• This community needs YOUR help today. We rely 100% on Supporting Memberships to fund our efforts. With the ever increasing fees of everything, we need help. We need more Supporting Members, today. Please invest back into this community. I will ship a few decals too in addition to all the account perks you get.



    Sign up here: https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/account/upgrades

Overhaul of really cheap horn

Muzzleloading Forum

Help Support Muzzleloading Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
A ways back, I purchased a couple of really, really cheap horns for my then 9 and 13 year old nephews, basically to use as toys. I overhauled one for the eldest a several years ago. However, I forgot to take any pictures of the horn before I started. So then the youngest one wanted his horn improved a little. This is the $17 horn I started with:











I asked him if he had anything in mind for his horn and told him I probably could not do much engraving because the horn was so dark. He was into pirates then and wanted to know if I could do anything on the horn that was from Robert Louis Stevenson's "Treasure Island". I wasn't sure I could do much but said I would give it a try....I shouldn't have asked !

I made a new base plug, applied an antler tip, and made a couple of brass ring fittings to attach a strap. The map is from one of the original contemporary drawings of the mythical Treasure Island and the ship is rigged like a mid 18th century "Hispaniola". The stopper is turned rosewood and is supposed to look like a ship's stern lantern. I tried to make the whole thing not look too hokey or cartoon like.

At any rate, this is how it came out......













I sincerely hope that they grow to appreciate the time, effort and quality of your work (and the love) before their youthful negligence causes hopeless damage!
 
Can someone explain to me how one turns the neck of a horn? I don't understand how you would chuck an entire horn into a lathe. Is this all done only by hand? The antler tip I could do easily enough.
 
Oldbear63,

On this horn, I hand carved / filed the black part of the neck round. The antler part was turned on a lathe and then applied. However, I have seen a horn mounted to a lathe and turned at low RPM to turn either the base or the neck. I'm sure some of the real horners could show you a picture.
 
you sir rely took a PIGS EAR & TURNED IT INTO A SILK PURSE!!! it is just outstanding!!!
 
I tried to make the whole thing not look too hokey or cartoon like.
Seriously?

There is nothing even remotely hokey or cartoon like there.
I opened this topic expecting a dramatic reshaping of the often, "too fat third of the horn toward the tip," that I usually notice on cheaper commercial horns. Figured it would be exceedingly well done knowing your work.

But this isn't even the same horn. Absolutely amazing work.
 
A ways back, I purchased a couple of really, really cheap horns for my then 9 and 13 year old nephews, basically to use as toys. I overhauled one for the eldest a several years ago. However, I forgot to take any pictures of the horn before I started. So then the youngest one wanted his horn improved a little. This is the $17 horn I started with:











I asked him if he had anything in mind for his horn and told him I probably could not do much engraving because the horn was so dark. He was into pirates then and wanted to know if I could do anything on the horn that was from Robert Louis Stevenson's "Treasure Island". I wasn't sure I could do much but said I would give it a try....I shouldn't have asked !

I made a new base plug, applied an antler tip, and made a couple of brass ring fittings to attach a strap. The map is from one of the original contemporary drawings of the mythical Treasure Island and the ship is rigged like a mid 18th century "Hispaniola". The stopper is turned rosewood and is supposed to look like a ship's stern lantern. I tried to make the whole thing not look too hokey or cartoon like.

At any rate, this is how it came out......













Damn you're talented!
 
A ways back, I purchased a couple of really, really cheap horns for my then 9 and 13 year old nephews, basically to use as toys. I overhauled one for the eldest a several years ago. However, I forgot to take any pictures of the horn before I started. So then the youngest one wanted his horn improved a little. This is the $17 horn I started with:











I asked him if he had anything in mind for his horn and told him I probably could not do much engraving because the horn was so dark. He was into pirates then and wanted to know if I could do anything on the horn that was from Robert Louis Stevenson's "Treasure Island". I wasn't sure I could do much but said I would give it a try....I shouldn't have asked !

I made a new base plug, applied an antler tip, and made a couple of brass ring fittings to attach a strap. The map is from one of the original contemporary drawings of the mythical Treasure Island and the ship is rigged like a mid 18th century "Hispaniola". The stopper is turned rosewood and is supposed to look like a ship's stern lantern. I tried to make the whole thing not look too hokey or cartoon like.

At any rate, this is how it came out......













Super!
 
Dave, this is a rare example of making chicken salad from chicken manure : )
Absolutely unbelievable transformation.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top