I've had this buffalo horn in my to-do box for a while, trying to decide what level of finishing is within my novice skills that would look good and be a good fit for a plains/hawken rifle. This came to me with the base plug fitted, but horn surface was not finished or polished. With about 3 hours of filing and scraping, I have what is pictured below.
I had thought to press brass wire into the 2 rings behind the neck, just as a detail, but now not so sure.
Also not sure if a staple is needed or appropriate behind the spout, or good as is...
Appreciate any comments or suggestions.

I think it is fine the way it is.