Patch??? Not what you'd expect the question to be.

[Two Feathers]

Howdy folks; Two Feathers here with a question, and I'm pretty sure this is the place to get answers?
Can anyone please tell me how to Authentically "patch" a hole in a powder horn, while maintaining that 1700's HA look.
I don't have a powder horn with a hole, but I want to try something anyway? I'm an experimenter.
Thank all y'all in advance for your answers.
God bless:
Two Feathers

 

[Crow-Feather]

I would wrap it with hot wet deer hide and let it shrink and dry. Pasquinell did a great job on Mckeeg's rifle that way.

 

[Two Feathers]

Crow-Feather:
Thank you very much. I thought of that, but due to the taper of the horn, I figured the rawhide would slip toward the tip once it dried out? On something wth an odd shape, I can see how that would be the perfect repair.
Stay safe.
God bless:
Two Feathers

 

[Walkingeagle]

I would whittle a tight fitting plug, then using bees wax for a seal, drive it in place leaving just a slight bit out of the hole. Then I would do the wet deer skin wrap as mentioned before. The slight amount of plug sticking out will not allow the skin to move. I suspect this would be very authentic in a repair.
Walk

 

[Grimord]

I read somewhere (can't remember where, but I think it was a Zenes Leonard Journal), that a hunter repaird his horn by melting pine resin and plugging the hole with it.

 

[Two Feathers]

Walk:
Thanks for the idea. Nice to hear from you. I was just asking tylerk if he knew you? He said no, city is too big. I NEVER knew that Edmonton was THAT big!!? 1.2 Million, MAN, that's HUGE!!
Thanks again. Like I said, I don't have a powder horn with a hole, but I wanted to try something.
Stay safe buddy.
God bless:
Two Feathers

 

[Phil Coffins]

These two repairs were done with melted lead. I got it used around 1974 and it has held up well. Can't say if it's historic but this could of been done by any one back when.
001 by Oliver Sudden, on Flickr

 

[Two Feathers]

I read somewhere (can't remember where, but I think it was a Zenes Leonard Journal), that a hunter repaird his horn by melting pine resin and plugging the hole with it.

Grimord:
Thanks. That might get some recognition on my part, provided the hole is fairly small? I think a larger hole would require Walk's option along with yours. I've seen holes repaired in such a manner. Using a plug AND pine pitch with a rawhide over the whole repair. I saw it in a museum here in Pa. near Gettysburg.
I appreciate all the answers I'm getting here; and I don't want to waste anyone's time, because as I stated, I have no powder horn in need of repair currently. I'm just looking for; and asking about, PC/HA options.
Y'all stay safe.
God bless:
Two Feathers

 

[Two Feathers]

These two repairs were done with melted lead. I got it used around 1974 and it has held up well. Can't say if it's historic but this could of been done by any one back when.
001 by Oliver Sudden, on Flickr

Phil Coffins, Catchy name.
Now THAT looks like the real deal??? Not sure if it is, but I'm certain that some infantryman might have done it that way? They say." Necessity is the mother of invention." and that's some Mother of a plug?
Thank you.
God bless:
Two Feathers

 

[tenngun]

Go to the dog section at your local fort Sam Walton ( wal mart) and get a raw hide bone, soak it in water sew it on tight, pour a little boiling water on it then let dry. When dry pint with melted beeswax. It will be so tight it can’t slip and naturally glued to the horn. It’s very water resistant and the wax will make it even more so.

 

[appalichian hunter]

I have seen old horns from the Appalachia's fixed with squirrel raw hide, the dog bone thing is good but I think perhaps too thick or bulky where squirrel or even the belly section from a ground hog would be thinner . Just saying

 

[appalichian hunter]

And definitely period correct

 

[Two Feathers]

Go to the dog section at your local fort Sam Walton ( wal mart) and get a raw hide bone, soak it in water sew it on tight, pour a little boiling water on it then let dry. When dry pint with melted beeswax. It will be so tight it can’t slip and naturally glued to the horn. It’s very water resistant and the wax will make it even more so.

Go to the dog section at your local fort Sam Walton ( wal mart) and get a raw hide bone, soak it in water sew it on tight, pour a little boiling water on it then let dry. When dry pint with melted beeswax. It will be so tight it can’t slip and naturally glued to the horn. It’s very water resistant and the wax will make it even more so.

tenngun:
Thanks. I have 22sq. ft. of Elk rawhide that I bought from one of my leather suppliers last year. That ought ta' do the trick? I was using it for PC/HA sheath covers. I've got a bunch of it left. Tough stuff to work with when it's dried out? It's brittle and ROCK hard!
Thank you:
Two Feathers

 

[Two Feathers]

I have seen old horns from the Appalachia's fixed with squirrel raw hide, the dog bone thing is good but I think perhaps too thick or bulky where squirrel or even the belly section from a ground hog would be thinner . Just saying

appalichian hunter
Thanks buddy. See my reply to tenngun. Much appreciate your response. Folks here are the BEST!!!
God bless:
Two Feathers

 

[tenngun]

tenngun:
Thanks. I have 22sq. ft. of Elk rawhide that I bought from one of my leather suppliers last year. That ought ta' do the trick? I was using it for PC/HA sheath covers. I've got a bunch of it left. Tough stuff to work with when it's dried out? It's brittle and ROCK hard!
Thank you:
Two Feathers

Might be a little thicker then you want but ought to work well. When dried on it’s very tough and won’t move.
We broke a stock one year at an event of a used CVA rifle and fixed the wrist with rawhide. Was shooting it that afternoon.

 

[Two Feathers]

tenngun:
Thank you. I've heard of; and seen pics., of guns repaired in that fashion. I understand that some of those documented repairs have lasted more than a hundred years. Impressive, AND ingenious!
God bless:
Two Feathers

 

[Eterry]

Growing up riding horses and working on saddles I've used rawhide many times on saddle repairs.
We would soak it until very pliable, then apply it where needed, screw or nail it to the "Tree ". The next day it was ready to use.

 

[Two Feathers]

Eterry:
Thank you for the information. I've used rawhide a lot recently. LOVE the Teddy Roosevelt " Man In the Arena" signature. A true hero worth emulating!
I try (somewhat) to live my life, thinking that way?
Take care, stay safe my friend.
God bless:
Two Feathers

 

[jimairwin]

Howdy folks; Two Feathers here with a question, and I'm pretty sure this is the place to get answers?
Can anyone please tell me how to Authentically "patch" a hole in a powder horn, while maintaining that 1700's HA look.
I don't have a powder horn with a hole, but I want to try something anyway? I'm an experimenter.
Thank all y'all in advance for your answers.
God bless:
Two Feathers

One might kill a mouse or chipmonk, case skin it, and put that on your horn for a real conversation starter!

 

[Two Feathers]

Yup:
That would get some looks at a shoot!
Thanks for the Idea???? I might just be nutty enough to do that?
God bless:
Two Feathers