Hickory Splits for Ramrods

[Marko10thivi]

I am looking for Hickory Splits to make ramrods from.
A few years ago someone was advertising in Muzzle Blasts or Muzzleloader, that he is supplying bundles of splits. I moved in October '04, and gave away all my back issues. Figures, now I am looking for them! Does any one know of this guy? I see in the current Muzzle Blasts, there is a guy selling finished hickory ramrods, I haven't called him yet to see if they are split or turned. In case you are just starting out, split ramrods are far superior to turned rods, in that that they follow the grain if the wood, and are almost impossible to break when properly seasoned and oiled.
I demonstrate colonial Rifle making at local rendevous up here in Northern Illinois, and look for authentic materials to demonstrate on. I also make available some shooting accessories for reenactors who may break or loose ramrods,flints ect.

 

[djnye]

marko,

can't help you on supplying quantities of splint. however, if you are at the spring shoot in friendship, i will be holding a small workshop on preparing splint from the log. it is free and you could probably pick up a couple or so if you would like. there should be plenty of hickory around in northern ill. for you to quite easily make more than you could use in very short order.

take care, daniel

 

[Birddog6]

Marko: The guy you are looking for is Steve Bailey and he sells them finished or rough splits. His email address is [email protected] . He is in the classified ads of Muzzleblasts.
I just bought 10 ramrods from him & got them in 2 days & I will say they are all exceptional. Not just OK, but I mean thery are ALL good with no grain runout at all. I go to Friendship & that is the first thing I look for & usually fine 1-3 that are passable. But these are ALL very good rods & well worth the $3. each and shipping.

:results:

 

[Will Bison]

Interesting you mention good splits. I could not find any some time back so looked for an alternative.

I found the answer in the Wild Rose bush that grows ,you guessed it, wild in my neck of the woods. I had been doing primitive archery for years and use the wild rose for arrows just as the local folks did for thousands of years. Now why I never thought to try rose for ramrods before seems to be a matter of gray matter and not using said same.

I cut them in late Winter when they are at their dryest. I skin and smooth them and then put them in bundles of seven. Seven small bundles then go in a bundle of seven or 49 shafts in all. These I dry in the rafters for one season. After they dry and shrink they are sized through a steel plate with holes drilled in it.

For ramrods, I soak them in kerosene for an additional season.

 

[bob1961]

just what i'm looking fer my lancaster....thx........bob

 

[Marko10thivi]

Thanks Guys!! Solved a problem I had for a couple of years. I shoot a few calibers, in flint, .36 lancaster school, .50 Isaac Haines and the new project is a British officers Manton style sporting rifle made from an original london barrel relined to .50 & Chambers round faced officers lock. In Percussion, a plains style .54 H&H barrel and a Kit-built T/C .50 Hawken converted to be more authentic with parts from "The Hawken Shop" back when they were in St. Louis.
I figure I'll demonstrate making the ramrods from these splits, and have some good ones on hand for emergencies.
I have had it with machine made ramrods(aka, dowels) when a few years ago I had one break on me (actually INTO me to the tune of about 2 inches into the heel of my right hand!) at a winter woods walk trying to ram a particularly tight and frozen ball down. Since using splits, I have yet to reenact that little scene!