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NC banded powder horn leather stopper--how to

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Carl Dumke:
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

Steve Patterson:
Nice. Toutorial section maybe?

Greg Pennell:
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

skillman:
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.



msellers:
I like it, good info from everyone. Thanks for all the sharing.
Mike

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