Horn coloring

[Bubba45]

Im working on a powder horn and am curious what is used for the coloring . I saw the one Soggy just finished and really like it .

 

[rabjr]

Well the first thing I'd do is ask Soggy! :rotf: And I'm on med's even! :blah:

 

[RC]

swampy....... :slap:


:haha: he's pretty good drugged... :rotf:

 

[Bubba45]

Thanks Swampy I'll do that :thumbsup:

Soggy , what did ya all use for colorin yer horn ??

Hows that Swampy :rotf:

 

[RC]

:rotf: :rotf:



:slap: fer you too bubba! :rotf:

 

[El Lobo]

I just picked up a new bison powderhorn about an hour from my friend Harold, who has been making horns for a very long time. He showed me a horn he is going to donate as a prize to the Washington Historical Gunmaker's Guild meeting later this week. He uses Rit Dye on that horn. He said he used to use alcohol based leather dye but the Rit Dye is a little more foolproof and gives a more consistent color. It looked pretty nice on the horn Harold showed me. We were talking and he also said that some horners use silver nitrate to blacken horns and pottasium permanganate for browning them.

 

[AeroncaTAL]

I use the powdered RIT dye on my horns. I mix the powdered dye in water and heat it just to a boil, turn the heat off and immerse the horn for at least 45 minutes. Sometimes I will leave the horn in the dye for over an hour, but check it occasionally to see how the dye it taking. I've played around with different colors and really like the RIT tan.
Scott

 

[rabjr]

swampy....... :slap:


:haha: he's pretty good drugged... :rotf:

:haha: Figured that give Frank a chuckle.

 

[soggy]

:rotf: :rotf: ...........Sorry for being late in answering this post. (But gotta admit the drugs don't seem to be affecting Swampys wit :grin: )
Bubba; For the horn that you are refering to I used a method as described in Scott Sibleys book. Take a hand full of dried onion skins (size of a baseball) add a couple of cups of apple cider vinegar and 3-4 quarts of water. Bring this concoction to a boil, then let it simmer for a while. The solution will become quite dark. I keep it just below the boiling point and put the horn in it. Just keep checking the horn as it darkens. You can always put the horn back in the solution to darken it , but I'm thinking if you allow it to get too dark it would be very difficult to lighten it.
I have used the Rit Dye that Scott mentions (and I can find no fault with his methods....his horns speak for themselves :bow: ) But I just happen to like the onion skin method and the colour it produces. As for the neck of the horn that you refer to; that is natural; I didn't have to dye it at all.
After I achieve the colour (

 

[El Lobo]

Soggy, I like that idea of using onion skins and apple cider vinegar to dye horns. I will pass it on to my friend Harold. Your horn looks great. Thanks.

Lobo

 

[Bubba45]

Thanks fellers :hatsoff: I have some experimentin to do now :thumbsup:

 

[Mongo40]

I get how your getting the bottom of the horns tan or off white but how are you getting the top parts above the body black or real dark like you are????

 

[soggy]

I get how your getting the bottom of the horns tan or off white but how are you getting the top parts above the body black or real dark like you are????

I'll speak for me only. Most times I do have to use RIT dye to get the neck the colour that I want. But in the case of the horn that Bubba asked about; that was the natural colour of the horn after I filed the flats and done the engrailing. I might add that it was a very nice horn that I got from John Shorb at Powderhornsandmore.com .
I was describing how I "antiqued" it in my earlier post, because that was the only colouring that was done on that horn.
Hope this helps
Soggy

 

[dyemaker]

Dyeing with onion skins is a real old method. I learned about it in a very old book about flytying. It put an olive gray color on the hen and rooster feathers I dyed. I suppose it reacts differently color wise on horn than feathers. I like the results on the powder horn. It is listed as a dye that works well on horn. I much prefer the natural dyes but that's just me. Rit dyes do not work on feathers.

I'd still like to try using Osage Orange heartwood sawdust (or) the bark from root of the tree on a horn or powder measure to see how it works out. It's a pretty strong dye material that works well on horn too. The soft root bark is brilliantly colored. I noticed that while walking along the creek bank looking for arrowheads.

 

[rich pierce]

I've used osage shavings to dye cloth. Gives a bright golden color. Have not used it on horn yet but that's because I am not looking for gold color on horn. Onion skins are my favorite.

 

[Bubba45]

As dark as neck is I thought you had dyed it . On mine after getting it carved down is kind of a grey/light green color that I dont care for .

 

[AeroncaTAL]

Soggy,
I heard others mention using apple cider vinegar. Is the apple cider vinegar necessary or will other types of vinegar work?
Scott

 

[soggy]

:hmm: .Not really sure. That's what Scott Sibley suggested in his book so that's what I used. It appears to be a little darker than just plain old vinegar and that may have something to do with it.
It was just as easy to get (up here anyway) and was all the same price. Just went to the local super market and found it on the shelf right beside the white vinegar.
Might be worth trying some of the light stuff, who knows? it just might give a different effect that was even better. Some of the worlds greates discoveries were made by people improvising :wink:

 

[omarick1948]

Apple Cider Vinegar has a lower acidity rating than white vinegar, but does about the same effect.

Rick

 

[AeroncaTAL]

Thanks Rick!
Scott