Author Topic: NC banded powder horn leather stopper--how to  (Read 5200 times)

Offline Carl Dumke

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NC banded powder horn leather stopper--how to
« on: April 22, 2011, 06:53:00 PM »
All,
A few weeks ago I asked ya'll to give me some help in "how to" make leather stoppers that were typical of NC banded horns.  Here is the process that worked for me.  I used some heavy duty scrap leather (~1/4 thick), much larger than what you will need.  I dyed it black with leather dye.  Using a heat gun, head a small pot of beeswax and paint it on the leather.  Both sides.  Apply heat with the heat gun--keep it moving.  What you want is the leather to heat and the moisture within the leather to "boil" out.  The leather will smoke a little and the moisture will bubble out of the sides of the leather.  Heating it too quickly will shrink/misform the leather.  As the beeswax is drawn into the leather, it will look like it is drying out a little.  Keep applying the liquid beeswax until the leather can't take any more.  Keep flipping it over while heating/applying the beeswax to keep it from mishapping.

Oh, by the way--do this outside.  Wife did not appreciate me doing it in my shop in the basement under the kitchen!

Once the leather is full of beeswax, it will still be a little flexible.  Let it sit overnight--it will harden significantly as it cools, so be patient.  Once hard, you can cut it into the desired shape--mine looks like a small fiddle peg.  Since it was cut to shape, some of the leather is now exposed.  I trimmed it and shaped it into a cone with an Exacto knife.  I then redyed the exposed leather.  I reapply the heat--gently--with the beeswax.  Let it harden.  It was hard enough that I was able to drill a hole in the flat part of the plug for a lanyard.  When all done, I dyed it once again.  Let it sit for a day or so, so the leather dye has dried.  I then pushed it in and out of the spout so set the shape.  Hope this helps,

Cheers
Carl

Steve Patterson

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Re: NC banded powder horn leather stopper--how to
« Reply #1 on: December 01, 2018, 11:36:03 PM »
Nice. Toutorial section maybe?

Offline Greg Pennell

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Re: NC banded powder horn leather stopper--how to
« Reply #2 on: December 02, 2018, 07:58:30 AM »
Neat idea...it’s been on my list of things to try, but I haven’t found the round tuits yet...thanks for the tutorial!

Greg
“Let your gun therefore be the constant companion of your walks” Thomas Jefferson

Offline skillman

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Re: NC banded powder horn leather stopper--how to
« Reply #3 on: December 03, 2018, 03:19:31 AM »
Nice information Carl. The ones I have done, I used old boot leather. Simmered in water, not quite a boil, then rolled it into a cone and shoved it into the horn. Let dry. It'll be pretty hard. Cut the end into the shape you want and then apply boot grease to it.



Steve Skillman

Offline msellers

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Re: NC banded powder horn leather stopper--how to
« Reply #4 on: December 03, 2018, 08:51:04 PM »
I like it, good info from everyone. Thanks for all the sharing.
Mike