Horn and antler?

[Ames]

I have been somewhat intrigued reading on occasion about the use of antler or bone on Southern Mtn. rifles. I have two in various stages on the bench right now. As I gaze at them I can almost see how it could work. Toe plate, muzzle cap, perhaps a cheek piece inlay. I think, anyway, that if it had some interesting pattern naturally in the antler or bone that it would look better than stark white.
In any event I think it would be a case for less is more. Just a piece or two may complement rather than overpower the project.


So my two questions are was this done on the day of the build ever, or as replacement parts for lost metal?
And second, anybody done this or have first hand photos from ones you owned or handled? Not just grainy photos from the 20's? I would like to see how it looks and if the work stayed where you put it.

 

[ADK Bigfoot]

Contact the folks at TVM. They are producing a Natchez Poor Boy with bone buttplates.

ADK Bigfoot

 

[Ames]

Interesting. Thank you.

 

[appalichian hunter]

I have often thought of this, I think on the right weapon it would be a asset say a shimmel where less it is better also the bone or antler would age to a nice mellow patina over time. As to a butt plate I would think even stabilized bone would chip or crack over time.

 

[Ames]

I was thinking toe plate. Butting up against the butt plate would protect it. Inlay at the top end would protect the top of it. Only the sides exposed to wear.
Probably the easiest inlay to replace if it got damaged.

 

[andy52]

Personally I'd rather have metal for the toe and butt plates mainly because I hunt with most my rifles and it's tougher then bone or antler. Inlays anywhere else on the gun or a nose cap would be fine and would look very nice if they were scrimshawed.
Ames I've got some Fallow deer antler that has some pretty large flat areas that would be good for a cheekpiece inlay if you want some PM me and I'll sent you a couple of pieces.

 

[oldwood]

Back in the 1970's there was a builder from Bruceton Mills , WV.a , , brought the first Appalachian Rifle I ever saw to a shoot . I didn't know back then what kind of rifle it was. It was cool though....Had a hunk of sawed -in-half buck deer antler base on the top rear of the butt comb and no butt plate. It was embarrassing how guys drooled over the rifle. Guess nobody else ever saw a rifle like that either. ...Oldwood

 

[ApprenticeBuilder]

Nosecap would be an obvious choice due to the rounded form, the heel return on the butt plate (again due to semi rounded shape) both of these locations would allow for the most retained texture on the chosen material, and instead of inlaying it into the cheek area like a hunters star you could inlay it as the final raised portion of the cheek piece, antler is quite resilient.

 

[Ames]

Ames I've got some Fallow deer antler

Never worked with that. I've used white tail, elk and moose horn.
What I really need and will post an add in the future is I'm running out of antler base. I need deer antler 1" wide that I can cut to 1" X 1 1/4" long. I need them for making screw tip powder horns. The best comes from the first 2 1/2" or so from the skull. Elk has too much marrow for the most part. White tail is ideal. Any idea what Fallow looks like if you cut the first chunk off of it? Small area of marrow like a white tail?

 

[andy52]

Y

Never worked with that. I've used white tail, elk and moose horn.
What I really need and will post an add in the future is I'm running out of antler base. I need deer antler 1" wide that I can cut to 1" X 1 1/4" long. I need them for making screw tip powder horns. The best comes from the first 2 1/2" or so from the skull. Elk has too much marrow for the most part. White tail is ideal. Any idea what Fallow looks like if you cut the first chunk off of it? Small area of marrow like a white tail?

Your saying you need whitetail burrs or a longer piece. I've got at least 8 or10 pieces I can cut however you would like they're just laying around my shop and most have the tips cut off that I have used for toggles over the years. I have access to more whitetail antlers, had a buddy trying to give me some a couple of weeks ago.
They are yours for the asking no need to post a want add.
Fallow deer are much like moose antler just smaller.
A couple of photos so I know what you need.

 

[andy52]

I went back and reread your post and I think what your talking about is the section right were the antler meets the skull?
If I understand correctly the smaller antlers probably would work best for your needs.
I've got 14 of the ones in the photos, if there are any tips I'll cut them off for future use the rest you can have. Please don't offer to pay me for them because according to Missouri games laws they can't be sold with the skull cap attached.

 

[Ames]

You are right. I don't need the tips, just the thick beginnings. The main beam. In your picture I get my best pieces from the bud up to the brow tine.
If you cant sell them I'm sure that they would let me pay the shipping? Overpay the shipping just to make sure I cover it?

 

[andy52]

You are right. I don't need the tips, just the thick beginnings. The main beam. In your picture I get my best pieces from the bud up to the brow tine.
If you cant sell them I'm sure that they would let me pay the shipping? Overpay the shipping just to make sure I cover it?

I'll get the tips cut off in the next couple of days and let you know what the shipping is and "No' you don't have to overpay....
These are all deer I've taken over the years that were to small to do much else with other to make make buttons and toggles.
I'll cut them just above the brow tine if that work for you?

 

[Ames]

Cut them anywhere they are not smaller than 7/8" in both directions across, if that makes sense. Once on a lathe an antler piece 1"x 1" and 1 1/4" long will turn a 1" round. A 1" x 1 3/8" oblong in the cross section still only cleans up to an inch round.
The problem I've had before was people giving me antler at 1" X 3/4", oblong in the cross section, 1 1/4" long. They turn into a 3/4" round and I have buckets of those .

 

[Rudyard]

Well while not long rifles many earlier guns used a great deal of stag & horn for inlays and the rod tips & rod pipes . & heated till it melted, flatted cow horn for butt plates . My Wheelocks have soley horn mounts bar the trigger guards even the ball end to protect the butt while loading is turned horn( being cheek stocks ) Mine survived a lot of bush miles and museums are full in such rifles .The stark white is best scrimshawed in suitable leaf patterns which tones the stark look nicely I would'nt think stag was too common on long rifles but Ide expect some to be so made .
Rudyard

 

[andy52]

I'll check the diameter before I cut them, the ones in the photo are probably about 1 inch at the base. I won't sent you any less then 1+ inches.

 

[rickpa]

When my wife makes home made vegetable soup, I save the soup bones after they've been boiled. They are often several inches long and thick enough in the wall that they can be used for inlays, toe and heel plates , and muzzle caps. If the inside wall is filed or ground thinner, they'd even make a nice small powder flask............ I love the soup and she makes at least 16 quarts at a time during winter.

 

[Patch]

This is a really great question and I'd love to see what people are able to dig up on the topic. While no examples come to mind, horn was the plastic of the 1700s and any sort of metal on your rifle outside of the bare essentials was an expensive status symbol so maybe horn could have been used rarely to adorn your rifle when you had just a tiny bit more in the budget to work with? Something more than the absolute basic minimum? This idea is even more compelling when you consider how much ivory has been implemented into European arms before modern times when it became so highly regulated.

How would it look? Just my opinion, horn and wood is a very appealing combination in powder horns, but on a rifle mixed in with brass or steel furniture I think it would give it a very motley look. On a bare bones schimmel with just some horn to adorn it I think could look fine but then if you lived back then and were dirt poor why even care about the horn inlays? Why not just save the money and buy a couple extra loafs of bread or something?

 

[Tn poor boy]

Contact the folks at TVM. They are producing a Natchez Poor Boy with bone buttplates.

ADK Bigfoot

Thats what iv got on order from them

 

[appalichian hunter]

Patch, I would think even poor back woods folks liked a little bling now and then, even a bit of horn or antler would lets say spice up a very plain rifle, that way when you went to a shootin match the other shooters would be envious. Well look there what old joe done went and done to that rifle gun.