This is the is the horn after it has been removed from the Ram's head, it still contains the core, which is the growing part of the horn and which is similar to the nail bed on a human.
The red mark on the horn is where I estimate the core will end so that the horn is hollow to this point.
The core has to be removed and I do this by knocking the end of the horn on a concrete floor.
This is the core removed and at this stage the hollow can be measured. In both photographs one can see the spiral in the horn, this has to be removed.
To achieve this the horn must be boiled for at least an hour, but longer if it is particularly dense. If you are doing this in the kitchen wait until your wife is out and have the extractor fan turned to full!!
This shows the horn, from the side clamped between the two metal plates.
It should be squeezed to about one and one-quarter inches so there is horn to be removed to reach the required size.
This is looking down on the horn and it can be seen how the core hole has become elongated. Each horn has a concave side, the head side of the horn, and a convex side, the outside of the horn and this squeezing will with luck balance them up.
Whilst the horn is boiling
assemble the tools for flattening
the horn, I use a single leg vice,
sometimes known as a
blacksmith's vice and two strong
metal plates. Some stickdressers
use a press fashioned from a
bottle car jack and a metal frame
with two plates, but this must be
strong enough to cope with the
pressure.
To help to minimise the size
of
files for downloading I will break the process up into blocks like
this. I retain copyright to this material but make it available to
individuals to assist them in making similar sticks.
