Powder horn sizing plug

[BoomStick]

Sibley's book described using either hot oil or a heat gun to soften horn for shaping. Seems many of the horners that make them in number round the end -likely, as mentioned, it makes production easier and the finished horn more common looking.

 

[rickpa]

Oil is used to shape horns because you can heat it to over 300 degrees. Get the oil much hotter and you'll French fry your horn.

 

[Ponderosaman]

Oil is used to shape horns because you can heat it to over 300 degrees. Get the oil much hotter and you'll French fry your horn.

I suppose most/all liquids have a boiling point, oil has a relatively low flash point. One thing about folks of yesteryear is that they had ways of doing dangerous things “safely” that we aren’t necessarily aware of, so doing things like boiling oil could get us noobs killed or maimed.

 

[jefair1]

Does a heat gun work with a buffalo horn?

 

[waksupi]

Oil is used to shape horns because you can heat it to over 300 degrees. Get the oil much hotter and you'll French fry your horn.

Scott recommends between 325-350 degrees. Get a candy thermometer to measure the heat. Works for me, just be careful to not over heat and scorch the horn.
I use baseball bat for the plug. Second hand stores, a couple bucks.

 

[chiller]

I find just water works for me by holding the end of the horn in boiling water until the horn is playable and allows the plug to fit. It's a trial-and-error method. If you need to sand or file the plug during this process, you will need to reheat the horn again in the boiling water as the horn will quickly cool and become hard again. I was able to make a period salt & pepper shaker out of horn using this process. I cut a horn 3 -1/2 inches long and was able to fit a piece of pine wood 1/2- inch thick in the center of the horn by placing the entire horn in boiling water, removing, and sizing the center wood piece, back-and-forth until I was able to get a proper fit. Then added the 1/2-inch end caps while only heating each end of the horn in boiling water while shaping and sizing. Each pine ends and the divider are held in place by drilling holes around the horn and placing wood toothpicks in each hole. Lastly, I drilled a hole in each section to accept a small peg made by a friend. One out of maple and one out of ebony so I will always know what side is salt and, what side is pepper. I almost forget, when placing horn into boiling water, expect the horn to give-off a nasty smell. So, do it outside unless your kitchen is well ventilated.

 

[bud in pa]

The first horn I made I shaped the plug to the opening in the horn. I used a utility knife with a fresh blade and a file and sand paper. I also boiled a horn in water, outside to keep her happy, and it worked well.

 

[TDM]

Yes, boiling water or a heat gun are all you need to soften a horn to fit a plug, works great. Using boiling oil gets the horn hot enough for the horn structure to forget its origin shape. Then it can be shaped with a mold and once cooled it will stay in that molded shape on its on. Not at all necessary for powder horns, but for a drinking cup the higher heat is required.

 

[flntlokr]

One of the coolest things I've seen on the internet today.
Of course, as clumsy as I am, there would eventually be a pile of 2ffg on the deck or in my safe......with some glass shards close by

Pretty thick glass. Cut to fit.

 

[ohio ramrod]

I make my horn base plugs by tracing the horn base then using a coping saw to shape the base slightly oversized. Then I use my disc sander set at two degrees to finish fit the plug so that it goes about 1/3 the way into the horn. Then I place both the plug and horn in the oven set at 200 degrees for an hour. Then wearing leather gloves I take the plug and coat it with a heavy layer of bees wax and then insert it into the horn flush with the base of the horn. The hot wax lubes the plug and the horn will conform perfectly to the plug as it cools. The wax will fill any slight gaps. I hold the plug in place with thorns from a grapefuit tree