Flattening cow horn

[tom deinek]

I'm new to this part of the forum. HI.

Found a cow horn in my gun cabinet and have been scraping it.

Can anybody suggest the basics of flattening it?

I'm waiting for that book y'all talk about to arrive from the sate library? TIA

 

[hornbuilder]

2571:

what you;ll need to flatten the cow horn is to heat the horn to about 325-350 degrees at which point the horn will become flexible ( hot air gun or hot oil fryer ) you'll also need a form to put inside the horn to shape it to. next you will need to compress the horn in a vice or book style press. a woodworkers vice works well . let it cool and it will stay in the shape of your form ....

hope this is of some assistance

 

Question: Do you boil it in veggie oil or water? Some one told me that it only takes a few minutes to soften horn in boiled veggie oil. Is that so?

 

[davy]

2571

TwoBellies helped me with flattening mine ... I just flattened one by putting it into a big pan (fully covering the horn with water ..).

I boiled it for around 2 hours(keeping an eye on it of course), and then put it in between two boards that were bigger in size, and then those in a vise and left it for a couple of days to thorouhly dry and set.

I also used a wedge shaped piece of wood inserted into the mouth of the horn as well to help prevent too much bend in the horn middle. I think overall it came out fine.

I did have some photos of the squeezing setup .. but my computer crashed and I lost them unfortunately ... :cursing:

Hope this helps at least some ... :hatsoff: I am not finished with it yet. No rest for the wicked I guess! :grin:

Davy

 

[omarick1948]

hornbuilder has given you a good procedure for flattening that horn. If your going to use oil and I suggest you do, and if you don't have a Heat Gun. Just take a large metal pot and put enough veggie or other cooking oil in it to submurge the large end of the horn up to where you want it.

I heat the oil to around 340 degree's....When the oil gets to this temperture put the horn in the oil for about five seconds at a time and lift out....count to five and put it in again. Be careful or you'll scorch and start cooking your horn!

After a few minutes the horn should start getting soft and plyable. When it seems that it is ready to flatten, takeout and wipe off the oil as much as possible and put your wood form inside horn and put it in a vise and clamp down slowly!

NOTE!...Water doesn't get hot enough (212 degree's) to flatten a horn all that well, unless your using a very thin horn. Horn fibers has a memory about it and many times will start to go back to it's original shape using boiing water method. Oil or Heat Gun is quicker also!

Rick

 

[J.M.]

Hi guys, I have a question about this process. I want to make a flat horn. I have a couple of clean horns that are pretty thin, but they have compound curves, sort of a curl to the left, and then curling up. Are they suitable to flatten or does the double curve cause too many problems when pressing flat? I am ready to give it a go but dont want to ruin a horn if its not going to work. Thanks for any info!

 

[Adam Isrow]

Can you heat the horn in the kitchen oven? I can easily set the temperature on that.

 

[riverrat43]

If you have a good relationship with your wife, yes, you can use the oven. Afterwards you can kiss the good relationship goodbye!

 

[longshot47]

Crowhammer-
Sure can, 'cept some of 'em bubble and roast even at low temp :shocked2:
See 'Horn Reborn' post

 

[AaronT]

What time period / regions are flat horns appropriate for? I have a polished horn kicking around and it seems to me like flattening it would make it a good candidate for some scrim practice.

 

[omarick1948]

The only main problem about heating a horn in the oven....is it takes awhile to heat the horn properly and everything you cook might taste like burnt hair for awhile! :shocked2:

A large coffee can, cooking oil,oven mittens and a candy therometer are simple equipment and there's very little, if any odor! :wink:

Rick

 

[Adam Isrow]

Thanks guys for the warning. I'll forgo the oven for now!