Barberpole

[nvbirdman]

I have seen here and there that the old timers used to burn a barberpole into their ramrods.
The pictures that I have seen on this forum of old guns did not have a barberpole.
Is it authentic or not?

 

[Slowpoke]

Just like other things, it was a fad. Some late makers did it, others didn't. Mostly in the south, Tennessee, North Carolina, Southern Virginia.

 

[Zonie]

IMO some of the original guns which are found with barber pole, or candy striped ramrods may have had their ramrods replaced with new striped ones. Who's to say?
Several of these guns are shown in the book STEEL CANVAS by R.L.Wilson

I have read of at least one case where a Pennsylvania rifle was found and by all indications, the ramrod and the rifle was a untouched pre 1800 original. Its ramrod was striped with a barber pole pattern.