I need help with a black powder horn.

[trentOH]

I'd like to make a horn to honor/remember the Coast Guard cutter I served on, the Lantana. Coast guard buoy tenders are painted black, with a red and a blue "racing stripe" near the bow, so I'd like a black horn with a red and a blue stripe. The black horn is easy enough, but how would I apply the stripes? I'd also need to put her name and numbers on the horn. Ink would be best, but that's not very likely I suppose. I could go with paint, but how would I keep it from peeling off?

I'd appreciate the voice of knowledge and experience!

[rich pierce]

Some things don’t translate well. This is too much of a stretch, I think.

[smylee grouch]

Would you be able to make a black horn with bands of the colors you want ?

[J Henry]

 Do your Scrim and use artist paint to do the colors. good luck.

[trentOH]

The easy way to go would be to use a white horn with the racing stripes, like most cutters are painted.  But if I can honor the Lantana in her own color scheme, so much the better.

Should I treat the horn in someway to get better paint adherence?

[Tim Crosby]

The easy way to go would be to use a white horn with the racing stripes, like most cutters are painted.  But if I can honor the Lantana in her own color scheme, so much the better.

Should I treat the horn in someway to get better paint adherence?

  I use Milk paint on horns, the kind you mix yourself. Sand down to about 220 and a second coat after a light 320 sanding. May sure you get any oil off the horn, like from your fingers.

   Tim

[Marcruger]

Trent, another option would be to talk with Ron Hess.  Ron has made several Tansel style horns, but with military branch emblems on them.  I know he has done several USMC horns lately, and his wife has woven matching straps.  May not be what you are after, but would be a fine way to remember your cutter.  Hard for me to visualize what a painted black horn would look like. 
Best wishes with your project.   God Bless,   Marc

[Clark Badgett]

You could do a banded horn with the horn of black and white horn bands dyed red and blue.

[Joe Stein]

You could use a flattened, black horn. Think of the spout end as the bow, and angle red and blue bands forward of the beam, like they are on buoy tenders.

[Rick Sheets]

Spot colors on horns are not difficult. Scratch a cross hatch pattern on spot to the feel of 280 grit sandpaper or so. Apply alcohol based ink. It will flow between the outlines and wick into the textured horn. 

A large swath of color would be difficult. If we are not worried about authenticity, nail polish would work on horn at is made of layers of keratin just like your nails.