Old Stumpy
Member
- Joined
- Mar 3, 2019
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- 1,451
I noticed little current information on making a powder horn on this forum, and I was thinking that there must be a number of members who might like to do so. I am passing on what I know about it and what some resources are there to help you. I never got much into decorating a horn. I just wanted a nice looking plain horn like those that I had seen pictured in books.
These were very much the majority in use, despite the many scrimshawed and engrailed fancy horns that have survived.
Firstly there is the task of finding an unfinished horn to build your powder horn from. This used to be an easy task with "Track of the Wolf" and quite a few others offering them, but those resources seem to be drying up.
"Dixie Gun Works" offers this kit which seems a good bet for a first horn though:
The steer horn is sanded smooth and rounded inside and out, and the base plug is already turned.
Also, Tandy still sells "sanded steer horns" at their stores in the USA and at "Tandy Leather factory" in Canada. You will definitely need to pick through them to select horns that are the right shape, not too skinny, and (as you can see) ones that do not have deep inside grooves which would make it impossible to seal the plug in place. This is easy to do though. These are decent horns that can be shaped and sanded and polished easily, boiled to shape to the base plug easily, and dyed with Ritt dyes quite well.
A reference book or two is also very helpful so that you can get an idea of what your horn actually should look like to present an example with an authentic appearance.
The book by "Madison Grant" called "The Kentucky Rifle Hunting Pouch" is a doubly useful book since it pictures pouches, powder horns, and rifles, along with dates, some history, and dimensions.
Available from "Track of the Wolf" the name is misleading because it pictures both 18th and 19th century gear from both the eastern and western parts of the frontier. The appendices also pictures frontier knives that were in use with the bags. Though black and white pictures, it is a great resource.
Also extremely useful is the softcover book by "Scott and Kathy Sibley" called "Recreating the 18th Century Powder Horn". This title is also misleading since it is an instruction manual for making ANY kind of powder and covers all of the basics from cutting, hole drilling, boiling or heat rounding the base, making a spout plug, and all of the basics. It shows you how to make some simple wooden fixtures for shaping as well as a file-reamer for tapering the pouring spout hole. Later chapters do contain instructions to take your horn to the next level if you are so inclined. I think that this is the go-to book to make a powder horn.
I can't go into much detail here, but there are some tips that I can mention that are not in the book.
One is the use of woodworkers' rifflers if you are shaping the inside of an unsanded horn. These are specialty rasps that will smooth out the interior enough that you can then sand it. Only a few are the right shape, and you only need one or two. You can buy them at "Lee Valley Tools".
I find a carpenters' brace and an ordinary twist drill the best tool to drill the spout hole. You can go slow and stop and adjust your angle to get it right. Since you are drilling into an inverted cone which curves to one side, you have to take it slow and careful. You might be able to find a brace that isn't worn out at a flea market, or have one in the basement. You can also order a decent inexpensive one off E-bay. Avoid anything with plastic parts. Ask if it has looseness before buying.
Some are 90 years old and in great shape. Others may be 30 years old and worn out.
This one is representative of the inexpensive home and farm type with an open ratchet that Stanley and Millers Falls and others made forever by the truck load.
A good brace for the average user.
An eggbeater drill is the best tool for pre-drilling for nails, brass pins, or hardwood pins to secure your base plug. It's efficient and also allows slow careful drilling. You can pick up a Schroder at Lee Valley Tools if you can't find a decent one at a flea market or antique store. Although it has alloy parts, it's a good drill. These drills are only capable of drilling a maximum 1/8" hole effectively despite the chuck size. They work just as well in soft steels, brass, and aluminum, and you can use it for many hobbies.
This is a Stanley Handyman drill, made in the 1960s as a guess. A good choice. These were made from the 1930s up until around 2000. The earlier ones like this have a separate cast iron drive gear and steel crank handle, as well as a well-made chuck. The last ones have a pot metal one piece crank and gear and a crappy chuck with cast parts that break. Find an early one that isn't worn out with too much slop in the gear and end-play in the drive spindle. Check parts with a magnet if possible. The one shown is surprisingly mint. It sold for $30.00 US.
Leatherworking skills are useful if you want to make a strap for your horn. Straps were hand sewn at the ends, so this might be a skill that you want to learn. Tandy is the go-to place to find books, leather, dyes, and supplies. Obviously if you want to make some powder horns you will also want to make pouches, so you will also need Tandy for that.
These were very much the majority in use, despite the many scrimshawed and engrailed fancy horns that have survived.
Firstly there is the task of finding an unfinished horn to build your powder horn from. This used to be an easy task with "Track of the Wolf" and quite a few others offering them, but those resources seem to be drying up.
"Dixie Gun Works" offers this kit which seems a good bet for a first horn though:
The steer horn is sanded smooth and rounded inside and out, and the base plug is already turned.
Also, Tandy still sells "sanded steer horns" at their stores in the USA and at "Tandy Leather factory" in Canada. You will definitely need to pick through them to select horns that are the right shape, not too skinny, and (as you can see) ones that do not have deep inside grooves which would make it impossible to seal the plug in place. This is easy to do though. These are decent horns that can be shaped and sanded and polished easily, boiled to shape to the base plug easily, and dyed with Ritt dyes quite well.
A reference book or two is also very helpful so that you can get an idea of what your horn actually should look like to present an example with an authentic appearance.
The book by "Madison Grant" called "The Kentucky Rifle Hunting Pouch" is a doubly useful book since it pictures pouches, powder horns, and rifles, along with dates, some history, and dimensions.
Available from "Track of the Wolf" the name is misleading because it pictures both 18th and 19th century gear from both the eastern and western parts of the frontier. The appendices also pictures frontier knives that were in use with the bags. Though black and white pictures, it is a great resource.
Also extremely useful is the softcover book by "Scott and Kathy Sibley" called "Recreating the 18th Century Powder Horn". This title is also misleading since it is an instruction manual for making ANY kind of powder and covers all of the basics from cutting, hole drilling, boiling or heat rounding the base, making a spout plug, and all of the basics. It shows you how to make some simple wooden fixtures for shaping as well as a file-reamer for tapering the pouring spout hole. Later chapters do contain instructions to take your horn to the next level if you are so inclined. I think that this is the go-to book to make a powder horn.
I can't go into much detail here, but there are some tips that I can mention that are not in the book.
One is the use of woodworkers' rifflers if you are shaping the inside of an unsanded horn. These are specialty rasps that will smooth out the interior enough that you can then sand it. Only a few are the right shape, and you only need one or two. You can buy them at "Lee Valley Tools".
I find a carpenters' brace and an ordinary twist drill the best tool to drill the spout hole. You can go slow and stop and adjust your angle to get it right. Since you are drilling into an inverted cone which curves to one side, you have to take it slow and careful. You might be able to find a brace that isn't worn out at a flea market, or have one in the basement. You can also order a decent inexpensive one off E-bay. Avoid anything with plastic parts. Ask if it has looseness before buying.
Some are 90 years old and in great shape. Others may be 30 years old and worn out.
This one is representative of the inexpensive home and farm type with an open ratchet that Stanley and Millers Falls and others made forever by the truck load.
A good brace for the average user.
An eggbeater drill is the best tool for pre-drilling for nails, brass pins, or hardwood pins to secure your base plug. It's efficient and also allows slow careful drilling. You can pick up a Schroder at Lee Valley Tools if you can't find a decent one at a flea market or antique store. Although it has alloy parts, it's a good drill. These drills are only capable of drilling a maximum 1/8" hole effectively despite the chuck size. They work just as well in soft steels, brass, and aluminum, and you can use it for many hobbies.
This is a Stanley Handyman drill, made in the 1960s as a guess. A good choice. These were made from the 1930s up until around 2000. The earlier ones like this have a separate cast iron drive gear and steel crank handle, as well as a well-made chuck. The last ones have a pot metal one piece crank and gear and a crappy chuck with cast parts that break. Find an early one that isn't worn out with too much slop in the gear and end-play in the drive spindle. Check parts with a magnet if possible. The one shown is surprisingly mint. It sold for $30.00 US.
Leatherworking skills are useful if you want to make a strap for your horn. Straps were hand sewn at the ends, so this might be a skill that you want to learn. Tandy is the go-to place to find books, leather, dyes, and supplies. Obviously if you want to make some powder horns you will also want to make pouches, so you will also need Tandy for that.
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