Author Topic: Horn repair  (Read 3034 times)

Offline David Rase

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Horn repair
« on: January 18, 2016, 07:07:06 PM »
On the contemporary makers blog this morning http://contemporarymakers.blogspot.com/ there is an antique horn that according to the caption "old style lead repairs were added to the rear of the horn to take care of some bug damage.  I was curious as to how you make this type of repair.  Has anybody on the ALR done this before and if so, would you mind sharing your process?
David

Horner75

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Re: Horn repair
« Reply #1 on: January 18, 2016, 09:12:06 PM »
David,  I have only did one, but the one in the blog looks about what I did.  I just took a hammered flat piece of lead and cut out an over-sized oval inlay that was made a bit larger than the damaged hole in the horn.  Inlaid the lead oval and added a few steel tacks to help hold it on after filing inlay/horn surface.  Then added a little bee's wax around the seam.

Rick
« Last Edit: January 18, 2016, 09:15:27 PM by Horner75 »

Offline Robby

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Re: Horn repair
« Reply #2 on: January 18, 2016, 09:34:52 PM »
I've used rawhide and hide glue, which makes a very sturdy repair, but have never seen a lead repair before. Interesting!
Robby
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Offline Tim Crosby

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Re: Horn repair
« Reply #3 on: January 19, 2016, 01:37:29 AM »
 It is really simple to make a patch, here's a couple I did years ago. A better pic of the original is in Scott's Building The Southern Banded Horn under the Kendall collection. I used Pewter as the patch and made pewter pins, the original is Silver. The other was made because I had scrapped the horn to thin, it is Heart shaped and held with a couple of tack.  
 I have also made patches of soft lead rolled into a 1/8th" or so dowel, this kind of repair would be done with the Butt out or before it is put in. Fit the plug to the hole, you may want to drill the hole out to a little larger size depending on its size and shape and peen the outside end over while supporting the inside piece with a bar. Easier done than typed.
 There is another way if you want to play around with it; it involves packing damp sand, if you have ever done sand casting you know what I'm talking about, into the horn, once you can see it at the hole pack about two inches more in, take a wire and dig some of the sand out, clean the out side of the horn around the hole really good with some Alcohol. Then make a dam around the hole with some Bake able modeling clay about the size of a dime, depending on the hole it should cover maybe an 1/8th of an inch around the hole, pour some Lead or Pewter into the hole, remove the clay, you can peen it a little (this whole operation takes some practice) set the horn in the sun to dry and clean out the sand.        





 Probably more than you wanted to know.

  Tim
« Last Edit: January 20, 2016, 04:23:42 PM by Tim Crosby »

Offline Robby

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Re: Horn repair
« Reply #4 on: January 19, 2016, 01:56:12 AM »
Thanks Tim!
Robin
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We the people are the rightful masters of both Congress and the courts, not to overthrow the Constitution but to overthrow the men who pervert the Constitution. A. Lincoln

Offline G. Elsenbeck

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Re: Horn repair
« Reply #5 on: January 20, 2016, 02:09:43 AM »
Good info Tim and thanks for sharing.
Gary
Journeyman in the Honourable Company of Horners (HCH) and a member in the Contemporary Longrifle Association (CLA)

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