Author Topic: Bison horn flattening (Read 3223 times)

Dennis Daigger · « **on:** January 04, 2019, 02:22:00 AM »

I have a bison horn that I'd like to flatten into a Continental style flat powder flask. I have no experience softening horn to a pliable state that can be formed and I'm looking for suggestions from folks that have actually done this.

No hot oil suggestions please, simply don't want to do that.

The horn I have is 13" on the outside curve and about 31/4" in diameter at the open end.
Thanks,
Dennis

Hungry Horse · « **Reply #1 on:** January 04, 2019, 03:10:50 AM »

I have not had very good luck forming buffalo horn. It seems to be more brittle than cow horn, and usually is thicker. I don’t recall seeing a flattened buffalo horn, so there may be a reason for that.

Hungry Horse

alyce-james · « **Reply #2 on:** January 04, 2019, 03:44:33 AM »

I think the reason Bison are not like other horns. They are formed by hair of some sort. Aj.

smylee grouch · « **Reply #3 on:** January 04, 2019, 04:08:31 AM »

And here I thought cow horns were made up of some kind of hair.

Dennis Daigger · « **Reply #4 on:** January 04, 2019, 05:03:42 AM »

All horn is modified hair.

Pukka Bundook · « **Reply #5 on:** January 04, 2019, 05:49:05 PM »

Not wanting to sound negative, but with bison horns having such a fast taper, I think if you Did flatten one, it would feel too wide and unwieldy in the hand.

Very best,
R.

Dennis Daigger · « **Reply #6 on:** January 04, 2019, 08:19:14 PM »

Richard,
Thanks, I didn't think of that. You are right if it were narrowed to 1 1/2" it would be over 4" on the long side which would be pretty clubby.
Dennis

Marcruger · « **Reply #7 on:** January 04, 2019, 09:06:53 PM »

"You are right if it were narrowed to 1 1/2" it would be over 4" on the long side which would be pretty clubby."

I think the real operative term should be, "pretty chubby"! :-)
Bison horns are pretty fat to start with.

Best wishes, and God Bless, Marc

D. Taylor Sapergia · « **Reply #8 on:** January 05, 2019, 02:36:52 AM »

I have only made one powder horn from a bison horn. It was a huge horn, about 16" along the outside curve, and way over three inches at the butt. It was also over a quarter inch thick at the big end and extremely rough. I spent four hours with a HORSESHOE rasp getting the butt end smooth and thin enough to suit me. It turned out to be a really nice horn with a jet black polish, but over the years the side exposed to day light from wearing turned the polished horn back into a grey, yellow faded rough horn. I swore I'd never do another one. I have three in my horn box ready for an inordinate amount of energy.

I would never consider flattening a bison horn unless it was from a calf and small and thin.

skillman · « **Reply #9 on:** January 05, 2019, 06:14:15 AM »

Bison or Buff flattens like any other horn. Use lard or oil, get it to 335 degrees, Use a suitable form and slowly flatten it to shape. And yes, all horn is basically hair. Same as finger and toe nails.

Steve

bigsmoke · « **Reply #10 on:** January 05, 2019, 07:20:24 AM »

Steve,
Nice job on the buff horn.
Never having flattened one, I would think that a horn off a mature bull would require a lot of thinning down.
Once you got it to a point where it was workable, it shouldn't be any better or worse than a cow horn.
For some reason, I have no desire to work on one again. I did some years ago using the natural shape and found it wasn't too difficult to do it that way. But I didn't cook it, either.
John

skillman · « **Reply #11 on:** January 05, 2019, 07:39:47 AM »

Thanks John. I usually get the horn to a semi finished state before I flatten it. No matter what kind of horn. Buff stinks when you work it, usually needs a shave every so often, and is difficult to get a nice finish on. It does give one a sense of accomplishment when it turns out though.

Steve

aaronc · « **Reply #12 on:** January 05, 2019, 08:56:28 AM »

Skillman......really nice work on that buffalo flatty.

Robby · « **Reply #13 on:** January 05, 2019, 04:37:22 PM »

Very nice Skillman!!!!
Robby

D. Taylor Sapergia · « **Reply #14 on:** January 05, 2019, 08:05:21 PM »

Steve: very nice work on a tough project.

Dennis Daigger · « **Reply #15 on:** January 09, 2019, 01:56:58 AM »

Finished the flask yesterday and not quite flat so will simply dub it a fatty sorta-flatty. I learned enough about steaming bison horn and pressure cooker softening sheep horn to be dangerous if I try working with horn again. Maybe a turkey hunt in Washington this spring.

Dennis

Greg Pennell · « **Reply #16 on:** January 09, 2019, 02:01:58 AM »

Dennis, I think it came out pretty nice! Is the sheep horn an overlay, or the actual plug? Nice work!

Greg

Dennis Daigger · « **Reply #17 on:** January 09, 2019, 05:34:54 AM »

Thanks, Greg. It's a plug.
Dennis

rollingb · « **Reply #18 on:** January 09, 2019, 06:15:17 AM »

I really, really, like that "fatty sorta-flatty" buffalo horn.

skillman · « **Reply #19 on:** January 09, 2019, 06:24:10 AM »

That looks pretty darn good to me Dennis. Nice work.

Steve

aaronc · « **Reply #20 on:** January 09, 2019, 08:58:25 PM »

Wow,...great pic. Nice horn.

Dennis Daigger · « **Reply #21 on:** January 09, 2019, 09:26:05 PM »

Thanks everyone for the feedback. Utilitarian flask but works fine.

Steve-I am still trying to figure what to use to anchor a cord/strap to the flask. Any suggestions?

Steve and Aaron-Both of your flat horns are considerably thinner than what I did. Mine fits nicely in the hand so is ok but wonder if this is how you molded the horn for future reference if I make another one that is thinner.

Dennis

Gun Butcher · « **Reply #22 on:** February 11, 2019, 04:57:25 AM »

Like Steve Skillman, I have had really good outcomes with flattening bison horn. I always have the horn to almost finished thickness before I flatten it. They are usually only 1/8th or less thick when I flatten them. Steve and I both make our own drawer pulls to hang the horn from the bottom and either a drawer pull or a carved band at the neck. Here is the last one I made it now resides in Washington state.

skillman · « **Reply #23 on:** February 11, 2019, 06:18:17 PM »

Your ability to flatten horn and especially work Buff is is well known to myself and many others Ron. I'm always amazed at the patience and skill you show in your many different projects. I know a bunch of different artisans working Buff with different results in mind. It's really fun to see everyone's different takes on this skill.

Steve

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Author Topic: Bison horn flattening (Read 3223 times)