Traditional Muzzleloading Association

Craftsmanship => Accoutrements => Topic started by: Ohio Joe on August 31, 2020, 02:09:34 PM

Title: Boiling Horns to get the center out?
Post by: Ohio Joe on August 31, 2020, 02:09:34 PM

Okay guys - I need the expert advice of boiling horns to get the center core (or whatever it's called) out...

Q: How long to boil - approximately - and will the center slide out on its own, or what? What is the proceedure?

While cleaning out my metal shed this morning I found a bucket of cow horns someone gave some time ago... Anyway, if you don't mind - throw me some info on the above.

Thanks!  :shake

Title: Re: Boiling Horns to get the center out?
Post by: Bigsmoke on August 31, 2020, 02:57:57 PM

Joe,
Although I have processed thousands of cow horns into powderhorns and other things, I have never had the dubious pleasure of removing the core.  I think a long flexible, narrow knife would be a big help.  As would a 4 x 1/2" lag bolt to screw into the core.  A 1/4" bolt might work easier.  And it could be longer as well.
I am thinking someone posted a video here a few months ago showing how it was done.
I would guess boiling it maybe 10 minutes should be adequate.  As you say, you have had these horns some time, so the membrane could even be non-existent by now.
Hope these few thoughts help maybe even a little bit.

John (Bigsmoke)

P. S.  Would love to come visit you, but would not walk across the street to help you with this project.  Sorry, but I have managed to avoid boiling horns to remove cores for over 35 years.  Don't really want to start now. :wave  It was bad enough rough and fine sanding them all.

Title: Re: Boiling Horns to get the center out?
Post by: PetahW on August 31, 2020, 03:00:17 PM

.

Here's the skinny, Joe:

http://www.personal.utulsa.edu/~marc-carlson/horn/horng.html

.

Title: Re: Boiling Horns to get the center out?
Post by: Ohio Joe on August 31, 2020, 04:13:24 PM

Thanks guys!  Good info for sure.

John, we start tomorrow if you can make it???  :lol sign  (if it's not raining of course)... Thank you for the info.  :shake

PetahW, thank you - great information!

Guys, I did find one video on youtube that showed a guy boiling a horn then (I think it was after 10 minutes of boiling the horn - he took it out of the water and with his knife cut just above the base (all the way round) and pulled the core out...

I'll see if I can find that video again and posted here.

Thanks again, all good information from our good folks at the TMA!!!  :hairy

Here's the video I watched;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHPG6B0_mCY&feature=emb_logo

Title: Re: Boiling Horns to get the center out?
Post by: Bigsmoke on August 31, 2020, 06:07:48 PM

Yessir, Joe.  That's the one I was thinking of.  Glad you found it.
Enjoy, and don't forget, the soup you have left over is not the soup you bring in for lunch. :luff:

Title: Re: Boiling Horns to get the center out?
Post by: Ohio Joe on August 31, 2020, 06:15:42 PM

Quote from: Bigsmoke on August 31, 2020, 06:07:48 PM

Yessir, Joe.  That's the one I was thinking of.  Glad you found it.
Enjoy, and don't forget, the soup you have left over is not the soup you bring in for lunch. :luff:

Well dang!  :o  You go to the trouble of making horn soup and ye kain't even et' it...  :lol sign :shake

Title: Re: Boiling Horns to get the center out?
Post by: Bigsmoke on August 31, 2020, 06:26:52 PM

You can - I won't.
When I used to boil horns to soften them for rounding, I brought a bucket of "soup" into the shop at lunch time and set it on the cutting table that we used to dine around.  I couldn't convince any of the gals that it would be really good.  They did make me take it away, though.

John (Bigsmoke)

Title: Re: Boiling Horns to get the center out?
Post by: Ohio Joe on August 31, 2020, 06:29:08 PM

 :lol sign

That be some wise gals!!!  :hairy

Title: Re: Boiling Horns to get the center out?
Post by: Winter Hawk on August 31, 2020, 06:56:32 PM

Be glad they made you take it away, and not force you to demonstrate how tasty it was! :o

~Kees~