Replace Horn Covering without Swell coming off

[OldRedMule]

Replacing a horn covering, it twisted off, without taking the swell off. Can that be done? I am afraid it will just twist off again because he does rope. It is a bare metal horn now. How would I secure that from twisting? Just glue? The owner does't want the extra expense of the cover being done. I am new at this. If this has already been addressed please let me know. I could get everything covered up with a horn wrap so you would not be able to tell, but will it stay?

[blue62]

Should have the swell cover taken off to do it right, so the tails of the wrap can be tightened and tacked down, I just use glue, the tails should be wrapped so they tighten when the rope is dallied, so it matters if the rider is left or right handed, I rivet my filler to the top of the horn, it seems to help with stabilizing the wrap, then glue it down., Then wrap the finished horn in mulehide.

On a side note a heavy layer or two of inner tube seems to work to protect the horn cover as well.

I'm not sure why it seems that everyone that comes in for a saddle repair wants to be cheap, the isn't anything cheap about horses, roping or any of the associated stuff.

[bland]

 

Here is how Stohlmans' suggest dealing with a metal horn.  Basically the same thing that Blue62 suggested with the rivets.  It is best to remove the fork cover but it can be trimmed around the base of the horn and put a horn wrap on mulehide or latigo (clockwise for right handed roper).  They will need to change out the wrap when it starts wearing out before it is worn out.    

[Goldshot Ron]

As blue62 mentioned, after recovering the horn, you wrap the horn.  After, installing the wrap, you won't see the metal horn.  Any of the horn wing leather left, can be tucked down into the horn hole and flattened under the swell cover.  How you secure the cap filler piece depends on the style of horn.  I am assuming that blue62 has drilled holes through the horn cap to install the rivets.

Ron

[blue62]

Yes I drill holes in the horn and use a couple pop rivets and some contact adhesive to secure it in place.

Here is a picture of a inner tube wrap if anyone was curious.

[bland]

For me personally I would put a latigo horn wrap under the rubber.  

[Josh Ashman]

My $0.02. Worth just what it cost you  

No need to remove the swell covering. Rivet or screw (grind the bottom of the screws off after their in) the filler to the metal horn in at least 3 places. When you sew the top with wings and bottom to the filler it will all be secured to the horn with these rivets/screws. Wrap the wings and trim them just below the swell cover then tuck them into the horn hole as Ron noted above. Or, you can cut them short of the bottom of the horn, once it's wrapped with mulehide, latigo or whatever your choice is it won't be visible anyway. Mulehide and similar horn wraps let you slip your dallies easier, rubber inner tube wrap has the opposite effect. Roping style dictates which is better, or if you're not doing much (or any) roping, whatever you think looks better will determine it. 

Good luck with your project! 

Josh

[OldRedMule]

Wow, thanks everybody. I appreciate the feed back. I drilled and screwed (2) and then wrapped not taking off the swell. I wrapped as I have done on newly built saddles as much as I could getting down low. I held in place with cotton kitchen string wrapped around the base real tight. No where to tack....Then trimmed the tails, let it dry  and added the wing piece also wrapping as low as I could go. Then after stitching on a rawhide strip I wrapped in latigo. Turned out well I think. Hope it stays, but just so you all know, there were no holes in that horn when I got it!