Drinking Horn help?

[thewarning]

I can't find any drinking horn messages boards, so thought I'd try here. I'm working on my first drinking horn. I cleaned, deodorized, and sanitized it already. I have sandpaper from 120 to 3000. I started with 120 and went with the grain for 30 minutes. I then used 150/ 180/ 240 for 15 minutes more. I'm still far from done, but the horn is starting to get smoother and I improved the shape. Unexpectedly, the color looks a lot more dull now. (See before and after pics.) I thought the color would really come out and pop the further I go along. Am I somehow sanding the color out? Or will the color come back out the more I sand with higher grit and then buff it?

What are your thoughts on leaving the inside natural vs beeswax, vs salad bowl finish vs epoxy?

What specific kind of paint would you recommend for decorating the horn?

 

[bkboiler]

Hmm...first off, very cool project! I admire your ambition!
I watched a YouTube video a while back showing the making of a leather mug (blackjack)
He used pine pitch and beeswax but said next time he'd rather he have just used straight pine pitch.
Hope that helps!

 

[SoulToast]

A nail buffer might work to bring up the color and shine since horn is keratin.

For finish, you’re best off using shellac since it’s food safe. Beeswax would be a good addition to the interior, and you could put whatever you want in it. It melts at a relatively low temp, so pretty safe to work with.

If you want to be dead sure about what’s in your finish, you can make your own shellac pretty simply. Oddly enough, I stumbled on an article about that yesterday: Make Shellac - How To - Wood Bowl Finish - Turn A Wood Bowl

 

[JP_BeerFan]

Normally I love Shellac as a finish, but its not so durable with extended water exposure. And, it dissolves in alcohol... So that might make it less useful for a drinking horn finish, with a water, stuff, and alcohol solution... at least on the inside.

No practical knowlege here with beverage container use, anyone else have any?

 

[Kickass]

Do you have an update for us? I’d love to see the finished product.