Re-sealing a horn

[Terry Cheek]

My powder horn has leak. Actually, I blow into the spout and air leaks from one spot at the base. I know I can soften beeswax and work it into the area. Does anyone have anything else to add?

[rich pierce]

I’ve used what some call cutler’s resin. A mix of pitch and ground solids that might include ground charcoal and even crumbled horse or cow manure. Deer droppings if made in the woods. Some mixes include beeswax. If you make a big batch you can coat some sticks like tallow candles and carry a couple for field repairs.

[Jeff Murray]

You might try using a long tube to pour sealer down the inside to see if it will seal from that side.

[John Proud]

Mix up a bit of commercial hide glue (Lowe's or Home Depot) with a little water. Pour it into the horn from the spout, swirl the horn around and then set the horn up on the base plug so the glue flows toward the leak. Leave it for a few days to dry thoroughly. Don't worry about any that leaks out onto the base plug as hide glue is water soluble and can be cleaned off easily.   

[rich pierce]

Mix up a bit of commercial hide glue (Lowe's or Home Depot) with a little water. Pour it into the horn from the spout, swirl the horn around and then set the horn up on the base plug so the glue flows toward the leak. Leave it for a few days to dry thoroughly. Don't worry about any that leaks out onto the base plug as hide glue is water soluble and can be cleaned off easily.

New tip! Thanks, John!

[Terry Cheek]

Mix up a bit of commercial hide glue (Lowe's or Home Depot) with a little water. Pour it into the horn from the spout, swirl the horn around and then set the horn up on the base plug so the glue flows toward the leak. Leave it for a few days to dry thoroughly. Don't worry about any that leaks out onto the base plug as hide glue is water soluble and can be cleaned off easily.

Thank you John.

[Tim Crosby]

 I've thinned out Titebond with water, poured it in the spout hole, stand it up for awhile and then blow down the hole. The glue mix will come out the air leaks, wipe it off with a damp rag and let it dry. May have to do it a couple times.

   Tim C.

[Terry Cheek]

I've thinned out Titebond with water, poured it in the spout hole, stand it up for awhile and then blow down the hole. The glue mix will come out the air leaks, wipe it off with a damp rag and let it dry. May have to do it a couple times.

   Tim C.

Thank you

[Top Jaw]

Wood glue or varnish - put in with a paper funnel and straw.  Then strategically sit upright with a fan blowing over the open spout. Will take a long time to dry.  Keep in mind, that if it’s a translucent horn, whatever you put inside will be visible from the outside.  Better to work some warm beeswax on the outside down into the seam with those.

[Terry Cheek]

Wood glue or varnish - put in with a paper funnel and straw.  Then strategically sit upright with a fan blowing over the open spout. Will take a long time to dry.  Keep in mind, that if it’s a translucent horn, whatever you put inside will be visible from the outside.  Better to work some warm beeswax on the outside down into the seam with those.

Thank you

[davec2]

Thin CA glue from the outside where the leak is.  Wipe off any excess with CA glue solvent.  Much quicker than going from the inside and you will never see it.

[Terry Cheek]

Thin CA glue from the outside where the leak is.  Wipe off any excess with CA glue solvent.  Much quicker than going from the inside and you will never see it.

Thank you, I have CA glue at home. Don't remember right now if it's thin or medium.

[Daryl]

I would also use CA.

[taterbug]

OK, I'm only now working on my first (messed up by me already) horn, but I have a question...

Can the end of the horn be held into warm, hot, or boiling water, for a few minutes to get it to reseal?  or hot oil?  I'm sure there are reasons against it that I simply don't know about yet. 

The answers might keep me from messing up my next horn...

[Gaeckle]

I have a blend of bees wax and brown shoe polish that I will use. I warm the outside of the horn at the point of the leak and smear this mixture in and continue to heat it to draw it in. My heat source is a heat gun. Allow it to cool, then I take a toilet wax ring and rub that all over the base followed up with buffing with a rag. Then I test. Sometimes after doing that I'll pour a small amount of shellac into the horn and stand it up to dry. This works great with old original horns.

[Jeff Murray]

If the base plug is already attached to the horn you will have to add some material to fill the gap as noted in the above ideas.  Be careful if you heat it.  Start with brief periods as you can scorch the horn.  This is not so critical on dark horns but can ruin the white area on a nice white horn.  If you are shaping the base of the horn to fit a plug, oil may be the better option until everythng fits.  If you heat with water and try to shape the horn to the plug you may get only one chance as the horn may seize on the plug unless you have a big handle to remove it. 

[Terry Cheek]

I have used the CA glue and it appears to have worked. The tite bond trick was next if this did not fix the leak. Thank you everyone for your support.