Horn color

[gru556]

How do you color a powder horn as accent and antique it????

 

[Black Hand]

Find a copy of the Book "Recreating the 18th Century Powder Horn" by Scott and Cathy Sibley. It will answer these questions and more....

 

[AeroncaTAL]

I use RIT fabric dye as described in the Sibley book. I'm satisfied so far with this method, though there are other ways of doing it. I would definitely purchase this book. A good reference...
Scott

 

[Joe Yanta]

I use potassium permanganate to add patina to my projects. You can buy it at chemical supply houses, on line. Not sure about this, but I also heard that it was used in swimming pools.

You can mix it with water, as strong as you like and just keep applying it with a dabber or q-tip until you get what you want.

If you patina your fingers you will look like you have a real big smoking problem. If you get it on your wife's counter tops, your in big trouble. It does clean up with household cleaners and elbow grease. A few ounce bottle should last you about a life time.

Joe

 

[wwpete52]

Dixie Gun Works and Track of the Wolf sell a chemical called "Old Bones." It works great for horns.

 

[Freedom]

Iodine adds a nice color, it seems to penitrate into the horn somewhat, but it will partialy rub off over time. I have found that most of the dyes(RIT, Leather) will rub off also.

 

[Black Hand]

Some folks use hair dye. Aqua fortis can be used to give the horn an antique patina.

 

[chipper]

You can burn the horn with an open flame if you go real easy with the application. I've used a simular method for deer horns that turned white from bleaching them out with clorox.

Regards
Loyd

 

[dlpowell]

I use brown leather dye with a full coating of powdered black paint. Rub it in real good. Turns your hands and horn black. Now take a cloth dipped in the dye to rub off all the excess from the horn. To achieve the final color you usually have to apply the dye 4 or more times and rub it off to get the color you want. Only use the powdered paint once.

 

[Sydney]

I've just started a horn and used the RIT dye method from Sibleys book as well. I think it's turning out pretty nice. I did look up potassium permanganate, and it looks like pretty raspy stuff to use. Probably not for the first time maker, Joe, are there different strengths of it that won't oxidize me and my house away ?

 

[fallaloosa]

I've made a couple or three horns and am really just starting in it, but I have found that KIWI brown shoe polish works very well. I just put it on with a paper towel and it seems to absorb well and has not rubbed off at all. It gives a nice patina in my humble opinion. You might give it a try since it's easy to find and use. Hope this helped a little. :thumbsup:

 

[Harddog]

I've just started a horn and used the RIT dye method from Sibleys book as well. I think it's turning out pretty nice. I did look up potassium permanganate, and it looks like pretty raspy stuff to use. Probably not for the first time maker, Joe, are there different strengths of it that won't oxidize me and my house away ?

Scotty,

Potassium permanganate comes as granules in a bottle and can be mixed with water for as strong or as weak of a solution as you want.

Randy Hedden

 

[Joe Yanta]

Scotty there are different grades of Potassium Permanganate but I think it is all the same stuff. I buy mine from a chemical supply house in Denver. It is "Lab" grade. It looks like 3Fg black powder. I have a one quart Nalgene bottle of a mild solution mixed up that I use for dipping and a 4 ounce bottle of much stronger solution that I use dark highlighting.

When I first started using P P I went for a couple of years using the same small Nalgene bottle. One day I went to use it and by just using enough pressure to grip the bottle it shattered spilling it all over my hands and my wifes counter top. It took several hours to clean the counter top and several days for my hands. I now throw away the bottles after one year and wear latex gloves mostly.

The natural patina on antique horns are from oxidation. Potassium Permanganate is an oxidizer.

I am going to try to say this without getting in trouble. I have purchased some of the prepared solutions available. It is very weak and after buying it I think I all ready had the same stuff here I already had made up.

I keep it safe, sealed and away from little hands as I would blueing, browning or any other firearm chemicals. After the one bottle breaking, I have not had any problems.

Joe

 

[Goldhunter]

There is some stuff called Old Bones, I think I got it from Log Cabin. It's PP already in liquid form. I sometimes dilute it to desired strength in another container, but mostly use it full strength.