Salt Horn Question

[RJR]

I am in the process of making a salt horn (my first). For use treking, should the horn be lined with something? I was thinking bees wax. If so, how and when should this be done? Should I finish the horn, then line it or should I line everything now? The horn is scraped but not finished yet. The plugs are hand carved and fitted, but not installed yet. If bees wax is used, how warm does the horn need to be to keep the wax liquid and flowing to coat the inside? I will be using a carved antler tip to plug the fill hole. Just need to be pointed in the right direction.

Thanks,
Rick

 

[skunkskinner]

I would finish the horn and then use brewers pitch to line it.

Get the pitch as hot as you can, but try not to let it boil. Warm up the horn with the heat from a camp fire, or hair dryer :grin: . Pour the goo in the horn and move in all possible ways to get it coated. You will have to redrill the fill hole to clear it of pitch. It will be good enough to hold wiskey, water or salt :wink:

 

[necchi]

I wouldn't use anything. Just have the interior sanded, washed and dry. Salt will keep critters out and the moisture down.
If you have a hard time fittin the end plug then warm the horn,(any way ya want) and drip bee's wax from a candle across the joint and rub it in then wipe it off.

 

[LRB]

Salt keeps moisture down???? On what planet?

 

[paulvallandigham]

I would not line the inside of the horn with anything. Just clean it well, of filings, and dust. To keep the salt from clumping, use rice kernels in the salt to absorb any moisture, as we do with salt shakers at home. A teaspoon of rice in a medium sized horn should be enough. The rice will be large enough Not to easily flow out the mouth of the horn. I have heard of people using corn, or even Popped Corn( ie,"popcorn" that has been popped, cooled and dried of oils) to keep the salt dry, but they have to be inserted in the horn from the base end of the horn, as they are too large to fit down the mouth. If you design the base plug with a screw-out plug in the center, that allows loading the horn through the larger hole, then you can use a lot of different things to keep salt dry.

Most foods come with enough salt in them. I would think that the amount of salt you might need for an average "trek" of a week or so, would not exceed what salt is held in a typical salt shaker. For that reason, i would make any 'salt' horn very small, and save myself the weight of carrying around more "stuff" than I actually need on a trek.

Just my thoughts on this subject. :thumbsup:

 

[necchi]

Oop's,I guess I put that wrong. What I meant was the salt will draw any moisture from the horn, so you wouldn't need to protect the inside of the horn from moisture,which can rot or become suseptable to molds if unprotected in the environment.
Yes salt is hygroscopic,,but it will also draw moisture from any animal type protiens. We've been preserving and drying stuff for millenia useing salt.
My bad, I didn't make myself clear :surrender:

 

[omarick1948]

There is no need to line a salt horn with anything. Just sand and clean the interior before you assemble it. No real need to put anything other than salt in the horn, as a well sealed horn will not let the salt clump and a light tap on the bottom of the horn is all that is needed if you suspect the salt is clumping. I like to use sea salt, as it is closer to the type of salt that was used in early America, someone on this forum suggested. ALWAYS EMPTY YOUR SALT HORN AFTER AN OUTING FOR BEST HORN SERVICE!

JMHO,
Rick

 

[skunkskinner]

ALWAYS EMPTY YOUR SALT HORN AFTER AN OUTING FOR BEST HORN SERVICE!

JMHO,
Rick

If you do a good job of sealing it you can leave it full. :v

 

[boar]

I made one in the 80's. I didn't line it with any thing. Still good to this day, salt still pours. Dilly

 

[omarick1948]

ALWAYS EMPTY YOUR SALT HORN AFTER AN OUTING FOR BEST HORN SERVICE!

JMHO,
Rick

If you do a good job of sealing it you can leave it full. :v

Sealing it good is a must Skunkskinner,but over time salt can leach into the horn and wood and give food you might use it on a "funky flavor"!

Kind of like saying to leave drinking water in a canteen or wooden keg for a few months or years or other long periods of time doesn't make the water go stale! :barf: Sure you can use it :shocked2: , but why? .... Just common knowledge dude!

:blah:

 

[RJR]

Thank You for all the information. I sanded the inside down to 400 grit and washed it real well before I carved the plugs. I can always line it later if I think it needs it. I'll post up a picture when I get it done (just remember, it's my first try).

Thanks,
Rick

 

[omarick1948]

DEADDAWG,.. We all had that first project! It's all in the having the inspiration to do it and try! Good Luck!

:thumbsup: