I Horn finishes

[fallaloosa]

greetings all, I have recently started foolin about with building powder horns and would like to ask one question. What do you guys suggest for finishes? I have heard of using rit berries to get the nice yellowish patina we all know and love but I'm not sure as to the exact color of dye or mixture of colors. I have also heard of using iodine. So what say you all? :hmm:

 

[AeroncaTAL]

I use RIT dye for my horns. For the neck, brown with some black added. For the body of the horn, try the yellow dye with a pinch of red added. The horns are going to stain different, so you need to play around with the mixtures. I find that this is half the fun, not sure exactly how it will turn out.
After the staining with the dye, I polish the horns with bees wax.
Scott

 

[longshot47]

Boiled onion skins
potassium permanganate
walnut hull dye
aqua fortis
wood stain
copper sulfate
hair color
acrylic oils
tea
............just to name a few. :hatsoff:

 

[omarick1948]

It seems that the newest thing and easiest method these days is the RIT dye method. Scott Sibley and his book "Recreating the 18th Century Powder Horn" shows the procedure.

I think that this must be the most asked and talked about subject in the CRAFTSMAN section, so you can do a search and find others suggestions too!

 

[fallaloosa]

Thanks a lot guys! always did think a person could learn something on this board. keep the suggestions comin!! :thumbsup:

 

[Hawken12]

Rit ,works good,I used the inside of sumac ,to git that golden colour,too,tea works ok ,altho not quite the colour I like to see,rit strikes in ,too.and ya can mix an match.

 

[davy]

Question is .. which specific color Rit dye and what's the procedure for those of us without the book to follow? :hmm: :grin:

Davy

 

[Hawken12]

rite from ,the[url] book.in[/url] a pot,yer (yer dear intended,will part with..that part is mine)fill with enuff water to cover body of the horn,bring to a boil...add 2 boxes or yellow.Rit dye.Check yer colour on a spare horn(or a piece about same colour of the horn,yer workin on).If you like the colour,Apinch of orange is often added.(I let it sit til cooled,thats not explained ,but works for me.)

 

[AeroncaTAL]

Pretty much the way I do it. I've found that a bit of red or orange added to the yellow gives it a deep color and not washed out. I leave the horn in the dye bath for at least 20 minutes, checking every so often to see how it is coming.
Scott

 

[Hawken12]

I agree there,yellow by itself,looks washed out an not what I like .The black is real deep too.I'll have to try a pinch of red next one,nice.

 

[omarick1948]

Davie, Rit dye is easy to work with and you just have to experiment with mixing different colors to get the result you want for the type of horn you want to color. If you look at my Avatar, that horn was done with RIT using 2 pks of yellow with a good pinch of RIT Sunshine Orange and a pinch of Coa Coa Brown. Go to the PHOTO GALLERIES section of the forum and enlarge the photo to see a better picture of the horn.

 

[No.4shot]

Does anyone use Old Bones? I have been using that with success. Plus there is no heating of the mixture.