Engrailing

[B.Habermehl]

When making a early type campaign horn how are the notches cut in the step.  On the one my grandson and I did today, I cut them with a really small gouge. Just curious what the real horners use. This is my first attempt at powder horn making. BJH

[J I]

  If I am remembering correctly Mr. Ehlert showed how to do it with a pocket knife in his video, Making Powder Horns with Ron Ehlert .
  I think Mr. and Mrs. Sibley show it done with a gouge in their book, Recreating the 18th Century Powder Horn: By Scott & Cathy Sibley
  Both the DVD and book are worth the investment. I learned a lot from both.

Jeremiah

[Tim Crosby]

 I do not do horns with engrailing any more but when I did, I would cut a groove around the horn after it was shaped. As in tapered, using a Hack saw to begin with and then a Coping saw, sawing down to the depth of the blade, do not remove any material above the cut yet.
 Roughly mark out your chips, then using a "V" or "U" chisel (Sharp) depending on what you want, at about a 45 deg angle drive the chisel in so the other side of the groove stops it, one hit one chip. You may have to do some adjustment to get it even, just try and make you layout as close as you can. Once you have come back around the groove start removing the material toward the tip, use a Coarse Rasp with one side ground safe, a 1/2" works great. From there on just shape the neck and tip.
 This is a slow process and must be to get it right (Ask me how I know) You may want to heat the area of the engrailing in boiling Water to soften it before using the chisel. Two or three chips at a time is better than continuous chipping.
  Hope this helps.

   Tim C.

PS: The advice given on the Sibley book is well worth your time.TC
    

[Joe Stein]

There was a thread on the old board in which I believe it was Randy Heddon that suggested something similar to what Tim Crosby used, but instead od a chisel or gouge, he said to use a drill bit of the proper size for the scalloping you want.  Only drill as deep (shallow!) as you need to. Then take off the extra horn toward the tip with a rasp.

[J Henry]

http://thehornersbench.proboards.com  give this site a read,,  go to the TUTORIALS lots of good reading and members to help you out..great crew ..

[Tim Crosby]

There was a thread on the old board in which I believe it was Randy Heddon that suggested something similar to what Tim Crosby used, but instead od a chisel or gouge, he said to use a drill bit of the proper size for the scalloping you want.  Only drill as deep (shallow!) as you need to. Then take off the extra horn toward the tip with a rasp.

 I have used this method also. To make sure you do not go to deep break/grind the bit off so only a piece the depth you want sticks out of the chuck.

   Tim C.

[Rick Sheets]

I recently met a gentleman that would make his own gouges for engrailing. He would sharpen the inside edge of a cartridge case ( I think with a ceramic cone in a Dremel). He would then heat the horn just a bit with a heat gun (careful!!) then make his cut. Such a tool would certainly last for a horn or two.

The result was very nice engrailing job.

I am going to try this.

Rick