I guess I'm going to havta make a powder horn...

[bowkill]

hey swampy, what is the name of that book in the background? :idunno:

 

[rabjr]

http://www.trackofthewolf.com/Categ...&subId=12&styleId=39&partNum=BOOK-R18CPH&as=1

 

[50cal.cliff]

That's going to make a right fine horn Swampy! :thumbsup: You know this is the kind of thread I like to see a WIP (work in progress). You can see by the pics the varying stages and now I can't wait too see the next pics! :wink:

 

[BillinOregon]

How did you heat your horn Swampy?

 

[rabjr]

A heat gun worked pretty good for this one.

The Pulverin is to thick I think and will have to use boiuling water I think.

 

[rabjr]

Worked on the spout today. Really not much choice with it as it is short and on the fat side. So I just trimmed it down and kept it round. It's still on the rough side. I hope to have it and the strap ring all cleaned up and smooth tomorrow.

 

[BrownBear]

Lookin good!

 

[BillinOregon]

Aaaaah. I can smell the wet dog ...

:wink:

 

[hoochiepapa]

That one's for me, right? :rotf:

 

[rabjr]

Welp this project has come to an abrupt halt. I knew at some point these fingers would end up fumbling it. Dropped it on the cement floor, has a nice one and half to two inch crack in it now. :cursing:

 

[hoochiepapa]

Aw, man, how bad is it? Can it be repaired?
Has my bad luck rubbed off on you? :idunno:

 

[rabjr]

Not sure, I'm lookin into it now.

 

[Black Hand]

Don't despair, no need to toss it.

Time for a PC/HC rawhide repair. The same thing happened to me when I dropped a full horn on a concrete floor (the crack extended from the butt end inwards for ~3 inches). I pulled the base plug and used some superglue (gulp) on the the crack and wrapped the horn tightly with artificial sinew. Once set, I remove the "sinew", scraped the excess glue off the exterior and sewed a rawhide sheath/cover for the horn. It has been 5-6 years and it is still the only horn I use (in ALL types of weather).

I'd be glad to send you pictures if you wish. PM me your e-mail address.

 

[rabjr]

I'd like to see those Black Hand. My email addy is in my profile. Thanks! :thumbsup:

 

[LaBonte]

Swampy - I've got some pics of rawhide repairs as well - some even original, got to run but will be back later.....

 

[rabjr]

:thumbsup:

 

[ladysmithtrading]

Welp this project has come to an abrupt halt. I knew at some point these fingers would end up fumbling it. Dropped it on the cement floor, has a nice one and half to two inch crack in it now. :cursing:

Swampy, lets see a pic of the crack, there are more ways than rawhide to repair it, post it on the other bench also, you'll be surprised at the options

 

[rabjr]

Yeah I did over there.

 

[LaBonte]

Swampy - one thing I'd do that Black Hand did not mention is to drill a small hole at the far end of the crack to prevent the crack from expanding. When sewing the rawhide I use the so-called baseball stitch and that is whet was used on most of the originals I've seen and handled. One recommendation use deer or elk rawhide not cow, easier to work with and thinner.

Here's pics of an original horn with a rawhide mend - this one belonged to Mariano Medina:

A couple I've done:
This one was repaired at the base and at the throat....

An original horn (circa 1850's) that I repaired

I wanted the rawhide to go up over the edge so left it about 3/4" longer. Sewed up the side and then used a whipstitch on the back edge - as I sewed along it pulled up tight and shrunk around the end perfectly.

On all of them I sealed the cracks first with warm pine pitch/rosin. You can use a spot or two of glue to hold the rawhide in place while sewing - hot hide glue works if you want to stay traditional or a few judicous spots of a thicker super glue type works as well - just don't let it run and get on the area you need to sew. Once the rawhide is completely dry I seal it with somethong like spar varnish or any satin furniture finish like Deft will work - I use my own hombrewed old time linseed oil based varnish.

Hope that helps - any questions ask away....

 

[rabjr]

Now that is doable. :thumbsup: I have a whole Elk rawhide I got from Moscow a couple of years ago just for something like this. :hmm: Thanks a bunch Labonte. :thumbsup: