| Shetland Horns
© Kathy Baker May 30 2005
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Working with natural horn material requires a
combination of skill, craftsmanship and artistry.
Shetland horns can be made into buttons, pens, walking stick/crook
handles.
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above: Dave Carlson at the 2004 NASSA AGM
Alberta Canada photo by Kathy Baker |
| When a ram dies or is brought in for meat
processing, you can keep the head and horns. If you make
arrangements ahead of time, a custom meat processing plant will
usually be able to keep the head for you as long as you can pick it
up right away, as they must comply with disposal and health
regulations. If you are keeping only the horns, cut them off
the head at home with a saw. Dispose of the head according to the
local rules of your province or state.
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above: Dave Carlson at the 2004 NASSA AGM
Alberta Canada photo by Kathy Baker |
| The horn is comprised of an outer hard shell
and an inner base of live, vascular tissue. (For this reason,
he horn should not be cut off a live animal. As any shepherd
can attest, even a horn badly broken in a fight results in a great
deal of pain and blood loss for the ram.) The best way to remove the
inner tissue it is to let the horn dry. The tissue
inside will dry and shrink. The material can be dug out at that
point. This will take 3-6 months depending on the humidity and
temperature. Boiling will remove any last bits of loose
material. |
photo coming |
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| The horn can then be softened and heated so
that it shrinks down, and becomes more dense. The softened
horn also becomes more pliable at that point and can be shaped into
handles and such. When cool, it can cut into items like buttons and
sanded and polished. |
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above: Dave Carlson at the 2004 NASSA AGM
Alberta Canada
photo by Kathy Baker |
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Heads with full horn sets can also be
mounted for display. A taxidermist can mount the head of a
favorite or special ram.
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photo coming |
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above: Mounted head of original Flett ram
imported into Canada in 1948
Photo by Kathy Baker |
| The heads can also be cleaned of skin, flesh etc and
mounted as skulls. A "bug box" makes use of insects to clean off the
skull. Check with taxidermists and custom tanners to locate a
bug box. They can be tied up in a tree or put in a loft away from
dogs, so birds, insects and mice can
clean them off for you. If left long enough nature
will take its course. To learn more see
Bug
Boxes
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photo coming |
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above: Skulls of Flett rams from the barn loft at
the Flett Ranch in Saskatchewan, Canada
Photo by Kathy Baker |
