While I am trying to move away from working rams horn there are customers that will not settle for anything else. So after some persuasion by a customer here we are again.
First step is to choose a suitable horn and that is easier said than done for not all horns will make a decent crook.
Next step, boil for a hour or two depending on how hot you can bet your boiler..
After that comes the press. Again, looks simple but you do have to battle a bit with a biggish horn to get it into the press and and flatten it. This has to be done in a couple of stages. Hot horn goes into the press, thick end first, leaving the thin end hanging out of the press. While that is pressing you have to apply lots of heat using a hot air gun to the part outside the press and once supple enough clamp the horn to bring the curl into line with the bit in the press. Once that is done you have to work as fast as possible to release the the pressure on the press and centre the whole horn in the press. This was not possible before because of the curl in the horn. You can get it all in , in one stage but you then damage the big end of the horn in the press because at this point nothing lays flat. So two stages are necessary.
Now leave overnight to cool.
More to follow as we progress.