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Post by Black Hand on Jul 6, 2023 11:22:50 GMT -7
The real pain is hickory rods are very hard to come by and now that I've snapped it getting a replacement is going to be a pain. You could make a threaded rod end - this would allow you to use the existing rod as the end would add several inches. You can then order a replacement at your leisure. Other woods could be used that might be found locally - I suspect ash would work. Do you have ash or something similar in your part of the planet?
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Post by bushfire on Jul 9, 2023 21:12:48 GMT -7
the ramrod is tapered with a jag pinned to the muzzle end already. I will still need to get a replacement at some point.
I ended up failing to get it out with the noose method because of the taper it kept slipping.
Finally got it out by notching two pieces of wood and clamping the protruding piece of ramrod between them in a vice and carefully pulling it out. About an inch of the ramrod is cracked but not yet fully broken off. I'll be able to load loose loads with it but will refrain from using it to clean the bore.
On a positive note, I think there is merit in the load I was working on before this happened. 90gn Swiss 2F, lubed felt wad, 0.600 ball and lubed patch on top. I had planned to patch the ball but wasn't able to get them into the bore with thumb pressure. I really don't want a tight fitting load so just put the patch on top to keep the ball in place. I reversed the gun a few times and tapped it muzzle down which didn't seem to unseat the ball. Hoping to eventually have a consistent group to hunt deer with to at 50m or better.
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Post by bushfire on Aug 6, 2023 5:28:42 GMT -7
I have a follow up question regarding fire.
How do folks catch a spark if they have no punk wood or charcloth?
Ive been using local quartz which doesn't throw a great shower of sparks and I've not been able to catch it on anything I haven't prepared for the purpose.
Has me wondering how people start the first fire if all you have is steel and a rock?
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Post by Black Hand on Aug 6, 2023 5:38:34 GMT -7
There are certain materials that will catch a spark "unprepared" - tinder fungus is one that comes to mind (sliced and dried). I watched a friend catch a spark with a piece of punky wood that was uncharred and picked up off the ground during one of our winter trips. I suspect that things like finely divided fibrous bark, plant fluff like cat tails or the pithy center of plant stems (Mullein, Sunflower) might also work. I've played a bit, but not much.
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Punk wood
Aug 6, 2023 10:10:00 GMT -7
via mobile
Post by brokennock on Aug 6, 2023 10:10:00 GMT -7
I have a follow up question regarding fire. How do folks catch a spark if they have no punk wood or charcloth? Ive been using local quartz which doesn't throw a great shower of sparks and I've not been able to catch it on anything I haven't prepared for the purpose. Has me wondering how people start the first fire if all you have is steel and a rock? Tinder fungus is the 1st thing that comes to mind, though I don't usually use it unprepared. The seed top of a cattail might work, I know it holds a coal a long time if I press an ember from an existing fire into it and blow on it. One can then carry that coal quite far. Maybe if you pinch off a little bit of the brown part to get inside and catch a spark there it might take and hold. The quartz might not be generating enough sparks that are hot enough. Can you use a diamond file or grinder and sharpen the edge more? Might help.
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Keith
City-dweller
Bushfire close but safe now. Getting some good rain.
Posts: 990
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Post by Keith on Aug 6, 2023 19:57:26 GMT -7
So I had cleaned out the fouling and was putting my last patch with barricade for storage in when it happened. I was cutting out old shirt for cleaning patches and I think it was too big so when I tried to draw it back it bunched up against jag - if that makes sense. It's my centermark so no screw out touch hole liner. My thinking was to loop something over and try to get it out that way. The real pain is hickory rods are very hard to come by and now that I've snapped it getting a replacement is going to be a pain. Make yourself a metal rod. Keith.
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Keith
City-dweller
Bushfire close but safe now. Getting some good rain.
Posts: 990
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Post by Keith on Aug 6, 2023 20:06:12 GMT -7
I used to create fire with a fire lighter and a match and think that was pretty good. Then I got myself a ferro rod, then finally some flint and steel. Char cloth has been the easy go to, but I have thought in the woods when you’re running low of patching material or whatever you’re planning on using it’d be good to have a local alternative. That’s where you fine gentleman introduced me to punk wood. I had heard of it but hadn’t really heard a lot of discussion about people actually using it. Anyway, when I shot a deer recently I found some laying right near it so decided to l try it out. My first attempt appears to be a success. Apologies if you can’t understand me, aside from the accent I have covid at the moment so am a bit stuffy. Keith.
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Keith
City-dweller
Bushfire close but safe now. Getting some good rain.
Posts: 990
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Post by Keith on Aug 6, 2023 20:09:37 GMT -7
I used to create fire with a fire lighter and a match and think that was pretty good. Then I got myself a ferro rod, then finally some flint and steel. Char cloth has been the easy go to, but I have thought in the woods when you’re running low of patching material or whatever you’re planning on using it’d be good to have a local alternative. That’s where you fine gentleman introduced me to punk wood. I had heard of it but hadn’t really heard a lot of discussion about people actually using it. Anyway, when I shot a deer recently I found some laying right near it so decided to l try it out. My first attempt appears to be a success. Apologies if you can’t understand me, aside from the accent I have covid at the moment so am a bit stuffy. Keith.
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Keith
City-dweller
Bushfire close but safe now. Getting some good rain.
Posts: 990
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Post by Keith on Aug 6, 2023 20:29:25 GMT -7
I have a follow up question regarding fire. How do folks catch a spark if they have no punk wood or charcloth? Ive been using local quartz which doesn't throw a great shower of sparks and I've not been able to catch it on anything I haven't prepared for the purpose. Has me wondering how people start the first fire if all you have is steel and a rock? First of all one is always on the look-out for plant & fungi tinders, & you keep your tinderbox topped up. You do not have to char the new tinder, it will often char in the tinderbox when making fire from the charred tinder already in the box. There is always something to be found that can be used by sprinkling it with gunpowder & striking a spark, cloth wads or wadding if you can't find a suitable plant or fungi tinder.
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Post by bushfire on Aug 7, 2023 0:23:21 GMT -7
Thanks Keith,
I'll take a look at the videos when I have a spare moment.
I went for a hunt on the weekend and picked up some punk wood. Last night while I had a fire going in the backyard to bake some potatoes for tea I charred a great heap of punk wood.
I also picked up an old black boy flower stalk thinking it might be ok. It wasn't spongy but wondered if being so porous it would still take a spark when charred. Didn't work very well.
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Post by Black Hand on Aug 7, 2023 7:13:37 GMT -7
Thanks Keith, I'll take a look at the videos when I have a spare moment. I went for a hunt on the weekend and picked up some punk wood. Last night while I had a fire going in the backyard to bake some potatoes for tea I charred a great heap of punk wood. I also picked up an old black boy flower stalk thinking it might be ok. It wasn't spongy but wondered if being so porous it would still take a spark when charred. Didn't work very well. That's excellent! Never pass on an opportunity to experiment - it can lead to interesting places/results.
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