thinking about making a powder horn

[jrbaker90]

I been needing a powder horn for quite some time and I just haven't got one yet. I looked at some unfinished horn on ebay and I been wondering how would it be making one out of a unfinished horn and not a kit and has anybody try it just curious. thanks

 

[Hawgeye]

I've bought several unfinished horns off of e-bay. Your chances, in my experience, are 4-1 against getting a workable horn. You can get a good usable horn that way, but it's still a crap shoot.

 

[SgtSchutzen]

I can't say for buying a horn off ebay because I've never done it. Making your own horn from a rough one isn't hard though, just takes more time because you have to do a lot of filing and sanding to get from rough to that polished look. I made all 4 of my horns myself and only 1 started as a kit. None of them are fancy, just plain working powder horns. I like them though because I made them myself. One of the rough horns I think I got from Track of the Wolf. The others I've picked up at trade shows where I could look them over in person before I paid.

 

[Katahdin]

Check out Powderhornsandmore can't go wrong there,,

 

[Pierre du Plessis]

Same here - I get mine at 18th century trade fairs, where the sutlers literally have stacks of horn blanks 5'x8'. Good place to find the horn that's right for you, fit it to your side to get one that feels right - plus get a bargain on it. They generally range from $10-$20, most in the cheaper spectrum.

 

[Pierre du Plessis]

Oh, and get "Recreating the 18th Century Powder Horn" by Scott and Cathy Sibley. EXCELLENT how-to.

 

[robinson]

If you got a local auction service,check it out! Most have a web page with pictures and such. It ain't maken' it yourself, but the satisfaction can compare. Might come up with a real oldie.

 

[jrbaker90]

Ok what would you say about track of the wolf I was just looking at a unfinished horn and I saw that they had them. I not trying to save money really I just like making my own gear thanks

 

[Pierre du Plessis]

If you order from Track, make sure to specifically specify in the order what kind of curve you want - left or right.

 

[SgtSchutzen]

Looks to me like Track is showing "out of stock" on all their unfinished horns right now.
If they had any I think you could count on getting something usable though. I`ve always been happy with anything I've got from them.

 

[omarick1948]

I have made many powder horns from right off the critter cow horns years ago and still do once in a while, but except for the general shape and guessing about the final color, working with a raw cow horn is too much trouble and time consuming for what I do in having to get horn orders out the door. I get my raw cleaned cow horns from http://www.powderhornsandmore.com/ because I can see what I'm getting and Gerry, the owner is a fine gentleman to help you and get great service. By the way, Track of the wolf gets their horns from PHM!

Rick

 

[Katahdin]

You can go on PHM's web site and pick the horn you want,, PHM sells to Hornsmiths who build horns for a living so their horns are top shelf,,Do yourself a big favor go check out their web site,,, you will impressed,,
This was not addressed to Horner75 it just ended up there !!??
Grayfox62 says Morning Rick !!

 

[palonghunter]

I made one several years ago from a horn I found in a farmer's cow cemetery (literally pulled it off a cow skull I found laying in a field). It was time consuming, but not difficult.

There was a lot of gunk inside the horn that had to be cleaned out, and it took a lot of sanding to get the outside to a high polish.

I used a brass stopped for the spout that I bought from Dixie Gun works (should be wood to be HC), and carved my own wooden stopper for the other end.

What I ended up with isn't a work of art, but it's functional and I still use it years later.

 

[lonehunter]

Check out Powderhornsandmore can't go wrong there,,

This is your best bet!

 

[bowkill]

Artisan of the Month-Rick Froehlich.... rick knows a thing or three about horns... http://www.powderhornsandmore.com/ja20arofmofr.html

 

[jrbaker90]

I did look at there website and I will keep checking I'm not in a big hurry. I do have another question on some horn I see the that some make their octagon and I been wondering hoe is that done?

 

[omarick1948]

May I suggest this book to answer a lot of your questions.
http://www.trackofthewolf.com/Categories/PartDetail.aspx/1330/1/BOOK-R18CPH

 

[MSW]

Horner75's advice is good, and you should follow it ... you might get a 'better deal' from a source other that PHM, but you trade off way too much risk, IMHO ... do you want a horn that you picked, or one picked out by some un- named faceless shipping clerk earning minimum wage? (I know that sounds cold, but that's the way of the world.)

Also, you may want to check out this tool (Coulter Precision - all made in USA and has a wrap around the world guarantee, and the points can be resharpened ... they're about thirty bucks if I remember correctly, and I've had a boatload of use out of mine with no signs of wearing out or getting dull ...Wow - what's not to like?)

here's a link (sorry if I'm breaking or bending any rules about posting a commercial link) ...
http://www.ebay.com/itm/PRINTMAKIN...131003132420&rk=1&rkt=6&sd=371145516349&rt=nc

oddly enough, Coulter Precision didn't show up in my search engine... go figure ... maybe they're too busy making great tools to fool with it...

you should definitely get the book.

by way of further rant, "they" will tell you that you can boil the horn in water to soften it up enough to get it around a form and make the base round so a ******** will fit. this might be true enough, but when I tried it, all I got was a clean warm horn. with an oval butt ... your mileage may vary. I ended up using a deep fat fryer (you can get one at a yard sale or on flea bay, or splurge and go to your local WalMart or similar such place). I wouldn't use the same fryer for horn and French fries ... uck! ... you can get the oil plenty hot on a stovetop (about 375F works for me, but be super careful - oil that hot will ignite if you so much as look at it funny, it doesn't put out with water, and it leaves a really nasty scar) ...if ... (assuming you survive) ... so have a fire extinguisher at hand.

More suggestions: you really do need a bag filled with something to support your horn when you work on it ... I use a bag of rice, which I bought because it had a cloth bag and was handy and exactly the right size ... if you're good with a sewing machine, make up something out of canvas, pocket drill, or heavy denim and fill it about three quarters full with rice, black beans or something similar.

By way of further warning:

the cost of all this stuff will be about that of a new horn (Rick sells his work and it is, in my opinion, way underpriced considering his tremendous skill and wonderful craftsmanship) ...

so, if all you want is just one horn, you should support Rick and buy one of his.

if, however, you have your heart set on making one for yourself, you'll end up with a pretty good horn, and a small bunch of hornmaking tools, with which you can make all the horns you want. (I have or plan a horn and a bag for each flintlock) ... and then you can make little turned boxes, and then filials for lamps, and then aaaargh ... so many horns, so little time! (Then there's the woodlathe which you us to make the butt plugs, and the clever turnings, but that's a whole 'nother deal ... also an excellent tool ... not horribly expensive if you get a small one)

Good luck with you project!

(send us pictures when you're done - we love pictures)

 

[Billnpatti]

It is done by filing the horn to that shape. You have to have a horn with enough thickness to allow you to file away enough of the horn to get it to a hexagonal shape.

 

[MSW]

aw CUSS!! it seems that the link I put in my last post didn't connect to anything ... here's a better link:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/216950193/printmaking-scrimshaw-scribe-hobby-tool?ref=related-1

hope this helps ... good luck with your project!