Author Topic: Making Horns Flat  (Read 9000 times)

Offline Tim Crosby

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *
  • Posts: 18397
  • AKA TimBuckII
Making Horns Flat
« on: March 16, 2022, 03:26:29 PM »
  First thing to do is rasp/scrape the horn down and try and get the thickness as uniform as possible, especially at the base. The base can be left longer than needed (See post below) not much and then trimmed and evened out after it is flattened. Then it gets heated. I don't use oil but 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" whatever 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.
     





« Last Edit: March 16, 2022, 03:30:38 PM by Tim Crosby »

Offline Tim Crosby

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *
  • Posts: 18397
  • AKA TimBuckII
Re: Making Horns Flat
« Reply #1 on: March 16, 2022, 03:29:32 PM »
 I mentioned above that the horn should be shaped, not to finished but close, if nothing more than rough shaped before it is pressed. 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, it is made of Beach, 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..
 For shaping after the horn is flattered using a Jig makes it easy to hold. Rough cut the two sides based on the shape of the horn, they should be a bit thinner than the horn so you don't hit them while filing of scraping. 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 sides 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. The jig is useful when carving the horn too.
 Hope this helps.

   Tim
 




 The Jig:





  In Use, with a scraper:


« Last Edit: March 16, 2022, 03:41:37 PM by Tim Crosby »

Offline James Rogers

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3172
  • James Rogers
    • Fowling Piece
Re: Making Horns Flat
« Reply #2 on: March 16, 2022, 04:05:06 PM »
Tim,
I dont think I have ever seen a construction response from you that was not backed up with well worded instruction and the most helpful photo sequences. This tutorial is no exception.
« Last Edit: March 17, 2022, 04:44:28 AM by James Rogers »

Offline Dennis Daigger

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 297
Re: Making Horns Flat
« Reply #3 on: March 17, 2022, 03:30:52 AM »
This is an excellent tutorial that I wish I'd had before I started. Thanks for sharing it with the community.
Denns

pamtnman

  • Guest
Re: Making Horns Flat
« Reply #4 on: February 07, 2023, 05:00:33 AM »
This is very helpful, thank you. Book of Buckskinning VI has an article about making flat horns, and the author suggests using paper wrap to make a model of what the horn will or could look like. This helps establish dimensions, and what thickness plug to use. Talking with people who have made flat horns before I get the impression it's no big deal to them. But to me the entire process is daunting.

Offline loiblb

  • Starting Member
  • *
  • Posts: 31
Re: Making Horns Flat
« Reply #5 on: February 09, 2023, 05:48:25 PM »
Great info. Thanks for showing how to make one in such detail.

Offline Tim Crosby

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *
  • Posts: 18397
  • AKA TimBuckII
Re: Making Horns Flat
« Reply #6 on: February 09, 2023, 06:13:45 PM »
 If you have any questions just ask. TC

Offline Bob Gerard

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1355
    • Powder Horns and Such
Re: Making Horns Flat
« Reply #7 on: February 19, 2023, 01:20:36 AM »
This is a great help, thanks.
Question: do you drill the spout hole before or after you flatten the horn?

Offline Tim Crosby

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *
  • Posts: 18397
  • AKA TimBuckII
Re: Making Horns Flat
« Reply #8 on: February 19, 2023, 04:13:58 PM »
This is a great help, thanks.
Question: do you drill the spout hole before or after you flatten the horn?

 Before.

  Thanks, Tim

Offline Bob Gerard

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1355
    • Powder Horns and Such
Re: Making Horns Flat
« Reply #9 on: February 20, 2023, 08:31:41 PM »
Thanks Tim