First horn

[Kozmo]

After finishing my kibler SMR, I thought I'd make a horn for my hunting kit. It's a medium horn about 13 inches. I dyed the forward part with rit dark brown but it came out almost black. Rubbed it back a little and it mellowed some. Waxed with Renaissance. I still need a few more scrapings of the white part. I'm considering some light scrim design followed by an AQ finish. Butt cap is finished with walnut stain and 3 coats of tried/true oil and later waxed. Pins are small brass nails with the heads antiqued a dark tarnish. I think I'm going to replace the walnut stopper. It is a little too light colored and I don't like the acorn design.

 

[DOUBLEDEUCE 1]

That is one very nice looking horn !

 

[Yewbender]

Kozmo, very nice work

 

[Kozmo]

Well, the more I looked at the butt cap, the less I liked the turned button at the top. It just seemed too tall and out of balance for the cap itself. So I cut off and carved a new end piece from faux Ivory. Still a little more work to get this complete.

What is the best way to attach this to my possibles bag?

 

[S.Kenton]

The only thing I think is change is the pins... I’d tap them in. Other than that, it looks absolutely fantastic!!

 

[S.Kenton]

What is the best way to attach this to my possibles bag?
View attachment 32597
View attachment 32598

The more I look at that white faux ivory, the more I think that a brass Drawer pull would really set that horn off! That would also make a nice strap attachment point as well...not taking anything away from your horn, but I think the contrast with dark buttplate, throat and the white body of the horn, a brass drawer pull would really set that off... my 2 cents

 

[flinter1977]

I hate to put my 2 cents in now but I liked it in original form with the wood plug . beautiful work . you should be proud.

 

[Grenadier1758]

The pins should be either driven all the way in or replaced by thorns or pegs to hold the base plug in position.

 

[Kozmo]

The pins are just holding the cap in place for now, as I'm still working on the horn body. I've realized that I have "keep tinkering- never done" disease, so I keep coming back to this horn with other design ideas.

 

[S.Kenton]

Well whatever you decide to do with it from this point on... just know this, that horn you just built... in my opinion is one of the nicest “ first builds” that I’ve seen. Good job! Keep going... can’t wait to see it when your totally done.. and then the second and third horn... etc, etc.

 

[Kozmo]

Many thanks for the kind words! I borrowed heavily from the Sibley book. It's a fun project. Just trying not to go overboard at this point!

 

[RB POWELL]

Very nice job on your horn. Sometimes it is a good idea to set a project aside for a while. I do that when I get a notion to tinker with something that is pretty good, but with no clear idea where I want to go with it. Soon inspiration will strike. And, you likely won't do something you will later regret. Just a thought.

 

[Kozmo]

Good advice. I think I'll let it sit a while, but do have One question for the group:

leave the body white or dye it? I've been thinking of putting it in tea to give it an Amber tone. What say you?

 

[deermanok]

Very nice, I'd vote to dye it because the color white in the deer woods may bring you some unwanted attention, if you get my meaning.

 

[Redmoon]

Great looking horn. To answer your question, I think I'd antique it some.

 

[RB POWELL]

Yes, I say a bit of color would be nice. Tea will work. You might want to try Rit dye: a light brown, or brown/bronze (bronce). It is easy to use. You can dip it more than once, or check its progress, so that you don't get it too dark. Just between you and me, I would also darken the ivory bit. It's yours. Do whatever strikes your fancy.

 

[Kozmo]

Thanks RB, I think I'm going to give it a dunk in tea. Hopefully I can produce a light brown tone. The Ivory cap always overexposed in my pictures. It actually has a very realistic cream color to it. It is made from Resin-S material and is the most realistic Ivory material I've seen. It even has schreger line grain, like real ivory. Best durable and cheap

 

[Kozmo]

Ok, went for a little color with a black tea bath. By the way, flowers vases are the perfect size for dunking a horn. Sat the horn in the tea for 40 minutes. Only gave a light cream color- not as dark as I expected; Though I like it as it mellows the bright white of the horn. yesterday I tried scrimshaw for the first time. Wow, this is much harder than it looks. I abandoned my idea of lettering and complex designs, pretty quick! Just kept it basic with this border. gonna call this one done. Waxed and cap seated. Now to tie it on to my possibles bag and go shoot something!

 

[S.Kenton]

Try some fieblings dark brown leather dye, apply using the cotton applicator, wipe off right after you apply the last stroke of color, don’t let the color dry and wipe
Off while still wet.Then wet sand with some 1000 grit or even less sandpaper... it will give it a nice lightly antique yellowish. The pictures are of the same horn.. one dyed and the other raw.

 

[Kozmo]

Thanks S Kenton. You inspired me to go back to this horn. The tea dye just didn't get me where I wanted. I ended up antiquing this horn with a few applications of aqua Fortis. I think it came out nicely. I even lightly aged the Ivory finial. It's got a nice mellow tone. It doesn't come through on the images though.