How do you polish a powder horn?

[T.O.]

I just had to attempt a powder horn.  I went with bison.  It suprised me at how I could fool around and waste the biggest part of three days.  I will post pictures soon.  I just cant get it to keep that nice shiny black look on the neck where it is carved really deep. now it has a dusty white look. I did enjoy the process and am starting to see why some people have so many horns and they are still making them. Thanks

[Tim Crosby]

 Try 0000 steel wool and then some wax or shoe polish.   

 Tim C.

[T.C.Albert]

Broken window glass used as a scraper...it leaves a smooth glassy surface beneath the shavings it removes...
TCA

[T.O.]

Thanks a lot guys. I went with steel wool.  and put a coat of ebony minwax stain on it.  I will probaly try the black shoe polish if it fades.  There are so many things I would like to redo on this thing. I got in a hurry in a few places.  It is my 1st horn, and it will keep my powder dry and dispense it.  I have been inspired by looking at all the fine horns on this site.  I need about a dozen more bison horns to work on just to get the hang of it.

[Cory Joe Stewart]

Ink it just like you would engraving.  Ink goes in the scratch, throat stays dark.  Very nice work, buffalo horns are particularly tough to get smooth in my experience.

Coryjoe

[T.O.]

Thanks , ink sounds like a permanent solution.  I guess i could get ink at a hobby store?   I could not believe the horn when I first got it.  It was like peeling the bark off of a tree.  The amount of time I put in this thing.  I cannot imagine how many hours get put in some of the horns I have seen  on this site.  And I thought some of them seemed expensive until I attempted to make my own. 

[MikeCooper]

I like to use a very lite coat of tung oil on mine

[Larry Pletcher]

I like to use lanolin (Bag Balm) on horns.  I haven't tried it on buffalo but think it would work.  I think it's a good conditioner for horns.

Regards,
Pletch

[T.O.]

I got to looking around the house and found some mink oil.  I guess i need to apply a new layer from time to time. 

[Tim Crosby]

   
  Here is another idea for you; After scraping take a glass bottle or jar and rub the horn pretty hard all over, burnishing it.

 Tim C.

[Bruce]

         Rock polishing powders (Fine & Ultra-Fine Aluminum Oxide) and then rotten stone.  Wet a cotton-ball and dip it in the powder to make a paste.  And rub and rub some more.  The main ingredient is elbow grease.  Finish up with a light coat of cedar oil.  It keeps the horn worms away.  I think you will be satisfied.

                                                    Getbank Rockpeltier,  foam master of brews

                                           

[T.O.]

Thanks a lot guys.  This is the place for real knowledge.  The kind you dont learn in books.

[Randy Hedden]

I just cant get it to keep that nice shiny black look on the neck where it is carved really deep. now it has a dusty white look.

T.O.,

Bison horns are somewhat different then working with cattle horns.  Bison horns, when finished, will often have a cloudy white look to the horn, especially in the spout and throat area.  I don't generally sand my horns preferring a scraped finish, but the white can show up either way.  Some bison horns seem to show the cloudy white no matter how much you polish it.  I make a few bison horn powder horns each year and when one shows the white cloudy look or white streaks in the surface, I dye the horn in a strong black, Rit dye solution.  The horn will have a purple cast to the surface after dyeing in the Rit dye.  Polishing the horn with paper towels and waxing with a good hardwood floor/automotive type carnuba wax or beeswax should get rid of the purple tint.  Keep in mind that waxing the horn will accentuate any sanding scratches that are left on the horn.

Randy Hedden

[T.O.]

Thanks Randy, I am ready to make a few more.  I do see why you don't see a ton of bison horns on here as compared to cow horn.

[Kentucky Colonel]

Randy, are you using fabric Rit dye or the Rit Dye Synthetic Dyemore Liquid Dye for polyester, acrylic, acetate, Nylon and such?

Thanks,

KC

[Black Hand]

Scrape with a single-edged razor blade then coat with beeswax, warm and buff to a dull shine with a piece of canvas..
Highly-polished powder horns look like plastic to me - doesn't look right...

[Gun Butcher]

All I ever do on my bison horns is scrape with an old buck knife and then spend a couple three hours with 0000 steel wool. My final polish is with black polishing compound and a coarse cloth of some kind. This gives me the soft glow that I like.

Ron

[skillman]

I think this horn is very good. It has great proportions and is well thought out and executed. You could stand to do some finish work with some fine files or scrapers on the tip and the grooves on the throat. That said, I'm with Ron on this. I like a scraped finish. I do it with a knife. A Vixen file used lengthwise will help get the high and low spots evened out. Some fine sandpaper on a block is always useful too. I think that many nice horns are over finished or over aged. Just me.

Steve

[grabenkater]

Curious, just how polished were common horns in period.

[dogcatcher]

After the sanding and scraping I use my buffer, first with a Tripoli compound then white diamond compound.  The a light coat of wax.

I think you did a great job, a lot better than my first horn. 

[Horner75]

My favorite is good old Kiwi black paste shoe polish. Rub polish on with a wet cotton ball and let dry. Buff briskly with old cotton T-shirt.   May have to repeat!

NOTE!  In my opinion , learning to make a powder horn would of been easier if you started out with a cow horn.  Bison horns can be a little difficult to work.