bumps on horn

[whitebear]

Not trying to hijack the other thread so I am starting a new one.

I bought a horn from Larry Richardson, a Georgia trader, at a rifle match one time that had 2 or 3 bumps on it similar to that.  I cut into one of the bumpa and found that the laminates of horn had separated.  At the time there was nothing to indicate why the delamination had occurred, insect damage or what.  These bumps were approximately the size as what you described although perhaps a little wider.
Anyone have any ideas why this occurred?

[Collector]

There is a shallow, but noticeable, trapezoidal de-lamination (1-5/8" X 1-1/4" X 1-3/8" X 1/2",) on my "Georgia Large Country Horn," nearer the butt, that the maker just worked his way down through and kept rough scraping it.

A smaller (possible) de-lamination, in the throat/thicker portion of the horn and he leaves in place and works around it?

It presents as a minor mystery, for sure... 

[BrownBear]

I don't know if it's the only source, but I've seen those form on live animals in the steel chutes when we're working cattle.  A hard impact (probably from head butting in a field too) can cause a light spot in the horn, which scraping or sanding proves to be a delam below the surface.  Since a beef or two each year is headed for our own table rather than the market, I've been able to "track" the light spots as I made them into powder horns.  Natural horn color makes it harder or easier to spot them.

Kinda hard without having seen a lot of horns to distinguish between a shallow ding near the surface and a deep one started a long time before as the horn was forming.  My eye is just not so well schooled.  But a clear surface doesn't necessarily mean there's not an invisible deep delam.  Recent delams at the surface are easy to get past with scraping/sanding, but those invisible deep ones are stinkers.  If you see a light spot forming as you work down into a horn, you can just bet there's a delam down there waiting.  Then it's a question of stopping right where you are or working a lot deeper to get past it.

[whitebear]

BrownBear and Mr Hansen, thanks for the replys most interesting information.