Cracked Powder Horn

[piotr-cz]

Horn had two cracks, which tied with copper wire, making a whole to become an interesting look
cow horn, wood, copper nails, copper wire
length of the curve 24 cm

[rollingb]

Good repair,..... well done.  

[Buzzard]

Is that hide badger? Very nice "repair" on the horn.

[Old-Mark]

I'm new at this so forgive the question if it id dumb.  Looking at the repair, wouldn't where the staples enter, wouldn't that allow air to get to the powder?

[Fletcher]

It would seem that the crack and staples would let in moisture over time - especially in a humid climate.

I think I would have been more inclined to patch with a clear epoxy and try to sand and stain so it would
show as little as possible.  If you only hold powder for a day trip then put back in the can it probably will not matter.
It is hard to have a good old piece of equipment start to give out on you and you always want to do what you can to
preserve it.

[piotr-cz]

Fracture filled with wax, I hope that it will stop moisture

[toot]

how did you get them to stay put? seams like the one that is in the horn would work out after time? the other one is driven into would, so no movement on that one. just curious?

[toot]

BTW, THAT POWDER HORN RELY HAS THAT BEEN THERE DONE THATLOOK. it is a real beauty, I can see why you saved it.

[KDubs]

 
 i like it
kevin

[rollingb]

I use beeswax and rawhide to repair "cracks and gaps" in old powder horns with similar problems, it's one (of several) traditional repairs that prevents moisture from getting into the horn as it renders the horn completely "air-tight". 

[ridjrunr]

Yep, beezwax and rawhide👍🏻

[shootrj2003]

  Rawhide is one of nature’s miracles,I love it’s strength and ability’s,I has been used for building,repairing making gun and knife sheaths,it is like the original Fiberglas ,it’s been used as lightweight but amazingly tough and strong armor,it can be water proofed with lacquer,and I have made two powder horns using rawhide instead of a wood plug,my very first horn, I use for hunting since the 70’s,I made with a rawhide cap,waterproofed with lacquer,it has never let my powder get wet in all these years and one I made for my brother in Utah,(I still have to send it to him)it works so well,I often wonder why I have never seen any originals made that way,it’s easier than fitting a wood plug,and in someways more secure, [ Invalid Attachment ]