If you are fond of drinking, you are more likely to be familiar with a
drinking horn. They have been around for the longest time and are considered more than simple drinking vessels. Drinking wine or mead from a horn is more of a symbolic representation and ritual. Likewise, many people are interested in knowing the preparation of these horns.
Drinking Horns DIY
Well, the very first thing is to get a horn that does not have any chips or cracks. There must be a clear separation between the internal core and external rim. Keep in mind, if the rims are thicker than 3/8 inch, they won’t be able to hold the required liquid. Next, you should boil your horn for approximately 10 minutes – 2 quarts of water will be enough for this purpose. Boil it until the core gets soft. Remove the internal core using a spoon and carefully scrape the sides. You will need to scrub the horn inside as well using a brush with thick bristles. Wash it with clean water and let the horn dry.
Fill the fresh and clean water in the horn and taste it. If the water tastes clean that means the horn is thoroughly cleaned otherwise you will need to do it again. For a smooth and matte finishing, use sandpaper for the outside of the horn. You can then rub it with a suede chamois for more shine. Many people want to keep their drinking horns in natural shape, while some people may also want to design their version. To keep up a natural shape, all you need to do is trim rough edges and polish them. For a different design, you will need to heat the horn at a melting point. Make sure not to over-melt it.
Once the horn gets at the required temperature, it can be smoothly pressed to fit into the desired shape. On the other hand, you can even engrave it with some carved patterns. This can be comparatively tricky and needs a little more time. When it comes to final cleaning, some horns require a more smooth look and high polishing while others need comparatively less refining for a natural horn appearance. Lastly, we would recommend you to have a sealed coating on your drinking horn or else it becomes more susceptible to degradation. Here you go with your final horn ready to use!
