Temperature for heating horn to make flat horn?***Added Info***

[Jerry V Lape]

Is 320 degrees the temperature which releases horn so it may be shaped?

[Tim Crosby]

 I don't use oil but I have heard that is the temp range. I just throw them in water and boil them until they are soft enough to flex when squeezed, an hour or so will do. Then they go into a press like this with the sizers, 3/4ths, 1//2" what ever the thickness you want the horn to be, the size of the horn will have something to do with that (Start with 1 & 5 then 3, 2, 4, you may need some smaller wedges to tighten things up) that I hammer in while tightening up the press. I let it sit about 8 hours.

   Tim C.
     

[JBJ]

The only flat "pocket" horn that I ever made shaped/pressed nicely after about 30 minutes in boiling water. Overnight in the press setup and it held shape. May have been luck but it worked for me.
J.B.

[Cory Joe Stewart]

Also keep in mind the horn prep before hand.  It needs to be scraped pretty thin and uniform.  Not all horns will flatten well.

Cory Joe

[Mark Elliott]

I heat my horns in lard and I do it at between 325 F and 350 F.   I heat the horn for only a few seconds at a time.   I don't think I ever exceed a minute.   I have only done one flat horn.   It was a small plain one, but it turned out OK.  I use it as a priming horn that I keep in my shoot box.

[Top Jaw]

I concur with Cory Joe and Mark. Although I’ve only done a couple flat ones. I use hot oil instead of lard to the same temperature though. Also obviously the tip has been drilled and the horn has been prepped per Cory Joe’s advice. I also dunk the thicker tip a little longer to start with before the rest of the Horn goes in the oil to soften it up more.

[Jerry V Lape]

Tim Crosby
It is not apparent to me how you use the wedges?  Can you post a photo showing that? 

[snapper]

Why do you use oil vs water?

Thanks

Fleener

[G. Elsenbeck]

Why do you use oil vs water?

Thanks

Fleener

Boiling water is only 210 degrees as that is the highest it will go.  Oil on the hand needs to be like Mark says, between 325 and 350 for only a few seconds at a time before setting your form in and then the press.  I use oil, preshaped forms and then in a cast iron press until cooled off.  That way even if thick the shape will stay.  Happy horning.

[Tim Crosby]

Tim Crosby
It is not apparent to me how you use the wedges?  Can you post a photo showing that?

  Like Cory said the horn should be shaped, if nothing more than rough shaped. The one thing I do not do is cut it to its final length. I leave it an inch or so longer than I want it finished. The reason, I have had them split once the wedges are driven in and the final tightening done. That way if it does crack the crack can be trimmed off and the horn saved. If the crack is to long the horn can still be saved by using staples and a piece of rawhide or leather inside the horn. Without the base the staples can easily be bent over.
 I hope the press Pix are self-explanatory. The small wedge is to really tighten things up. You want 1 & 5, which have their outer edges rounded, to press into the horn so the ends come out as round as possible. Square will work too but is not as strong as rounded, more likely to split..
 I do a lot of the shaping after the horn is flattered, using a Jig. Rough cut the two sides based on the horn, they should be a bit thinner than the horn. Lay the horn on a piece of wood and screw one side down, put the other side tightly against the horn and screw it down. Screw a small piece at the end, a piece of it can actually go into the horn to help hold it down if needed. Do one side than turn the horn and the fides over. If you want to work the edges of the horn, the thin sides, just shape a piece of wood that will fit inside it and hold it in a vice, I clamp the horn and the piece of wood. The bottom of the jig has a keel on it so it can be clamped in a vice.
 Hope this helps.

   Tim
 




 The Jig:





  In Use, with a scraper:

[snapper]

Thanks for the explanation.

Fleener