Turning cow horn

[Dale Halterman]

I have done a bit of turning of cow horn for powder horn spouts and so on, but I am not sure if there aren't better techniques.

Traditional wood turning techniques don't seem to work very well, which makes sense since they are intended to shear fibers and horns don't consist of fibers. I use a roughing gouge to make the horn round, then use files, sand paper, and steel wool from there.

Anybody have a better way?

Thanks,

Dale H

[skillman]

Horn does have a grain and a direction to the grain. When turning horn a sharp tool is a plus. I tend to use tools as scrapers to get my shapes. Remember that horn, like wood, can have voids and weak spots and tear outs are not uncommon. With cow horns getting as pricey and scarce as they are, I know I tend to use as many as I can as actual horns. The horns I use as donors for parts are not of great color or shape and also often have flaws in them.

Steve

[Tim Crosby]

 Dale, I'm not sure what you are asking, can you post a Pic of your setup?

   Tim

[John Proud]

Dale,

I turn a fair bit of horn and find it turns well, with experience. Kind of like everything improves with experience. Horn is fibrous, similar to wood. Try changing the rpms and keep your gouges sharp.

John

[Dale Halterman]

Thanks for the replies so far.

Steve - I had not tried scraping, afraid it would tear the horn apart in there was a crack or other defect. But since you suggested it, I went down to the shop this morning and tried it. Worked great. I shaped a small section in a fraction of the time it would have taken me with files and sandpaper. Thank you! Yes, I have leaned to keep my tools sharp and yes, I agree that any horn that can be made into a decent horn should be.

Tim - no special set up. Just put it between centers like a piece of wood.

John - I am sure you are right. Practice makes perfect. Just wanted to make I was practicing the right method. I have been keeping the rpms low, afraid of the horn delaminating and coming apart. I will try it faster and see what happens.

Again, thank you all.

Dale H 

[rjpalmer]

What turning speed is used for turning horn tips or antler to make a screw tip horn? I have been looking at a Harbor Freight variable speed lathe, but fear it spins too fast.https://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/news/state/south-carolina/article219660640.html

[Tim Crosby]

Tim - no special set up. Just put it between centers like a piece of wood.

  Don't know what you are tying to do but have you looked at some of the Tutorials I did using a pen mandrel? I use a U shaped tool a lot. I don't have time but will try and post some tools tomorrow. I don't turn any thing, horn wise, between centers, don't know why I would. I have mounted horns by the butt to turn them round or for some special application, Horn inside butt and cups come to mind but then again most of them are done on a mandrel like you would use to turn a band on after they are heated, all other work is done with files and rasps.
 I turn everything for a horn, tips, horn antler, Pewter, butts, horn itself if necessary, bands at about 600RPMs or so, no more or less. I find this gives a good finish using different grades of Sandpaper and Steel Wool. I put wax, usually shoe polish on them and buff at the same time. If it is to shiny I bring it back with 0000. I do not like Shiny, see your face in them, horns
 You need good stock to start with, if there are any cracks in the horn once you cut it there will be problems, delaminating, I'm sure you know that. Sharp is a given, as with any turning.

  Tim

[Tim Crosby]

 Here are some Pix, the three tools are what I use to turn 99% of the horn and antler I use. My thumb, which is about half that big, gives you an idea of size. The center one come in right at 1/4". The flat one on the left is a piece of hacksaw blade, I sharpen it like you would a scraper but with no burr. Side shot of the rounded tool and a pic of the larger gouge I use to rough out horn and antler. A pic of the mandrel with a piece of horn rough turned. Couple of tips that are starting to delaminate, they are pretty much useless at this point. In the bottom of the box are some rough turn tips, I think they are less likely to delaminate with done like this.

  Tim C.
 

[BOB HILL]

Thanks fellows. Some helpful tips there.
Bob

[John Proud]

I use a Lamp drive in the head stock and a live center in the tail stock to turn on centers. Works very weel for me.

[Tim Crosby]

I use a Lamp drive in the head stock and a live center in the tail stock to turn on centers. Works very weel for me.

A lamp drive? I'll have to look that one up.

  Tim

[Dale Halterman]

OK, spent some more time in the shop this morning. Tried using 1200 rpm, worked a little better, I will try 1800 next time.

Tim, I went through your tutorials. I have been turning rings that are very similar to the ones you show in you small ring tutorial. My procedure was different since I don't have a mandrel or a four jaw chuck. I rough turned a solid horn tip between centers and turned a reduced diameter in the waste at one end. Then I mounted a wood scrap to a faceplate and bored a hole in the center the same size as the reduced diameter. Glued them together and bored out the inside of the rings using a Jacob's chuck mounted in the tailstock, then turned the outside.

I do have a pointed scraper and a small round nosed scraper like you show in your pictures. I have been using the pointed one but I haven't used the round nosed for several years and it needs to be sharpened. Badly. I will sharen it tomorrow and try it out.

Thanks to everyone who took the time to respond to my questions.

Dale H

[Tim Crosby]

I use a Lamp drive in the head stock and a live center in the tail stock to turn on centers. Works very weel for me.

A lamp drive? I'll have to look that one up.

  Tim

 Ok John, What is a Lamp Drive. The results of my search are pretty far out there when it comes to turning.

  Tim