[Shooter45]

The priming horn was fun so this time I'm going to try something bigger.

This cow horn measures 12" across the curve and it's the perfect size to attach to my hunting bag. I like the color on this one as I plan to try a little more scrimshaw on this one. I'm no artist so I'll hope for the best. I also try a horn or wood band on this one if I can figure out how with the tools I have. Maybe I can figure it out. If not, oh, well.

I'm about 5 hrs into the work on this horn working with a rasp, file,sand paper and steel wool. I'll probably have about 60 hrs in this one as the horn is hard to work with the tools I have and my inexperience.

Tools used: Sandpaper 120 -150 grit, wood rasp, flat file, small gunsmith triangular file, and #00 and #0000 steel wool.

After all the core removal and scraping, the horn is getting the spout end worked. The going is slow but I'm getting there. I'll take pictures as I go.

This is fun and if you shoot black powder, a necessary item. Completed horns can be bought online and are inexpensive butsome professionally made ones can cost a few hundred $$.

I'm going for cheap and homemade

After I get far enough to install the pine plug, I'll cap that with a nice piece of Walnut held in place with wood pegs.

 

[todd51]

I noticed

 

[Shooter45]

I thought you might.

I'm getting some really good ideas out of that book and not just powder horns.

It has everything.

 

[Hawg]

Looking good.

 

[BCarp]

It's fun, ain't it? Yours reminds of one I built for myself a few years back. BTW, wooden toothpicks make good pegs for securing your base plug, and "engrailing" around the throat is easily accomplished with a small round file, or a Dremel tool....

 

[Shooter45]

Nice looking horn.

Did you use the round file before squaring the end of the spout ? I worked on this one a while to get where I am and still have a long way to go. Also, where your strap connects on the forward end,is that engrailed ? I may end up doing it that way if I can't make a band from horn or wood. I do know that the band will have to be boiled if horn or soaked in water if I use wood to conform to the shape of the horn. I used square kitchen match sticks for the pegs in my priming horn. After a short soak in water, they go in the round hole.
I'm almost after the Southern Banded style but that may be too far advanced for a first time.

Thanks for the info and keep the ideas coming. I need them.

 

[BETH]

Sam is that a horn off a cow? Did u hollow it out or are they hollow?

 

[BCarp]

Nice looking horn.

Did you use the round file before squaring the end of the spout ? I worked on this one a while to get where I am and still have a long way to go. Also, where your strap connects on the forward end,is that engrailed ? I may end up doing it that way if I can't make a band from horn or wood. I do know that the band will have to be boiled if horn or soaked in water if I use wood to conform to the shape of the horn. I used square kitchen match sticks for the pegs in my priming horn. After a short soak in water, they go in the round hole.
I'm almost after the Southern Banded style but that may be too far advanced for a first time.

Thanks for the info and keep the ideas coming. I need them.

You could rasp out another section of your horn (shown in yellow) leaving a raised band to catch the horn strap. "Engrailing" is just decorative notches cut in where the throat meets the body of the horn. Not necessary, but it looks cool!

 

[American Leader]

It is beautiful 45, great work!

 

[Rafsob]

Never had the patience or ability to do a nice horn. But my dad did and sent this to me a few years ago:

Pop is gone now, but I always have this horn to remember him in a very kind way. He was my first hunting pardner!!!

 

[Country101]

That's some nice work there folks! I dont have the patience or skill to do those, but they sure look neat.

 

[WHSmithIV]

Something you can do to help you with the scrimshaw is to ask a friend who does draw well to draw the artwork you want to put on the horn for scrimshaw. That friend could go ahead and draw the artwork in light pencil. All you then do is go over the lines to the depth you want then add the ink.

 

[V509]

Very nice work!

 

[Shooter45]

I do have a couple of friends that are artists and that's a good idea.

But, then, it wouldn't be mine.

There were some hornmakers years ago that did that for a living along with leathercraft. I think most horns were made by the owners and the scrimshaw was done a little at a time as time allowed.
That's my plan.

 

[WHSmithIV]

Shooter - if you come up with the basic artwork design and someone who just draws well does it on paper with you then it is yours

 

[Archie Otto]

Those horns sure are a fun project.

 

[Shooter45]

They are fun for sure but due to the cold weather, I've slacked off on working on this one.
Maybe that will change next week with warmer weather coming.