Made some more horns, constructive criticism if you will

[Brasilikilt]

Hey all

This weekend I've been on a bit of a psycho horn-making frenzy. :youcrazy:
I made these two and have a 3rd started
These two are my first attempts at any fancy horn carving, engrailing etc etc......

I used some kiwi leather dye meant for boots and shoes thinking that it would stain the horn pretty well, but instead I got this:

I sorta love it and hate it at the same time

I really LOVE the double curve on this southpaw horn, gotta give the cow his due credit for this one :grin:

Here's the two different types of base plugs

My idea is that I sell these and use the funds to buy more raw horns to practice on.......hopefully I'll get good at it at some point in time and that will be one of my contributions to the muzzleloading community :grin:


Thanks for looking

Iain

 

[JWP]

Looking good - I think the dye gave it a used look, which I like.
Tell me - are you they air tight ?
Keep your price range in check - you shouldn't have any trouble selling them.

 

[soggy]

:hatsoff: Nice looking horns. Two finished and another started in a weekend? You don't waste much time do you? :thumbsup:
How did you drill that one with the double twist? I've tried a couple of times and managed to drill out through the side of both horns. :cursing:
Soggy

 

[Swampman]

Try some Feibing's Dark Brown dye.

 

[Brasilikilt]

To answer your questions,
I did all 3 horns this weekend, there's the 2 you see here, and a 3rd which is totally functional, but doesn't have any of the nice carvings.

The horns are air tight, I make these horns to be used.
if I try to blow through them and get a little air leak then I melt more wax onto the base plug and rub it in with a cloth until there's no more air leak.
I like taking a small butane torch to heat up the wood while rubbing a candle stub on to let the wax juice really soak in!
I did a test and water seems literally scared of the base plugs! :grin:

As for the double twist I didn't do anything special, just went slow and made sure my drill wasn't creeping too far off in any direction.

As for Feilbings dark brown dye..it sounds expensive, but if it works I'll be willing to give it a go........is it furniture stain? Clothes dye? Art supply?
I tried some water base walnut stain I had in the shop which didn't want to color the horn.


Thanks for the responses guys!!

 

[bwhoffman]

Brasilkilt....
Nice horns!
I would be proud to use them.
Ya know, you could come out the yamhill to a fhbpb shoot and put 1 on the trade blanket!
I might be able to get one that way!

Keep up the nice work!

Brett

 

[Goldhunter]

Feibings is a liquid leather dye available at Tandy and most craft stores. Also, Rit cloth dye also works well.

Like the horns, especially the double twist. For some reason those are hard to find out this way.

 

[AZ-Robert]

Excellent work!

I like the look the leather dye gave it... worn and used. If it starts to turn blue or shiney on you, it can probably be toned down with a bit of steel wool.

If I had to find fault somewhere, I would have made the holes in the lip horn a tad smaller. I like mine just big enough to admit the thong, then tie a stopper knot (figure 8 knot) in the thong to hold it in place.

Nice work!

 

[Claude Mathis]

I used some kiwi leather dye meant for boots and shoes thinking that it would stain the horn pretty well, but instead I got this:

I sorta love it and hate it at the same time

It also looks like it would rub off on your hands?

 

[rebelyell62]

Good lookin' horns, I agree ole bessy shore grew a good one fer the lefty. Nice work.

 

[DrTimboone]

Brasilikit, The Rit dyes work great. Fieblings leather dye alos. Potassium Permanganate also works well as does aqua fortis, depending on the colors you want. For dark tips I like the rit...easy to use and cheap. See Sibley's book on horn making.

 

[DrTimboone]

What did you use for the engrailing? I almost ruined my pfeil gouges doing similar type work

 

[Brasilikilt]

What did you use for the engrailing? I almost ruined my pfeil gouges doing similar type work

I used a cone shaped grinding bit on my dremel tool

 

[Stumpkiller]

Futzing around once I mixed linseed oil and India Ink 50/50 and got a very dark, shiny tip. As I remember, I applied three light coats rubbed in with a rag (and plastic wrap over my finger under the rag. It has proven to be a durable black, too. It looks like it was painted with black acrylic, which is NOT the result I hoped for.

The black shoots in the body of the horn show the original color.

 

[Brasilikilt]

I find all of your replies very encouraging Thanks!:hatsoff:

Brett Sr......Keep in mind I'm finishing a 3rd one right now, If you're interested in getting one of them PM me.
I almost prefer to trade a finished horn for some raw horns.....You can drive out past Dundee and you might find some cows who don't want theirs anymore :blah:

I wish I had made the holes on the lip horn smaller, wrong drill bit :haha: I guess it's all part of the learning experience.

My wife and I are going to the store later and I think I'll get some Rit dye while I'm there, finish my 3rd horn and dye all 3 horns at once, then for the next batch I'll probably get some Feilbing's to experiment with if I can find any

For the engrailing I used a cone shaped grinding bit on my Dremel tool....the wood chisels I have don't seem to be well suited for engrailing...a little too big.

I do have linseed oil and black India ink.....I might try that and see how it works for me

 

[Stumpkiller]

PS ~ Make sure that's boiled linseed oil or it will never dry.

 

[Brasilikilt]

Hey Stump

Was it you who was talking about a horn you made where the base cap is held on with some kind of thorns, you spent a long time repairing it after you tried to dry it in the microwave, and some bugs ate part of it when your stored it in the attic, but after all that, it still holds a full pound of powder

If it's not any trouble, I'd like to see a pic of that one!

 

[Stumpkiller]

LOL. "Frankenhorn". I'll take some pictures of it tonight. It holds a pound-and-a-half of powder.

 

[Stumpkiller]

Here ya' go.

Frankenstein's Powderhorn

I started a new thread rather than hijack this one. :hatsoff: