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My project.

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Parnell:
I'm posting this up to hopefully motivate myself to get his project going again.  So...Dall ram horns.  One strip is about 23" the other about 21.5"  The handle area is coming in at 1 3/8".  I'm seeing that with about a 3.5" overlap or the lap splice the bow length can be around 35".  I've put the strips into hot water once and clamped them down as best I could but they are still really gnarly.   Since, I've scraped them down more and figure they should be a bit easier to work with.

Suggestions for designs?  Would anyone want to weigh in on the Hidatsa like "gull" design vs. more a flat handled design?

If I'm going with a 3.5" lap splice, how long should the reinforcing piece of horn overlapping be?  How many rivets?
Should I reinforce the belly too?

It has been hard for me to straighten and shape the strips.  Suggestions?  Little by little over steam?  Does dry heat work or does it scorch the horn? 

I'm hoping to get this progressing and keep you all posted.  Help!

Stephen

Parnell:
Some more straightening last night, some submersion and some steam. 

PrimitiveTim:
thanks for doing this!  I've never seen the whole process of a horn bow before.  This is gonna be real cool!

bubby:
Hopefully james or lofflerchuck will chime in, I know when making powderhorns a guy I know puts them in a hot oil bath and cooks them a while ti flatten out the horn for flasks, but oil and sinew is bad juju

mullet:
You can do it with a heat gun, Steve. That's how James told me to do it.

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