Horns from Down under

[heelerau]

 I have a couple of horns I  made 20 plus years ago, I will post photos of them when I get home.  I am considering adding a staple to the plug ends. on the big end of the horn. Currently I have removable plugs through which the horns can be filled.  Was this ever a common practise and if so what time period and region?  These horns were made in ignorance of  any HC , but have been good practical horns.

Cheers

Gordon

[whitebear]

Horns from down under are not usable, the tip is on the wrong end. .  Seriously I would very much like to see them.

[Artificer]

Gunner's horns, for priming the vent holes on land and naval Artillery and later the LARGE flintlocks to set off Naval Guns, commonly had screw plugs to fill the horns by the 1750's, if not much earlier.  I don't know how much earlier, though, as that is before my area of study. 

Some civilian used powder horns had screw plugs to fill the horns by the mid 18th century, though as far as I know, they were not real common and usually the product of a commercial Horner.  Actually, I would also be interested if someone more knowledgeable on period horns could give us an idea of how common they were and if they were more likely to have come from some state or region.  GOOD question!!
Gus

[heelerau]

Thanks you blokes,  I fly home tonight so should post pictures in a day or two.
     My fill plugs in the big end of the horn are not screw in, just interference fit, they also double up as a point to fix a thong to secure to the bag strap ! did not have any idea of how to cut a thread. I have crudely scrimshawed them,  they are very crude attempts, you could say a little folksy ! They were fun to make, and have been on the look out for more horns to make some more, in line with what you blokes do.  I suspect anything used down under was probably ex military, we really only see flasks down under. 

[Habu]

Gordon, do you mean staples like this one?


I've seen them on US-made horns dating from the 1700s to today, as well as on some English, Scottish, and Irish horns--but then again, there are probably at least a half-dozen other methods that were equally-common.  I've always thought of these other attachment methods as the perennial also-rans: other methods might be more in-style, and more common in a particular time and place, but the also-rans were always there. 

[heelerau]

Habu,
        exactly like that. I have just been looking at wood threading  boxes and dies, I may even just make a new set of screwing fill plugs, then when I get some more horns use the staples as you have shewn me. I see they are cheap from tow, then I should  make some out of shoeing nails in my riveting forge I guess they are not rocket science !!

Cheers

Gordon

[Habu]

I bent that one cold, from a 16d finishing nail with the head cut off.  Set it in place and tapped it to mark the holes, drilled 3/8" deep holes on the marks, then tapped the staple home. 

You can probably just thread the existing holes with whatever coarse tap fits, then thread a piece of fine-grain hard wood to the same size for a plug.   It isn't like it has to come out often--wood threads like that will last for a good long while.  Just wax the bejeebers out of the threads before putting them together. 

Or you could do what I did with the horn in the pic--make a new plug.  That horn was originally made in camp about 1989; the original end plug was split from a piece of firewood, chopped to shape with a hatchet, and carved to fit the horn with a crooked knife.  I think I sealed it with pine pitch. . . . The original plug lasted until the horn spent a few days under water after a canoe wreck a few years ago; it took on enough water that it split when it dried out.  Last year I turned a new plug and fit the staple.  (Most of the horn finish, and all of the scratchings, are still from '89.)

[heelerau]

Habu finally able to post some picture of my two self made powder horns. The bigger amber coloured horn I made for my late father for a .50 Missouri style rifle I bought for him, I still have it. This horn is my first, I scrimshawed Dads' initials with an awl made from a large nail. Then second horn I made for myself, Niel Fields has made all my possible bags to date. The plugs in the big end are just a friction fit, and recently I put fiddle pegs as stoppers in all my horns  I have found a local firm that has wood die and tap sets so  am thinking about making some new threaded plugs. I actually have been looking for horns for years, most people I know have only poll cattle.

Cheers

Gordon

[Angus]

Heelerau,
What is your inscribed saying on the side of the horn?

[heelerau]

  Mate it says  " Little powder much lead
                       Shoots far, kills dead"