First attempt at a horn

[flntlokr]

Some years back I mentioned brass nails in the base plug. Several members here told me it was a no- no. "Use thorns instead." They said the nails or brads would be too secure and that you want the base to blow out if the horn should explode. With thorns the base would just blow out and no harm done. With nails holding the base in, the horn would act as a grenade or bomb. That's also why you carry it with the base pointing to the rear.Good advice, but the nails are still there. They are far more decorative than thorns.

I always thought it might be fun if instead of exploding or blowing the bottom out, they would become a sort of bottle rocket, and whiz around and around the neck. We could make 'horn rockets' a new rendezvous sport, and the winner would be the one whose horn made the most revolutions.

 

[JeffG]

Oh, geez! That turned out great!

 

[oldwood]

If you're concerned enough you might blow things up at the shootin' range , or campfire , Make yerself a new horn for that purpose. Put one of those spring loaded brass powder valves on it , where when your powder measure needs filled , push the valve button , fill the measure , finger /thumb off the valve , it closes automatically , all safe , unless it's struck by lightning. I'm old , but still live to shoot , so a spring close powder valve is a God send. I frequently lay my horn on the shooting bench , and the valve takes one safety hazard from the list. Besides , I love making utility grade powder horns , with or w/o powder valves on them. Just part of the addiction........oldwood

 

[waksupi]

Here's something for you to kick around. I believe black powder is a detonation, and the nails don't mean squat. An explosion explains results of the different burn rates of smokeless powers.;

As nouns the difference between detonation and explosion​

is that detonation is an explosion or sudden report made by the near-instantaneous decomposition or combustion of unstable substances as, the detonation of gun cotton. Specifically, combustion that spreads supersonically via shock compression while explosion is a violent release of energy (sometimes mechanical, nuclear, or chemical.

 

[Norman Brooks]

That is really nice. And I guess a sow's ear can be turned into a silk purse.

 

[PathfinderNC]

I always thought it might be fun if instead of exploding or blowing the bottom out, they would become a sort of bottle rocket, and whiz around and around the neck. We could make 'horn rockets' a new rendezvous sport, and the winner would be the one whose horn made the most revolutions.

I thought only I was crazy enough to think of stuff like that

 

[TCMonts]

Looks really good. Those buff horns are a LOT of work.

 

[RB POWELL]

A kit project: a raw and funky smelling (my wife’s opinion) buffalo horn, spout, cord, blank base and base plug.

I have never done a buffalo horn before, or any other kind of horn, but I could see unlike cow horn the buffalo horn was rough! Deep long straight cracks running base to tip. I could have left it rough, a primitive look, but I chose to go jet black, with that high gloss finish. The only difference between the two is hours of sanding.

I replaced the plug with curly maple and used silver nails to secure it to the horn.

Comments and critics welcome

Really nice job on that horn. Very "modern" look.