bugs in the horns

[rollingblock]

purchased a couple of horns three or four years ago, took alook at them the other day and they had small holes and knaw tracks on the out side.  should i be coating the horns with oil or something is there any way to repair this and what little varmint is causing this problem any information will be greatly appreciated thanks

[skillman]

These holes are usually caused by the dermestid beetle or a similar varmint. I don't know if it's the beetle or the larvae that do the damage but a good friend who was a pest control guy for some time taught me to get oxalic acid and make a solution with water and spray it onto the horns. I've had no problems with these pests but I've seen horns that were hung on display by friends that have holes showing up. Google oxalic acid and you can find sources for mail order or stores in your area.
I've had to plug these holes with epoxy or super glue to repair horns. I've covered some plugged holes with bands or period repairs but if the horn is to eaten up I generally just don't use it.

Steve

[Habu]

I've not tried oxalic acid.  I usually store raw horns in the freezer, and finished horns get various concoctions applied to the outside (I'm not certain how well those concoctions work though).  On the rare occasions when I display a horn on the wall or similar, I empty the powder and poke a few mothballs inside before replacing the plug.  That seems to work fairly well. 

As for patching horns, if you aren't concerned with historical correctness, Bondo works great. 

[T*O*F]

Oxalic acid is rhubarb juice.  Just locate some locally and rub your horns down with the juice.

[Ryan McNabb]

I've been told orange peel is effective repellant when rubbed on.  Mothballs can be crushed and dribbled into the spout of a horn you don't want to disassemble.

[rollingblock]

thanks for the tips everyone i will try them out

[Top Jaw]

There was an old thread on this before.  Someone said putting them in the freezer kills any of the active larvae.  Then you can work them down to see if they can be saved.  If not, then maybe you use them for turned rings, rum horns, etc.

[Tim Crosby]

 Wipe 'em down with Raid on a rag, seriously and be done with it.

    Tim C.

[wpalongrifle]

I soak with a bath of Clorox bleach and water. Dry Then store with Moth balls or chips in stocking. Don't store made horns in old wool socks or materials.

[Marcruger]

I agree with Tim Crosby.  Bug spray on a rag on the horn's outside.  It is like folks buying elaborate anti-squirrel feeders......just shoot the squirrels!  It's easier. 

I did some research on bugs that eat the horns.  It appears that carpet beetles are the main culprits.  They especially like to lay eggs inside horns that are left open.  Freezing for three days in the fridge, or pesticides can work to kill them. 

I have implemented a few things that hopefully will keep mine free of holes for a long time. 

1) I take the powder out after use, and store the horns in the house.  My house is pretty bug-free. 

2) I wipe the outside with bug killer as Tim said.  I also lightly spray inside with a powder based (not oil based) bug spray like Bengal. 

3) I once saw a bug on the table by my horn after coming inside from shooting.  I stuck the horn in the freezer (inside a plastic bag) for three days. No problems. 

4) The online research says to store items that beetles like to eat in a Tupperware style container so bugs cannot get it.  If you have few horns, wipe them with bug spray and put them in a container.  Cannot imagine a problem after that. 

Just my 2 cents worth, and many are a lot smarter than I am.  Best wishes,   Marc

[davec2]

I rub my horns down with cedar oil from time to time.  Seems to work OK as I have not had a single horn attacked in many, many years.  Smells OK to me too.

[Dphariss]

This is why copper solutions were used on horns that were to be shipped or stored back in the day. The same stuff that is used to kill tree roots in sewer lines IIRC. Copper Sulfate or Acetate?  The copper would kill any bug or worm that ate it. It would also create a "green horn" if it was processed right.

Dan

[j. pease]

Jim Dresslar used Raid on all his horns inside and out. He advised me to do this years ago, I have never had a problem

[mjm46@bellsouth.net]

I have repaired Bug holes in horns with epoxy. Mix up a batch if the horn is dark no coloring is needed if the horn is light take some horn dust and mix it into the epoxy. Once hardened it can be worked just like horn. The repair is virtually invisible. I am using a horn that was repaired this way for many years.

I always thought it was moths that damaged the horns. Also the only horns that I have had damaged were horns that were stored away in a box or closet. I have a couple of horns stored in a sock drawer for years with no problem. And mothballs do work.

[Klatch]

An old timer here on the west coast said put California laurel, aka pepper wood, aka bay leaves in your cabin cupboards to keep bugs out.  Always listen to the old guys!  I put it in my cupboards and it worked, so I put it in my shooting boxes and the horn bugs went away!  I'm going to try it in my wool blankets now that you all have mentioned that being the "bug".

[Hungry Horse]

eucalyptus seed pods will do the same thing. In fact the hippies out on the coast, used to make flea collars for their dogs out of them.

                  Hungry Horse

[J Henry]

  Oxalic Acid is in the leaves of the rhubarb plant not in the juice!!! I make Strawberry Rhubarb pies till the plant stops producing,,stay clear of the leaves for eating.....For sealing the horn,I just melt some beeswax wipe it on and wipe off the excess,unless you are looking to stain it later..

[mark esterly]

a borax solution works also. ask any taxidermist

[outdoorsaddy]

Oxalic acid is also sold in hardware stores as wood bleach- readily available almost anywhere without the smell of bug sprays.

[bigbat]

I have horns and quill work hanging around the house. It is quite simple for me. When I get a new old horn in goes in the freezer for a couple of weeks. When I get a new batch of raw horns  they go into a barrel with Moth Testicles.  When I see a Moth in the house they get sprayed as well as the room.  The moth lay eggs and the eggs hatch into larvae and chew on your quillwork, horns and wool.  So kill the parents and you won't have the offspring.  Just spraying or treating your horns won't protect the woolen goods, brain tanned goods or quillwork.  JUST KILL THEM simple as that.  In spraying the room you usually get the item. In treating the item you won't get the environment the moths live and breed in.  JUST KILL THEM ALL!

[Mick C]

I agree with Tim Crosby.  Bug spray on a rag on the horn's outside.  It is like folks buying elaborate anti-squirrel feeders......just shoot the squirrels!  It's easier. 

I did some research on bugs that eat the horns.  It appears that carpet beetles are the main culprits.  They especially like to lay eggs inside horns that are left open.  Freezing for three days in the fridge, or pesticides can work to kill them. 

I have implemented a few things that hopefully will keep mine free of holes for a long time. 

1) I take the powder out after use, and store the horns in the house.  My house is pretty bug-free. 

2) I wipe the outside with bug killer as Tim said.  I also lightly spray inside with a powder based (not oil based) bug spray like Bengal. 

3) I once saw a bug on the table by my horn after coming inside from shooting.  I stuck the horn in the freezer (inside a plastic bag) for three days. No problems. 

4) The online research says to store items that beetles like to eat in a Tupperware style container so bugs cannot get it.  If you have few horns, wipe them with bug spray and put them in a container.  Cannot imagine a problem after that. 

Just my 2 cents worth, and many are a lot smarter than I am.  Best wishes,   Marc

Thanks for the great advice. Lots of common (and probably some uncommon as well) sense there!....Mick C

[bigbat]

I had friends that bought allot of quillwork form us when we use to make allot of quillwork that stored all their rendezvous items in mothballs and chests. When they showed up and rondezvous they smelled like moth balls all week. My father in law stored his hunting woolens in moth balls and then wondered why he didn't see many deer.  The moth problem is simple, threat the environment the moths live in and not just the item.  I like to look at my stuff and not store it away in the cedar closet.  When you see a moth in your house there will be another in  hiding spray the house.  I doubt whether anyone on this site has more horns laying around than I do.  Theres 75 originals on the shelf behind me, all got the freezer treated for a week or two when they came here.  Theres at least 20 horns hanging around the house that I have made.  There are 15 pieces of quillwork hanging around and several pieces of beaded woolen horn strap.  I have a pile of 11 brain tanned deer hides and 7 brain tanned moose hides.  When I see a moth I treat the whole environment with raid.  My supply of over 300 raw horns "live" in cardboard drums with moth balls.  My Woolen stuff isn't in trunks with moth balls.  Try all the exotic measures but the simple way is to kill them. (apply my theory to the war on terrorism also)  Scott Sibley AKA Bigbat

[Robert Wolfe]

Scott - what are you spraying in your house? Regular Raid?

[The Original Griz]

i keep my horns in my shop and it isnt heated, so in the winter it is my freezer. The only time it sees heat is when I go out there and that is one day at a time, and then back to the deep freeze. I have never had any bug problems in any of the horns I worked... and it has been a lot of horns
Scott, I like your terrorist comment

[bigbat]

regular raid, spray, go away and air it out when I get home.  The "new Raid" smells good anyways and I don't plan on living for ever. Theres too much stuff laying around my place to not just do it simple and kill the problem.  I let God sort out the "good Bugs"