Fouling scrapers and vent picks.

How many people use fouling scrapers?
What are they for?
How do you use them?
Are there different kinds?
What is a vent pick.
Is it a pick as in "pick and shovel"?
What are they made from?
What kind do you prefer?
Can this thread be a looooooong as the "Lube Wars" thread? ::

 

[musketman]

A vent pick is a tool that is used to pick your vent (or touchhole), works the same way as a miners pick except you don't swing it, more of a poking action (guess it should be renamed "vent poke"...

I believe fouling scrapers are used to scrape fouling off the bottom of the barrel and/or face of the breech.


I prefer a brass scraper myself, but my vent pick is heavy gauge wire glued inside the quill of a discarded bluejay's feather...

The feather doubles as a pan brush as well...

 

disgarded bluejay feather?
They toss them away when they don't want them anymore?
litterbugs!

 

[musketman]

disgarded bluejay feather?
They toss them away when they don't want them anymore?
litterbugs!

Yep, here's what my vent pick looks like...

I use a bronze wire (long shanked) fish hook with the eye and most if the bend cut off...

When I'm not using it, I just stick it in the brim of my hat...

 

I also use a brass "fouling " scraper. It's part of maintainance.
I always carry a vent pick, mine is just a bone handled wire.and i shoot capper!

A good rock tossin shooter ALWAYS has a feather ta hand!the ones that don't,,don't shoot fer manure!!,,,,,,,,,

go to a 'vous! you'll see. remember,don't cut yer thumb!,we'er all just electrons on your screen,,,go see "real" folks,,,,,,,,put the books down! Turn the puter off! Go See!

 

[robinghewitt]

The Mary Rose pattern musket had a scowering stick with two iron blades sprung out to a tight fit in the barrel.

Perhaps a little extreme for the modern shooter ::

 

[robinghewitt]

A good rock tossin shooter ALWAYS has a feather ta hand!the ones that don't,,don't shoot fer manure!!,,,,,,,,,

So that's where I've been going wrong all these years ::

I have a pet barn owl, if I ask nicely she might give me one.

 

[SquirrelsaurusR]

Maxiball,
thanks for indulging me, but I didn't mean a single thread. I meant a whole new category! We could call it "Pick 'n Scrape", or maybe "Muck Removal 101". ::

I suppose, if we bend the rules a bit, we could include pan brushes and ball pullers. But none of them new-fangled, high-tech CO2 ball dischargers! This new forum would be strictly for traditional muck-cleaning items. ::

 

if you care for your barn owl proper,,she'll give ya one. You won't even have ta ask,just look in the morning,,you'll see.
a feather in the vent while loading? oh ya,,truth to that.

 

[roundball]

I foolishly bought brass fouling scrapers for each caliber rifle, but have never used them, never had a problem...I assume it's because my rifles have patent breeches;

Also bought vent picks when I geared up for flintlocks but have never used one of them either, I assume it's because of the big fast vent liners and Goex that I use;

Same thing for all the little brass knapping hammers I bought for each caliber shooting pouch...never used them either...I should have a garage sale !! ::

 

[roundball]

Maxiball,
thanks for indulging me, but I didn't mean a single thread. I meant a whole new category! We could call it "Pick 'n Scrape", or maybe "Muck Removal 101". ::

Don't know if you're joking but I actually agree that there could easily be a separate category for "Cleaning", another for "Lubes", etc

I suppose, if we bend the rules a bit, we could include pan brushes and ball pullers. But none of them new-fangled, high-tech CO2 ball dischargers! This new forum would be strictly for traditional muck-cleaning items. ::

 

:haha: :blah: :blah: :haha:
This whole thread was a tongue in cheek joke!
BUT since there is so much good info comming out of it why not keep it going.
Just keep in mind I am bold, mouthy, and have a sense of humor almost as warped as Musketmans.
Made me up 'nuther batch o' Stumpy's lube last night. Put 1/2 again as much beeswax in it and it's still soft and very usable for patch lube. Might be even better fer booooolets.
Lube, ya gotta love it! :blah:

 

[tg]

For those who live in the U S of A remember that it is a no-no to posses even a very small Owl or Hawk feather, the Feds frown on this and the fine is hefty, some states may have a similar attitude about protected non-raptor feathers?

 

[musketman]

For those who live in the U S of A remember that it is a no-no to posses even a very small Owl or Hawk feather, the Feds frown on this and the fine is hefty,

It's a good thing Robin G Hewitt is in England, eh?

Does this mean that if he ever comes to the states to hunt, he can't bring the owl vent pick with him? :haha: :haha:

Maxiball stated: Just keep in mind I am bold, mouthy, and have a sense of humor almost as warped as Musketmans.

Warped eh? I like to think of myself as different... :winking:

 

[roundball]

It's not uncommon to find the occasional owl, hawk, turkey, songbird, and other feathers as I walk through the woods...never heard it was against the law to pick up a simple feather and have it in my possession...where would such laws be listed?

 

[bob1961]

i seen a broad wing hawk get hit by a car i was behind off of the windshield and was in good shape....i called the local bird people to find out if i could do someting that would allow me to do a mount of it since i can do taxidermy on birds....they made me take it to them to burn it to get rid of it.....no feathers no claws no nothing they told me even if i found it dead allready....so if you find stuff like that just play dumb and you don't know waht kind it is.........................bob

 

[SquirrelsaurusR]

This whole thread was a tongue in cheek joke!

I know. It's even more funny that peole are responding to it. I guess they missed the lube thread in 'The Forum'. :haha:

Just keep in mind I...have a sense of humor almost as warped as Musketmans.

Nobody is that warped! ::

 

Squirrelsaurus:
you're sharp as a tack! ::
Everyone else. No harm meant to anyone, just my silly arsed sense of humor.
And by the weay, YES, even owning a feather of cerain endangered, protected, birds if a violation of Federal Law, though I doubt the F,B,I, is so bored right nwo that they's bother you.
When I was a cop I helped the Ohio DNR track down and catch, prosecute, a drug dealer that was making some serious bucks dealing in eagle, hawk, and owls claws.
Seems those things are some kind of "status" worn by certain drug dealers. Also so they were used in certain pagan witchcraft cerimonies.
All I want is a vent pick for the love of Pete! :curse:

 

[LRB]

I use a very nicely made fancy sterling silver vent pick which I make and sell at rendevous' and events. I notice many folks using iron picks, but I never thought that was a good idea due to the possibility of wearing the vent. For those who don't use picks, many competitors claim that by opening a small tunnel into the powder charge you get a faster more sure ignition because a granual of graphite coated powder can sit right in the vent and occasionally block the fire causeing a flash in the pan or a hangfire. They may be right. Sometimes I pick and sometimes I don't, but I think every flint shooter needs a fancy sterling silver vent pick just in case. Another thing to think about is that, if you happen to prick yourself with it, silver is a natural anti-bacterial, and the wound should heal faster. The Romans used to keep silver in their drinking water to keep it purified.

 

[robinghewitt]

There are regulations. She wears a closed ring on her leg that could only have fitted over her foot when she was newly hatched, proof that she was captive bred. She's also "cuddly tame" which you only get if you separate them from the parents before the eyes open.

If I'm in Arkansas for ML season this year, I will be sure to leave the vent pick at home ::