Help with bison horn

[Heyyou48307]

Can you shape a buff horn in boiling water to fit the plug like you do a cowhorn?

 

[pwbsmokey]

I have tried boiling water to shape horn without success. Oil works for me

 

[Black_Feather]

I’ve heard a heat gun works well as a modern method, haven’t tried it myself but if you try it watch that you don’t get it too close or you might burn it.

 

[French Colonial]

Despite the nay sayers, boiling water does work on cow horns and no they do not eventually return to their original shape as I have 30-40 year old horns that have not.

It takes longer in boiling water than oil to make the horn soft enough to bend.

All that being said, the generally thicker bison horns I would use oil to speed up the process.

 

[fleener]

I have done 3 or 4 bison horns in water with no issues.

Fleener

 

[LongWalker]

Many (if not most) of the bison horns will have heavy "ribs" inside, running the length of the horn: I've got a couple where were ribs are ~1/2" high. If you remove those, as far inside as you can reach with a file the horn will be easier to form with boiling water or oil. Also, if you "de-bark" the horn, getting it at least preliminarily cleaned up on the exterior, it is easier to work with while hot. I've got one in the shop now that I stuck on a former a couple years ago, I really should get around to finishing it.

 

[Heyyou48307]

Luckily its already pretty round where the base plug will go, now the sanding and polishing starts

 

[Red Owl]

My experience is buffalo is more fibrous and boiling in water works fine. Cow horn is more like a finger nail and oil is needed, water doesn't work (or hasn't for me). On the buffalo- you can accidentally push it into a cone too hard and when it dries you'll get a ring or bulge so fit it loose and check often.

 

[BillinOregon]

Which oils are you gentlemen using when boiling horns?

 

[Red Owl]

I think any oil- like old motor oil. BE CAREFUL the horn can turn to a glob if you boil too long.

 

[LongWalker]

Most folks pick up a deep fat fryer at Goodwill or similar. Temp should be about 350 (much hotter and you scorch the horn, so check it with a thermometer). Most common oil used seems to be whichever vegetable oil you can get a good price on, it doesn't matter much. I'd avoid mineral oils, I have one horn that still smells like hot motor oil.

Get the oil up to temp, have an old towel or roll of paper towels handy. Dip the horn (past the point where you want it softened) for 5 seconds and check to see if it has softened. You can go a little longer if needed; I usually use repeated cycles of immersion/checking until the horn will re-shape the way I want. When I've used longer immersions instead of repeated shorter immersions, I've scorched a couple of horns. When the horn is soft, work quickly to wipe off the oil, spray it with a grease cutting cleaner like 409 or simple green, wipe it off, and get it on the form.

I usually let it cool on the form for a day or two (till I get back to it) but as I mentioned before, leaving there for a couple years doesn't seem to cause problems.

 

[Heyyou48307]

Another question. I just noticed this horn is a left hand carry. Can I twist it the other way after boiling to make it right hand? I kinda doubt it

 

[LongWalker]

Another question. I just noticed this horn is a left hand carry. Can I twist it the other way after boiling to make it right hand? I kinda doubt it

That doesn't work with horns. You can move the rear attachment point for the strap to a different spot on the end plug, resulting in the horn rotating somewhat on the horizontal axis and tipping the pouring spout of the horn towards or away from your body.

 

[Omahkapi'si]

I used hot water on mine and it worked ok to fit the plug. Lots of sanding. Lots.

 

[Freedom]

Another question. I just noticed this horn is a left hand carry. Can I twist it the other way after boiling to make it right hand? I kinda doubt it

I've straightened a pronghorn antelope horn. It had a full hook on top and I made it straight and pointy like a dagger.

I use a little cheap Dollar Store Fat fryer with vegetable set just under 350°. You don't want to boil the horn or cook it, just hold it until the bubble start to form and check how pliable it is. I wouldn't be surprised if you could alter the twist a little.

 

[Red Owl]

Another question. I just noticed this horn is a left hand carry. Can I twist it the other way after boiling to make it right hand? I kinda doubt it

Not in my opinion. The boiling is just to take an oval open end and change it to round, so you can fit in a plug turned on a lathe. Ideally you need some tapered "fitting" plugs. Pick a plug closest in diameter to your horn and slide it in= pretty tight not not too tight or the horn will bulge at the end of thhe plug. Then once round- put in the actual plug.
On Buffalo, you can "over" polish it to the point it looks like cheap black plastic. Toothpaste works. I use auto body sand paper 600 grit, 1000, 1500, then toothpaste. THEN I take it back to a satin with steel wool or sand paper.

 

[springfield art]

Can you shape a buff horn in boiling water to fit the plug like you do a cowhorn?

Peanut oil really works but watch timing in it. I followed instructions in the Sibley's book on horn making. I dabbled a bit with horning, but don't really like working with it....but I do love powder horns! Yeah, that oil really gets HOT so you gotta watch your safety!