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flashpoint

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Hey everyone.
I have a nice powder horn and not being particularly craft oriented, I was wondering if anyone knows how I might give it a more antiqued look? It's smooth and nicely polished so I don't know if it would take any kind of dye treatment. I am looking for a warm amber-ish tan patina like you would see on some of the older horns.
Thanks for any suggestions. FP
 

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Try a little dab of old English furniture polish,they have dark and lighter polishes. I use the dark now and them on my deer skull antlers,i had an artist lady paint Sitting Bull on the skull..
 
Got this dear eastern Nevada
 

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Since horn is a hair compressed, you sure shouldn't overlook hair dye. Comes in platinum through black and different manufacturers have different colors and variations of colors. Use vinyl gloves and thicker cotton cloth to apply.
 
Since horn is a hair compressed, you sure shouldn't overlook hair dye. Comes in platinum through black and different manufacturers have different colors and variations of colors. Use vinyl gloves and thicker cotton cloth to apply.
That's a really good point Jack. It being compressed hair never did occur to me. I'll check it out. Thanks. FP
 
I got that tip from a master horner a member of the horners guild. He's since passed on. Great Man who joined his father.
 

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When I started in the hobby, before it became a good part of life itself; I used old coffee grounds tea, etc (and fresh) in boiling water to do stains on bone, as well as horn ( warm water- boiling will do things you may not want the horn to do. Maybe) Bone and antler sometimes need antiquing; like pipes and such. Now, I include hair dyes as well as clothes dies. FYI
 
Onion skins, several ways to do it. Do a google search, Muzzleloader mag. years ago, I believe, had a story on it. I did age a couple of mine, but after thinking about it, decided in 1800, the horn I was using would have been and looked new. It takes a while to naturally turn. I can show you 3 of mine made in the 70's that are still quite white, over 40 years now. I did take off a Jersy cow horn that was naturally yellow/brown and looked great, for a priming horn when we still had a dairy.
 
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