First real powder horn

[colmoultrie]

Sort of ( I did assemble one from a kit about five years ago, but that wasn't really building). I started out with a kit horn again, but as I looked at it, something happened. I got some ideas, and I ended up flattening it. The only part of the kit I ended up using was the horn itself and a bit of the leather lacing. The plug and spout plug come from a Maple tree that dropped a big limb about 2 years ago in my backyard. I bought the strap from South American Indians at the state fair, bent up a ring, sewed it on (that's the worst craftsmanship of the job, if you ask me), and posed it w/ a rifle or two. Please give me comments, and they don't have to be kind. I want constructive criticism for when I build my next one. :v

By the way, which rifle goes better with this horn, or would it do with either? The one is my Martin Bucks Co. Rifle; the other is a mystery Tennessee .36 that I've been told is built with curly ash, but I otherwise have no clue about the maker.

powder horn w/ rifles (3 pics)

 

[Rebel]

It says Page cannot be displayed.

 

[bwhoffman]

the pics are not showing so says AOL.

would like to see your flat horn, been thinking about doing one myself.

My 1st horn, no matter how ugly or nice will be my favorite forever and will never part with it!

Brett

 

[colmoultrie]

:cursing: :cursing: AOL!! :cursing:

Ok, let's try that again...
[url] http://pictures.aol.com/ap/vi...H2FHyNIcZpBBgvMzLKr30N7IN6210bPlWGd+BXiXp6w==[/url]

That's the link it sends me to log on as a guest when I send it to my work email. Please let me know... I'll include it as a link as well...
powder horn try 2

 

[skunkskinner]

Sorry, doesn't work

 

[musketman]

:cursing: :cursing: AOL!! :cursing:

It may not be you, AOL and FusionBBâ„¢ Version 1.0 don't mix well...

E-mail me the pictures and I will edit them in for you...

[email protected]

 

[colmoultrie]

Ok, I got myself a photobucket account, and I uploaded my pics to it. (that has been a hassle in itself.) Thanks to all for the feedback. Here - I hope - are the images.

 

[musketman]

Well worth the weight... :thumbsup:

 

[snagg]

Great job on the horn. Looks good with either gun. Although the grain on the second one is very unique.

 

[skunkskinner]

Looks real nice :thumbsup:

 

[shmrck1]

Great pictures! Great looking guns! Great horn!
And I love the horn strap. Thanks for the post.
snake-eyes :bow: :applause: :hatsoff:

 

[bwhoffman]

You did a great job on it!
I reallylike the looks of the spout end, I see a lot of time and detail on it.

...green with envy!

Brett

 

Switch locks !!!!!!!!

 

[colmoultrie]

Switch locks !!!!!!!!

:rotf:
Actually the flintlock has far more curl than this photo shows. I think a percussion Bucks Co. rifle would look downright weird. Besides, a .50 cal just seems right as an earlier gun, and a .36 cal. percussion just fits my concept of a squirrel and rabbit gun - a later date when big game is scarcer and there's less likelihood of needing it against marauders - just my fantasy, I know...

Thanks for the comments on the horn. It's nice to have the ego stroked. I'm really looking for suggestions and constructive criticism on the horn, though. Is the throat too short? Is the strap too late for Rev. War or the 1780's? My next one will be white/cream color - I picked up two horns at Dixon's Fair. I boiled the heck out of it for 2 hours but the horn still came out with a left-side twist - how do you heat it up enough to get the throat to flatten? I don't think the next one will be flat; I'm thinking of a lobed horn, but I would like to know. I'm proud of the way this turned out, but I know I can get better. :hmm:

 

[bwhoffman]

How thick is the flat side after you squished it?

I was thinking of boiling one and putting it in the vise between 2 boards in an attempt to go real narrow.

Brett

 

[colmoultrie]

How thick is the flat side after you squished it?

I was thinking of boiling one and putting it in the vise between 2 boards in an attempt to go real narrow.

Brett

It's about 1 - 1 1/4 inches thick at the base plug. I did what you're thinking, put it between two boards in a vise, with a 2x4 tapered on all 4 sides as a rudimentary form inside it. Boiling it didn't work on the throat for me, so as you can see it goes from flat to round, with a bit of a twist to the right. I've heard of putting them in the oven, but every instruction I've read says somewhere around 300 degrees - "just before it burns!" I wasn't willing to risk that, especially since I carved the throat first.

 

[trent/OH]

Since you asked for constructive criticism, I'd offer the following, but first, my computer screen doesn't show any flattening of the horn. In person it probably looks different.
Since the horn is dark, I'd prefer a lighter colored strap to provide some contrast. Also, the leather thong on the throat of the horn looks out of place. Maybe it just needs a little aging.

 

[colmoultrie]

Thanks for the comments. I'll stick with the strap right now, although it's worth a thought. Aging the thong on the throat is pretty easy, although that will definitely happen with use anyway. Is there another reason that it's out of place, or just that it seems new?

 

[Harddog]

[ I boiled the heck out of it for 2 hours but the horn still came out with a left-side twist - how do you heat it up enough to get the throat to flatten?

You are not going to get the throat to flatten by boiling because the throat of the horn is solid. If you want the throat to appear flattened you have to work it down with files, rasps, sandpaper, etc to the size and shape you want for the throat.

From your message, apparently you boiled the horn in water??? A little hint for next time:

Boil the horn in oil rather than in water. Heat some cooking oil in a container large enough for the horn to be submerged in. Get yourself a candy thermometer and heat the oil to 350-365 degrees and then pull the oil off the heat source. Put the horn in the oil for 15 to 20 seconds and then flatten the horn or form the butt plug end, etc. You can reboil the horn several times in order to get the final flattened shape you are wanting. Horns done with hot oil instead of water hold their new shape better than those done in boiling water. Don't leave the horn in the hot oil for more than 15 to 20 seconds or it will burn the horn. Be very careful with the hot oil and be prepared to handle the hot horn with heavy leather gloves with maybe some rubber gloves over the leather gloves. (Hot oil will soak right thru leather gloves and burn your hands, but rubber gloves alone will not protect you hands from the heat.)

After the oil has cooled down you can put it back in the container it came in and save it for next time you need to soften a horn. I work on horns on a constant basis so I buy cooking oil in gallon bottles and have a small propane burner that I use outside just to boil horns.

Trying to bend a left hand twist horn into a right handed shape is something I don't ever try and do. If I want a right handed horn I start with a horn that has a natural right hand twist. I make horns for sale so I buy raw horns in bulk. The ones with right hand twist get made into right hand horns and ones with left hand twist get made into left hand horns or are used for some other horn projects like rum horns, salt horns, etc.

By the way, most flat horns usually do not have a lot of fancy turning and engrailling work done on the spout end of the horn.

Randy Hedden