BRUSHING

[toot]

I use the ones with the nylon bristles.

nylon bristles are easier to reverse on pulling them out. brass will some times jam on reversing.

 

[toot]

My cleaning jags will allow me to use old green scrubby pads from the kitchen. That will get the crud out fast. Or if you are really wanting to use something serious. Go to the hardware store in the paint department and get some brass wool. It's just like steel wool but made of brass, that will really get the crud out fast without damaging the rifling. BTW, I use steel wool on my smoothbores, like why not.

nice to know.

 

[Grenadier1758]

Thanks for the info many and Grenadier. So I am thinking that I take, ssay the jute apart and make it into a small ball and use my

Not sure?

Yes you need to cut the twine into short lengths. 4 to 6 inches will do and take the twine down to the individual fibers and roll into a ball. Your jag should hold the tow, but a tow worm is better. The tow from flax is sturdier than tow from hemp or jute. I can rinse my tow from flax and reuse it many times before I put the worn out tow into my tinder box.

Check out @Smokey Plainsman's post in the following thread. View the attachment.

No slip Jag modification | The Muzzleloading Forum

No need for that. I use a tow worm, as did the old timers. The patch and jag is unneeded modernity.
View attachment 41982

 

[dlidster]

If someone is wanting to use a brush to clean their bores, be careful which brush you use.

Before you buy, look for the kind of brush that has a heavy wire with the bristles and that wire goes thru a hole in the screw end. You can actually see the heavy wire going thru the hole. These brushes are kinda hard to find but they are the only kind that should ever be shoved down a muzzleloaders bore.

Here's a link to the brush you want. You can buy it directly from the manufacturer if it's not in your local gun supplies outlet. I've also purchased several on eBay.

https://www.proshotproducts.com/Black-Powder-Bore-Brushes_c_122.html

 

[Rudy Thompson]

THanks Zonie, much appreciated.

Where would I get TOW Smokey? Does it ever come apart down the barrel so all of it doesn't come back out? Thanks.

I have seen it on E BAY

 

[Grenadier1758]

You can get tow from flax from several on line suppliers.

The Woolery sell it in 1 pound lots. That would be enough to last a very long time for you and most of your friends and a lot of people you don't even know yet.

Flax Tow | Tow Fiber - 1.0 lb. | The Woolery

Dixie Gun Works has tow in a much more manageable size.

PA4500 Flax "Tow" (dixiegunworks.com)

Dixie does caution about pieces being broken off and left in the bore. They also warn about smoldering bits causing fires.

I do tie string around my ball of tow to pull it out if it comes off my ramrod. This is especially important when using the metal button on the rod in my King's Musket. I have had good results using tow (from flax) and not had my balls of tow come apart.

 

[flashpoint]

What type of gun? Got pics?

.45 Seneca

 

[flashpoint]

Bore brushes should be of the type that have their wire wound through the threaded part, so they can’t come off in the bore. But if your brush should come off in the bore, just use a rod with a slotted tip. Tie a “bird’s nest” of string- a small ball of string- to the slotted tip and use that to fish out the brush- works like a charm. I usually use the worm and patch, or tow, in conjunction with a fouling scraper of the appropriate caliber, to get the breech clean.

Thanks Towgunner. Good Idea.

 

[flashpoint]

I have seen it on E BAY

Ok. I'll look there. Thanks

 

[flashpoint]

You can get tow from flax from several on line suppliers.

The Woolery sell it in 1 pound lots. That would be enough to last a very long time for you and most of your friends and a lot of people you don't even know yet.

Flax Tow | Tow Fiber - 1.0 lb. | The Woolery

Dixie Gun Works has tow in a much more manageable size.

PA4500 Flax "Tow" (dixiegunworks.com)

Dixie does caution about pieces being broken off and left in the bore. They also warn about smoldering bits causing fires.

I do tie string around my ball of tow to pull it out if it comes off my ramrod. This is especially important when using the metal button on the rod in my King's Musket. I have had good results using tow (from flax) and not had my balls of tow come apart.

Thanks for the links Grenadier.

 

[Mr Mortimer]

My cleaning jags will allow me to use old green scrubby pads from the kitchen. That will get the crud out fast. Or if you are really wanting to use something serious. Go to the hardware store in the paint department and get some brass wool. It's just like steel wool but made of brass, that will really get the crud out fast without damaging the rifling. BTW, I use steel wool on my smoothbores, like why not.

Aren't green scrubbies harsher than steel wool? Better Half took the dark finish off my pet cast iron frypan with one. Steel wool (seldom used) didn't. Works well on my shotgun too. Since it fits-all, I've thought of it for the rifles, but been too chicken. Steel on steel should polish?

 

[Yewbender]

Grenadier1758, thanks for the tip on The Woolery...just placed an order as i need more Tow!

 

[smo]

So I am thinking that I take, ssay the jute apart and make it into a small ball and use my

Not sure?

.45 Seneca

FP, The T/C Seneca has a pattern breech .
I would be really carful about putting small ball of anything in it.
It could be a pita too remove..

The pic shows a scraper made for those type breeches, However I’ve always just flushed them good with my jag and a tight patch..

 

[Zonie]

Maybe someone said this but in case they didn't, another good trick for getting a stuck brush out of a muzzleloader is to buy a length of brass tubing that is as long as the bore is deep and is slightly smaller than the bore size.

Push the tube down the bore until it hits the stuck brush. Then, lightly tap the tube to drive it and the brush deeper into the bore.
When the brush hits the bottom of the bore, it can't go any further so the tube will bend the bristles and slide over the brush.
Once the tube has reached the bottom of the bore, the brush will be totally inside the tube so all you have to do is to pull the tube out and your problem is gone.

(Removing the sharp edge where the inside of the tube meets the lower end helps the tube slip over the brush.)

 

[Carbon 6]

I'm a member of the STUCK BRUSH CLUB and the BROKEN BRUSH CLUB, so the word "brush" is a 4 letter word to me.
Brushes are for breechloaders.

 

[oldwood]

In case you did unknowingly get some of the crimped brushes , they can be made serviceable with a 30 watt electric soldering iron and run some silver solder and flux into the ferrule. 20 years ago I got a deal on some crimped brushes . Had to solder each one to keep them from coming apart. Learned the hard way so never bought any of those any more. The easy way to remove a separated brush , is w/ one of those skinny worms that look like a cork screw made from pretty stout wire. Think I used to use that kind to remove shotgun wads.......oldwood

 

[Flinty Scot]

Aren't green scrubbies harsher than steel wool? Better Half took the dark finish off my pet cast iron frypan with one. Steel wool (seldom used) didn't. Works well on my shotgun too. Since it fits-all, I've thought of it for the rifles, but been too chicken. Steel on steel should polish?

I agree, but there are other types ( blue) which are sod as non-scratch & safe for Teflon coated cookware.

 

[Carbon 6]

Just say no to brushes kids.