Scrap horns & what to do with them

[phoenix511]

I have a few unfinished horns which I ruined by having the drill wander and break through the wall as I was making the pouring hole. I can't cut the tip back since there is nothing solid for a stopper to fit.

I suspect I'm not the first person to screw up a horn, and perhaps there are ingenious ways of covering the defect or using the horn for some other purpose.

Any suggestions on how to repair these defects? Or any suggestions on what to make with them, such as a drinking cup, or a rum or salt horn?

 

[paulvallandigham]

You can also make combs, spoons, salt shakers, etc. from the "parts and pieces". The sections can be used to repair other old horns, that are cracked, or have holes in them from other causes. You can extend the length of a smaller horn with a good spout, by gluing a section of one horn to the first. I have seen hair pieces- like a comb, or pick, made of horn. Depending on the color of the horn these can be quite attractive, and women love to find these kinds of things to buy off a blanket at rendezvous. :hatsoff:

 

[AZ Muzzle]

I was making a few primer horns and the tips were split. When I started drilling the tip split on the horn all the way into the cavity. Basically, the tip was destroyed. What I did was epoxy on a dowel rod and shaped a spout.

Here are some photos of my repair work.

Mark B

 

[necchi]

Great Idea! Those look good! Thanks for sharing :grin:

 

[AZ Muzzle]

I found a few more photos that show my repair work. The repair on the tip is a pine wood dowel that was shaped to the end of the horn set in place by epoxoy. I stained the wood to add some eye candy.

 

[napolean]

Burn the hole through from the big end w/ a metal rod curved to match the horn, takes several heats.
DO IT OUTSIDE.
Another suggestion on using a scrap horn would be to cut it lengthwise into sections, boil awhile and clamp between small boards to flatten, leave for a few days. Then you've got knife handle slabs, buttons, inlays, small pistol grips, ect.
Jon

 

[DanChamberlain]

I've often wondered if one could cut, boil and flatten the sides of the horn, and then mold them around pistol grips and glue them on as a veneer?

Anyone heard of this?

Dan

 

[omarick1948]

The Horner's Bench website can show you several ways to repair powder horns!

Rick

 

[phoenix511]

Thanks to all for some neat ideas for horns that I've messed up.

Is there an address for the "Horner's Bench" website?

 

[paulvallandigham]

The HornersBench.com

 

[deanscamaro]

It doesn't exactly disappear, but here is what I did for the same problem. I had to cut some off the butt end of the horn to square it up, so I took some of that material, trimmed it to fit a recessed area I created around the blow-out (I left it somewhat proud of the surface), epoxyed it in place, then ground it down to where it was even with surface of the horn. I could have worked harder to keep the two grains more lined up, but it was just an experiment, so I didn't take a lot of care.
:grin: :v

 

[ohio ramrod]

In addition to using a wooden end you could also use a brass sleave. Or even simplier plug the hole with epoxy. trim down the horn in the area of the patch and then wrap with a fine copper wire

 

[Brasilikilt]

There's a guy Stumblin Wolf who does some magnificent horn repairs using wood turned on a lathe.

I shamelessly stole his idea and did this a while ago.

Here are some other photos I had in my files which hopefully will be of some use.

I realize that a lot of these ideas require soldering and metal work.......but if you can do these things, or know someone who can...these can be some really nice looking solutions that you don't see too often nowadays.

hope this helps