Gunpowder Bug Deterrent?

[Top Jaw]

Recently ran into someone who keeps a little powder in all the horns they collect.
The claim was that this keeps away bugs and larvae that eat on horns.  I've heard
of spray, mothballs, etc.  Anyone heard of using black powder as a bug deterrent?

[Cades Cove Fiddler]

  .... Might just have something there.....one of my old horns I sometimes use is an old family heirloom ... 150+ years old....had a couple small bug holes which I repaired when I received it and have kept powder in it for over 40 years now, with no new damage ....on the other hand.... just finished a horn this past winter that I had started maybe 30 years ago... was stored in a closet, and had a couple small bug chews.... thankfully were not holes yet.......

[B.Barker]

I've had a horn get chewed with powder in it. I heard the same thing and maybe if the powder was rubbed on the outside of the horn the sulfer might deter the bugs.

[Ray Settanta]

I had two horns in a box. One was empty and the other had powder in it. Both got chewed.

[Top Jaw]

Thanks for the personal experiences.  Sounds like its a no go as a bug repellent.  Just as well.  I've got about 10 horns, so it would be pretty expensive to use powder for that purpose anyway!  I'll stick with the mothballs.