How to attach woven straps to powder horns

[smylee grouch]

I would like to see examples of how people attach a woven strap to powder horns that does not have staples. What are your favored methods?

[Not English]

I use buckskin thongs threaded through the strap and wrapped around the horn and tied off. Buckskin's pretty tough.

[Bob McBride]

Well, this one does have a staple in the neck but the concept could be made to work without one. Just an idea....

[Dave Patterson]

Well, I don't have any way of getting photos on a computer, so I'll try to describe:  a friend gave me a little old original day horn; it came with two short pieces of brain-tan deer hide roughly 1" wide.  There is a staple in the pine butt plug; that butt-end leather strap, about 7" long, has a slit cut lengthwise in each end.  Horn end slit is only about 1" long; the strap loops around the staple, and back through itself.  The free end has a slit about 7" long; the woven shoulder strap feeds through that slit, and just gets an overhand knot for adjustment.

Spout end, the leather strap's shorter; has a slit to (barely) slide over the little hump behind the spout; free end has another slit cut, similar to the butt-end; shoulder strap feeds through the slit, and gets another overhand knot. 

It's not super-finished looking, but it's comfortable, adjustable, and the rustic approach fits this horn's use:  squirrel-hunting. 

[Mike from OK]

I dont know how correct it is or whatever, but...

When I take a strap off of my loom I clip the unused warp threads as near to the middle between the two finished ends as possible... That leaves several inches of "tassle" on each end. I then separate the tassle into two halves and tie them in a knot to prevent unraveling of the strap. I then place the horn in between the remaining tassle halves against the first knot and tie a second knot... This traps the neck of the horn or the knob/staple on the base plug between two knots. It stays pretty secure but over time it can loosen so a little tightening of the knot is required from time to time.

If I'm feeling really froggy and creative I will braid the remaining tassle and add beads or similar flair... But just leaving the tassle hanging looks good too.

Mike

[Marcruger]

Some of my cloth straps have the ends braided into six or so "tails" on each end.  I pick the middle two and tie the horn on.  I tie a knot above the horn and below. 

You can also sew on leather tabs on each end.  Many look like leather hearts.  A thong is what secures the horn to the tabs. 

[Bart]

[Mike_StL]

When I weave a tape for a powder horn, I weave a button hole near the end to fit over the button.




I do use a staple at the tip of the horn to hold the tape in place.  I have also used the button hole to loop the tape through and around the born if there is a decent groove at the tip.