My 1st & LAST powder horn

[MuskratMike]

PLEASE DON'T LAUGH!
I have absolutely no artistic ability at all and I know it.
I bought a horn from one of the online vendors and knowing nothing about making powder horns other than what I gleaned out of the Sibley book I started in on it. Along the way my good friend, shooting partner and renowned horn maker Scott Morrison gave me pointers along the way. Not encouraging to see his reject box had much nicer stuff than I was making. Every time I thought I was finished Scott would hand it back and say "keep working on it you have a long way to go grasshopper". I have no lathe or horn making supplies. I did it the real old fashioned way with a rasp, scraper, pocket knife and sand paper. What I did learn from this year long process is the price people like Scott Morrison and Tim Crosby charge is the most fair price you will ever pay for something in the muzzleloading business. The 1st picture is in the very beginning, the next few are the horn in the making, and the last ones are the completed horn today!
I am not a wealthy man by any means but when I want another something made from horn, being a powder horn, flat horn, priming horn, cup, snuff box or tobacco box I will pick up the phone and call Scott or Tim!

[Panzerschwein]

Nothing to be ashamed of. Looks pretty good to me.

[Cory Joe Stewart]

The tools you listed that you are limited too are all I use.  When I first started I used a pocket knife and a chainsaw file. Borrowed a drill. You have done well.

Cory Joe

[Shopdog]

Ha! You think you lack talent but I see a truly authentic powder horn representative of so many in the past - I think you did a great job as long as it keeps yer powder dry.
Joe

[Brokennock]

Nothing wrong with that.

[Daryl]

Looks OK to me.  As good or better than what I could make.(likely better).

[old george]

That horn reflects what one would have actually seen in the wilds of America,

george

[Tim Crosby]

 For not having a lathe that butt looks good, overall for a first try it looks better than some firsts I've seen. A little shoe polish might help

   Tim

PS: Thanks for the plug. TC     

[Kevin]

Muskrat,

Looks like it would blend right in with many of the horns pictured in Madison Grant's books on horns and hunting pouches.  I'm sure you will enjoy it every time you use it.

Kevin

[hawkeye]

Muskrat, not everyone is as handy as you would like, but certainly it's not bad result you obtained. The more you practice the better you will be

[Dutch Blacky]

Ha! You think you lack talent but I see a truly authentic powder horn representative of so many in the past - I think you did a great job as long as it keeps yer powder dry.
Joe

That´s what I think too.

Looks very authentical. Like a horn, that was used by folks on the frontier

[Tim Crosby]

Muskrat, not everyone is as handy as you would like, but certainly it's not bad result you obtained. The more you practice the better you will be

 I think you hit the right answer. I find making them addictive.

    Tim

[Ezra]

MM,

I came to the exact same conclusion after my first, and last, powder horn. 

Ez

[Jeff Murray]

I have a couple of original horns that were obviously well used.  One is worn through at the spout end where the strap went around it.  We see some incredible workmanship from folks on this site but my guess is that most of the horns used by every day hunters and explorers were not that fancy and many likely resembled exactly what you made, especially if they were home made with a knife and a file.  The heavily worn original has some wire tacked on the horn around the plug where another piece of wire was used to attached the strap or cord.  Not high fashion but it worked.

[Dutch Blacky]

I have a couple of original horns that were obviously well used.  One is worn through at the spout end where the strap went around it.  We see some incredible workmanship from folks on this site but my guess is that most of the horns used by every day hunters and explorers were not that fancy and many likely resembled exactly what you made, especially if they were home made with a knife and a file.  The heavily worn original has some wire tacked on the horn around the plug where another piece of wire was used to attached the strap or cord.  Not high fashion but it worked.

This is exactly what I observed. I got an antique flat horn that is made rather crude, but it worked, and was good for every day use.

[MuskratMike]

Thank you for all your encouragement, I guess I am being overly critical after seeing and possessing some of the work done by the master horners. I am going to find another horn from whatever source the craftsman makers use. There just wasn't enough thickness left on the commercially made polished horn I started with. Were do you buy your horns other than at the horners convention? I did learn a lot making this one and am now willing to try again.

[WadePatton]

I much prefer a horn like you made than most I see. I don't care for the turned plugs at all really. I appreciate their place and all, but not my thing (yet-maybe).

My one horn attempt came from a cheap replica horn that wouldn't hold a grasshopper, much less powder, that I picked up for very few dollars thinking I'd fix it up proper. Some hours of shaping and working on it later I find that the crack goes on forever and make the horn really unsuitable for powder. So I ditched that one.  Might try again someday.

[Tim Crosby]

 I like to see, hands on the raw horns I buy unless they come from an experienced horner. If you tell them what you are going to make they will be better able to help you. Flea markets, antique malls and yard sales are good sources. I bought a hat/coat rack once at a mall that had three sets, 6 horns on it. They ended up as three double horns.

    Tim

[Rt5403]

I'd hunt with it.

[MeliusCreekTrapper]

That looks like a great powder horn that most would be proud to carry. Not everyone had fancy horns, some just have to do the job they were made for.

[mountainman70]

MMike, if looks better than my first, but not last, horn from 1979, which is hanging on my wall with other possibles from that time. Keep at it. They are WAY less expensive than rifles. Best regards, Dave F

[Mike from OK]

You did well. Better than my first... and second... and third.

Mike

[Dphariss]

I have been known to tell members of our guild that they should not become discouraged when looking a the work of some guild members. Be it horns or whatever. We, as does this site, have some VERY talented people and its easy for a beginner to get intimidated and even give up. Don’t fall for that trap.
And remember YOU know all the mistakes or perceived mistakes, but others may not notice or think its a mistake. LEARN FROM YOUR “MISTAKES” and carry on improving yourself. If you live in the east especially there are places to take classes. Our Guild in Montana does classes at every meeting on a wide variety of topics. Some are short demonstrations some, during our fair, are 1 or 2 day hands on, make stuff classes.
Some of the stocks off a couple of my early guns went in the wood stove after moving to a community with one really good maker. We ALL started someplace. The horn looks serviceable to me, certainly not a failure and I am SURE that back in the day someone made a horn far less elegant than this and used it. But few of these thing survived. Being used up or discarded as firearms technology or the situation of the user changed over time.
So be not afraid, carry on.

[Dphariss]

The more I look at it the more I like it. I think the spout and the rings are good looking and certainly not out of place in a simple low cost horn of the past and more ornate than many. If the base plug bothers you MAKE ANOTHER ONE you like better.  It’s YOUR horn you and do what you like with it. Like I said, be not afraid.

[MuskratMike]

Dephariss: thank you for the kind words of inspiration. I am going to keep is is and am using it now. I am going to make another this year as I learned so much from this one and have never been known as a "quitter". Will post pictures when it is done. Again thanks for everyone's support.