Bison powderhorn, part 5, Silver filligree band (finished writting).

[Rolf]

I've finished the first filigree band on the the spout. It's a traditional Norwegian pattern and is made of 76 separate parts that are silver solder together. When all the silver work on the horn is done it will total about 800 parts.



Here's a description of the main elements:
Sarg
This is the sheet metal object that the filigree elements are soldered to. I made this one out of 0.02" thick sterling silver.


Border thread
These are made of pure silver(999). Sterling is to stiff. It would break.

A) Tvunnet thead. Two silver wires wound together until they break. Then they are annealed and the process repeated three times. To get a chevron pattern, place a left wound thread next to a right round thread.

B) Kunst thread. Take three pieces of "tvunnet thread", right twist and twist them together in the opposite direction. The kunst thread in the photo is 1/16" in diameter.


Diamenter, Knupper and Kruser.

A) Diamenter are made by filing facets on the end of a 1/8" square sterling silver bolt and sawing off a slice 1/16" thick.

B) Knupper are silver balls made by winding sterling silver wire around a mandrell and cutting through the rings. The rings are placed on a carbon block and melted. When silver melts it pulls into a ball. Since all the rings are the same size, all the balls are the same size.

C) Kruser are made of 0.01" thick sterling silver wire.
1. Wind the wire around a mandrell using a hand drill as shown. I used a 0.03" mandrell.



2. Pull the silver wire coil off the mandrell and wind it around a thicker mandrell, in the opposite direction.
If you wind it in the same direction, the tension in the coils will make it impossible to join the ends of the kruser.


3. Anneal the coil and cut the kruser apart with sissors. Cut in the middel of the small coils or the kruser won't lay flate when the ends are joined.



Best regards

Rolfkt

[Randy Hedden]

Rolf,

Very interesting, thanks for posting the photos. One question, how is the whole ring secured to the horn?

Randy Hedden

www.harddogrifles.com

[Rolf]

Rolf,

Very interesting, thanks for posting the photos. One question, how is the whole ring secured to the horn?

Randy Hedden

www.harddogrifles.com

The traditional way on horn/metal would be to solder two silver nails on to the underside of some of the diamenter. Then use these to pin the ring on through the kruser. The two nails would then be spread apart on the inside of the horn.

This was not possible to do so far down the spout.
I've thought of two options:

1. Cheat and use epoxy.

2. Use 0.04" silver nails and pin it on through the rear plate.

Best regards

Rolfkt

[Tim Crosby]

 That looks great and the pictures of the process make it even more interesting.
On the border thread; is 'B' made from 'A'? Almost looks like it is braided.

Thanks, Tim C.

[tallbear]

Very COOL!!!!!!Thanks!

Mitch

[Rolf]

That looks great and the pictures of the process make it even more interesting.
On the border thread; is 'B' made from 'A'? Almost looks like it is braided.

Thanks, Tim C.

Yes, B(kunst thread) is made by twisting three strands of A(tvunnet thread)together.
Just remember if the A strand have a left twist, then twist them together to the right.

Best regards

Rolfkt

[Clark Badgett]

There are days when I can just feel my brain getting bigger just by reading threads at ALR. WOW!! Gentlemen, I think we have been trumped.

[Rolf]

I forgot to mention that when fitting rings of border wires, remember:

1. Cut the wire a bit to long (1/32").
2. Silver solder the ends before you try to file the wire to the correct length, otherwise it will unravel.
3. File the ends flat. When joining aim the heat at the ends of the wire and not directly at the joint.


Best regards

Rolfkt

[G. Elsenbeck]

Great job so far Rolfkt.