Adding strap attachment point to a finished horn

[Mike from OK]

A while back my Mrs. bought me a Tansel style horn... engrailed fish mouth carving... Nice horn.

It has an attachment point on the base plug. But up near the spout the only thing to keep the strap from sliding off is the diameter of the spout tip. It isn't a really secure way to keep the strap on, puts all the weight on the thinnest area of the neck, and doesn't really look good with the strap attachment choked all the way up by the spout.

I love the horn but I don't like to carry it for the above reasons.

Would adding a staple be an appropriate fix? Was that common on Tansel horns? Or is there a better way?

I can get some pictures if it would help.

Mike

[Mike from OK]

This one is almost exactly like mine... My spout stopper is different but that's immaterial to the issue.

Mike

[Dave Marsh]

Here is one of mine.  Click on it and then the plus sign to see it clearly.

[Bob McBride]

90% of my horns are attached at a reduction just as yours above and I find it pretty darn secure. I saddle stitch bridle type straps or slit knot strips of leather. I've never had a failure of the horn or a strap come off. I have a few with staples that keep the strap from slipping if the reduction is shallow. That said I would be interested in how often front staples were used and in what period/scenario. I think it does look a bit better on screwtips and such that back the attachment point back a little....

[Marcruger]

Another option is to get some soft, stretchy buckskin, and cut a long thong out of it.  Punch a hole in the end of your strap, and run the thong through it.  Tie the stretchy thong around the snout behind the tip.  I tie a knot above and below the horn.  It will hold on there with no problems.  I think that tip in the photo should hold a strap fine in any case.   God Bless,   Marc

[Mike from OK]

Thanks guys. I may try something similar to Dave's setup... I like the way it looks.

I'm probably overly concerned about the stress on the spout neck. I tend to over-engineer stuff anyway. Lol

Mike

[Bob McBride]

A few of my horns.

[Mike from OK]

Good stuff Bob, I appreciate it. That 3rd example seems about the simplest yet fail safe solution.

Right now its attached pretty similar to what Marc described. But I used leather thongs i cut myself... The knots never stay tight though, they start to loosen and the spout will slip through. Guess I need something a little stretchier.

I'll head out to the shop and see what I can cobble together. Good day for it... Wind is howling too hard to shoot... "Where the wind comes sweeping down the plain..."

Mike

[Nordnecker]

I've had this same issue with one or two of my horns. I don't like the strap/ knots close to the spout. I've had it come untied many times and had the horn dangling by the plug end. I did put a staple in my last horn, but I did it before the butt plug was attatched. Let us see what you come up with.

[MuskratMike]

I for one would never attach the front end of the strap with a staple. I shoot at least once a week and regardless of if it is at the range, a club shoot out in the woods I always shoot from the bag so my horns get used harder than most. There is more than enough horn to support that strap. If you are concerned simply make the attachment strap at the front end a little wider (see photo #1).
Merry Christmas,
"Muskrat" Mike






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[Tim Crosby]

 A staple is not a hanger it is a keeper, to keep the strap in place and depending on placement it can be used to make a horn tip turn in or out.

  Tim 

[MuskratMike]

Tim, thank you for the explanation. I did not know it. Never too old to learn espically from a master in the craft.

[Mike from OK]

Nordnecker, nothing to update yet...

I've had several irons in the fire... Working on a double pouch, trying to decide what manner of spout plug to build for the screw tip horn I cobbled up a few weeks ago, and a Christmas present for the little one. She took such a shine to my scrap lumber inkle loom I had to build her one of her own... Only I made it as nice as my 11 thumbs would allow... And I had to do it in snatches here and there so I could keep it under wraps.

Maybe one of these days I'll quit butchering projects and turn out something halfway decent.

Mike