Initial Powder Horn Preparation

[david64]

The two references that I have read about making
a powder horn are Scott & Cathy Shelbys first book
and The Book of Buckskinning Vol. II.

Unless I missed it in either one of those books I
don't see any information concerning polishing the
horn prior to beginning the spout, base plug work
etc.

If one picks a suitable looking horn out of a pile
of horns what methods do you use to smooth out
the horn?  Grit of sandpaper? grade of steel wool?
Hand or power tools? etc.

Thanks

[T.C.Albert]

David...others will do it different, but to rough in a horn, I use hand files and broken window glass. No powder tools, sand paper or steel wool.
tca

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

It depends upon how rough the raw horn is.  The last one I did...remember that Scottish longhorn with part of its scalp - I used a drum sander on my drill press to cut through the very heavy scaling and cracks. Then, a rasp to smooth it, and finally, scrapers.  No sandpaper or steel wool.

I have it's mate on the bench right now, and it's worse than the first one.  But some raw horns are already nice and smooth and without blemish.  It that case, go straight to the scrapers and files to clean up and shape.

[Shreckmeister]

The horns I've gotten from Roland Cadle were already smooth and I never did any additional
scraping to the white area I engrave on.  Should I have been scraping the white area down further?  They
seem smooth already

[Tim Crosby]

The horns I've gotten from Roland Cadle were already smooth and I never did any additional
scraping to the white area I engrave on.  Should I have been scraping the white area down further?  They
seem smooth already

  Yes,

   Tim C.

[Shreckmeister]

Thanks Tim. Know better next time

[bigbat]

I know Scott Shelby very well,  he uses a cabinet rasp to take down and thin out the horns to his liking. Next he uses furniture scrapers to take out the rasp marks.  Polished horns from Mexico or S America need their surfaces trued and thinned.  Just because some little Mexican boy or Girl has polished them on a buffer does not mean they are ready to be made into a horn.   One can use a belt sander carefully to do the thinning with success.

The next time I am in Mr Shelbys shop I will pay closer attention to how he attacks the horn and more specifically the methods and tools he uses.  I have limited access to his shop, he is a disabled vet and is not always in a friendly mood.

[skillman]

Yea! He's disabled alright!!

Steve

[The Original Griz]

I know Scott Shelby very well,  he uses a cabinet rasp to take down and thin out the horns to his liking. Next he uses furniture scrapers to take out the rasp marks.  Polished horns from Mexico or S America need their surfaces trued and thinned.  Just because some little Mexican boy or Girl has polished them on a buffer does not mean they are ready to be made into a horn.   One can use a belt sander carefully to do the thinning with success.

The next time I am in Mr Shelbys shop I will pay closer attention to how he attacks the horn and more specifically the methods and tools he uses.  I have limited access to his shop, he is a disabled vet and is not always in a friendly mood.

your crazy man, Although, thanks for the morning laugh and I agree with Skillman, your disabled alright....  

and yes you want to do more to it. Sanding belt, files, scrapers, steel wool. whatever you choose will work, just thin it down some, get that yellow scale off and get out all the defects. But especially if you want to dye it, that polished surface will not take dye as good as a freshly sanded and steel wooled surface. I always hold mine under a 100 watt bulb to see if I missed any scratches but that is more for scrim than anything else. As always, just my .02 cents

[Tim Crosby]

I know Scott Shelby very well,  he uses a cabinet rasp to take down and thin out the horns to his liking. Next he uses furniture scrapers to take out the rasp marks.  Polished horns from Mexico or S America need their surfaces trued and thinned.  Just because some little Mexican boy or Girl has polished them on a buffer does not mean they are ready to be made into a horn.   One can use a belt sander carefully to do the thinning with success.

The next time I am in Mr Shelbys shop I will pay closer attention to how he attacks the horn and more specifically the methods and tools he uses.  I have limited access to his shop, he is a disabled vet and is not always in a friendly mood.

  LMAO, at least bad enough that I had to stand up before I fell out of the chair.

   Tim C.

[bigbat]

as mean and nasty as "Old mans Shelby" is he does have a sense of humor.  That is why his friends put up with him.  Mrs Shelby is still waiting for the anti freeze she puts in his eggs every morning to catch up with the old coot!

[bigbat]

as my granddaughter says "Scotty you are a bad boy"  My apologies to any one I may have offended. I thought it was a good opportunity for a laugh and God knows we need to laugh in such times.

Scott (Shelby) Sibley

[Shreckmeister]

Sadly, I now realize instead of just grabbing a horn and starting to work it, I should have asked some
questions about how it was done first.  I did realize some horns were thinned down to the point where
they are almost see through, but I had no clue.  I'm disappointed because I just spent a few hours scrimming this one and now realize if it were smoother, it would have been easier and looked better.

[david64]

Looks pretty darn good to me!

[Habu]

Ain't nothin' wrong with that horn, Shreck, that wouldn't be cured by 5 or 6 years of use.  If you're busy and don't have the time, send it my way.

[The Original Griz]

Thats a right fine looking horn ya did there Shreck, dang right fine... the only thing I see that I would criticize, You REALLY need to start smoking better cigars, Garcia-Vegas.... I can fix ya up with some better smokes than that:) I may have to send you a care package

[Shreckmeister]

Thanks for your compliments.  This hornmaking is a real learning process.  I've made so many mistakes    I wish I had taken an hour and asked somebody who knows what they are doing some basic questions before I started.  Anyway after 5 horns I'm starting to get the idea.
     Griz,  Six of us went to Canada to fish for a week.  I was responsible for the cigars among
other things.  We calculated a need of about 200 cigars for the trip cause we all smoke em.
Imagine if I had bought the good ones it would have required a loan.  I did take a box of 20
good ones.  They were after dinner for celebrating the big catches.  Anyway, care packages are
welcomed.  Heading to camp with the same crew this weekend.  Probs gonna take them a box of
cheap ones and a handful of good ones.  That's the way I roll.  If I wasn't such a cheap bast
I would have had somebody with talent make me a horn instead of doing it myself

[Tim Crosby]

 Looks good so far, how about some more pix?

   Thanks, Tim C.

[The Original Griz]

Well, we are always our own worst critics, but I think it looks dang good,
as for the stogies, I have 4 humidors and over 600 cigars, so I think I can spare a couple for ya. Send me an address please....

[Shreckmeister]

Griz,  That's very generous of you.  I don't think I know anyone else with that many cigars.  I bet your
place smells good.  Nothing like walking into a humidor to awaken the senses.
Rob

[The Original Griz]

I should get fire insurance on them..... You know there gonna catch fire

[Shreckmeister]

One of them's gonna catch fire tonight.  Thanks for the smokes Griz!  That was a super
nice thing to do.  

[The Original Griz]

Thats a fine looking horn.
 Be careful saying that I am nice, It took years to build up a bad reputation and I don't want that ruined:)

[Shreckmeister]

Too late Griz.  The word is out.