Horns are of different shapes and sizes: they also. very rough. The first work is to reduce them to workable sizes. This is done by sawing them into desired lengths and using the draw knife to work them down smooth. The horn determines the article to be made, as it is impossible to twist or turn the horn into desired shapes. Ni theless the workmen show no little ingenuity in shaping and making cute boxes, of all sizes and forms, in the round shape. A few lend themselves to the oval but none to the square or flat, unless the sides are glued, which is sometimes done, but the glued article dees not stand wear and soon cracks.
A lathe is used to turn the boxes and put shine on them. The lathe knives are made locally, and are very good. The boxes are polished with a piece of straw braid, into which is dusted a little soot and some saliva, blown into the soot in the straw. The final polish is done by hand when the whole article is put together. It is all a simple process and one which anyone could accomplish if they applied themselves to the work. The workmen show great inventiveness and ingonuity in the. selection of the pieces of rough horn for various articles and also in the results obtained.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.