Horn strap attachment

[Sparkitoff]

I have a horn that is pretty thin - I can see through it with a good light. The front is smooth to the tip. I see that about 1.5-inches of tip is thick but after that it is translucent in strong light. Based on the thinness, I am afraid to put a groove to hold a strap. I can put a staple or a stud to hold something near the tip in the thick part. What are some ideas of how to attach the strap? The strap I have is a braided hemp cord with the individual strands loose after the tie, so getting it through a small "eye" is not a problem.  Thanks!

[Bob McBride]

You can glue on a 3/4" piece of leather around the spout end with two 1/4" pieces glued on top of that on each edge leaving a 1/4" gap between to keep your cord or any variation on that. You could use two different sized brass rings close enough together to leave a gap. You could sew a ring of leather together get it wet and stretch it over the tip with a little glue and slip knot your string below that ring of leather. You could notch a very shallow groove in the thickest part of the end and slip knot a fine cord leaving enough of an end to make a loop for your strap.... There's nothing that says it's your main cord that must wrap the horn. I like how it looks when i make loops on the horn with something finer and attach my main cordage to that.

[MuskratMike]

Bob: that sounds like a future episode of "Black powder TV" to me!

[Bob McBride]

Not a bad idea. I have a few horns just like he describes.

[Tim Crosby]

I have a horn that is pretty thin - I can see through it with a good light. The front is smooth to the tip. I see that about 1.5-inches of tip is thick but after that it is translucent in strong light. Based on the thinness, I am afraid to put a groove to hold a strap. I can put a staple or a stud to hold something near the tip in the thick part. What are some ideas of how to attach the strap? The strap I have is a braided hemp cord with the individual strands loose after the tie, so getting it through a small "eye" is not a problem.  Thanks!

 Ya got a Pic?

[hanshi]

I did a very similar strap connect using a piece of leather as described by Bob M.  It works fine.

[Sparkitoff]

I am going to try a 1/8th inch shallow groove.  If the groove comes out ok I think temporarily I will just lash my carry cord on with sinew. I hope I don't cut through.....

[Tim Crosby]

  It looks like there is a groove in the tip for a strap, what am I missing? Maybe a Pic of the tip and the butt to see how the cord is attached there.

    Tim

[msellers]

  It looks like there is a groove in the tip for a strap, what am I missing? Maybe a Pic of the tip and the butt to see how the cord is attached there.

    Tim

Tim, maybe I am loosing it, but when I zoomed in. It looks like the strap is on the plug not the tip.
Mike

[davec2]

Here is an old thread on some silver mounted horns I made with bands around the outer surface of the horn       

https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=40014.msg387911#msg387911

The bands can be made of copper or brass....no need to use silver.  Here are a few photos from the original post....

















And some info on making the bands:

The bands themselves are cut out of silver sheet using a paper pattern:



The ends are then silver soldered together and the beads are soldered on by using lengths of beaded silver wire.  Not too hard, but a little tricky to not get solder all over the beads or melt the thin sheet you are soldering the beaded wire to.

[Darkhorse]

You can glue on a 3/4" piece of leather around the spout end with two 1/4" pieces glued on top of that on each edge leaving a 1/4" gap between to keep your cord or any variation on that. You could use two different sized brass rings close enough together to leave a gap. You could sew a ring of leather together get it wet and stretch it over the tip with a little glue and slip knot your string below that ring of leather. You could notch a very shallow groove in the thickest part of the end and slip knot a fine cord leaving enough of an end to make a loop for your strap.... There's nothing that says it's your main cord that must wrap the horn. I like how it looks when i make loops on the horn with something finer and attach my main cordage to that.

This is my horn. I made it when I was 17 or 18, I am now 67 ( I think), and this is the only horn I've ever carried. It's not at all fancy or correct but it works good for the intended purpose and I like to use the things I make instead of purchasing something new.
I had no idea what I was doing when I made it though it is grooved at the front for a strap the rear has no groove. The plug is not flush with the horn but it left a good spot for a looped piece of leather so that's how the strap has always been attached. The strap is 1/2" leather attached to the horn by 1/8" leather laces.
Bob's post made me think about it.

[Sparkitoff]

Davec2 - I really like the metal bands on your horn.  Thank you for the photos and explanation. I will experiment with that and make something of the sort … next. For this one I am trying to keep it plain and simple and also keep a "used" look. I am not trying to enter the world of horning, just one for personal use and then some for gifts later on. I hear that is impossible due to the addictive nature of horning.

All - The band came out okay. I slowly turned a 3/16" flat file where I needed it and watched it very closely. The groove is shallow but will stop a strap, string or some other collar from sliding forward - exactly what it is supposed to do. I am thinking of lashing the carry cord on by laying it over the groove and tightly wrapping a thin hemp cord to hold it. Maybe a heavy wax or something else that may harden up and hold the cord in place.

Thanks a million for the replies!  The groove makes it possible to pursue several options now.  I have to decide which one!

[Bob McBride]

Sounds great. If you melt some bees wax and dunk your string in it, a slip knot will bind quite strongly when it’s cinched tight. Hit the knot with a hot match head and it’s there to stay. Post pics.

[Tim Crosby]

 For simple a small horn band pinned below the tip would work.

    Tim