Is a spiral striped ramrod correct?

[Oberst]

I tried the aqua fortis on my SMR hickory ramrod. It did not darken much. I used two coats and that didn't darken much. I'll leave the contrast as is. It doesn't look odd.

Did you try more time with a heat gun? I noticed with mine it took more heat time than the maple to get the darker color.

 

[reddogge]

Beautiful rifle, that curl is amazing!!!

Thank you. I bought the stock blank and the butt plate from a friend for $5. He tried to install the butt plate before doing anything on the rifle and screwed it up, got mad, and sold it to me. Since it was for an 11 or 12 yo boy I just cut off his handiwork and started the build normally. The barrel had a flaw in the last 6" so I bought that cheap from Ron Griffie and sawed the flaw off. Believe it or not, an adult can still shoot this rifle.

 

[user 53860]

Electrician tape and a torch worked for me.

 

[flntlokr]

I’m finishing up my Kibler Colonial rifle and trying to decide what to do with the ramrod. I’m tossing around the idea of a spiral stripe. Would that be correct for a rifle of this type (1760-1770’s Virginia)?

Why not? I am sure at least one fellow did it. I have seen one done by winding a long strip of heavy wet paper spirally, and scorching with a torch. I put stripes on most of mine. Whatever suits you.

 

[tenngun]

I got pinstripe tape from automotive store, and hardware store walnut stain. Then gun oil over it

 

[Crew Chief]

Did you try more time with a heat gun? I noticed with mine it took more heat time than the maple to get the darker color.

I was afraid to put any more heat on it for fear of scorching it.

 

[Musket69]

I was told back in the '60s that the spiral stripe on a ramrod was from cooking "stick bread" on the ramrod. A dough snake wrapped around the ramrod and cooked over the fire... not sure about the truth, but did make a lot of stick bread back then at Boy Scout camp

 

[beardedhorse]

I saw a striped ramrod on a Hacker Martin rifle. He was contemporary or before NMLRA began. I would not use oak at all. Ramin used to be strong and good for arrows but some I ordered from a well known supplier snapped. Dogwood in the field can break at the bud scars. Ebon y and rosewood aren't always straight grain. Good old hickory is reliable only if straight grained. I've used a torch, potassium permanganate dyes, Fiebing's leather dye with success. Masking tape gets gummy when used with a torch. Good for painting on a dye.

 

[Tenmile]

Why not? I am sure at least one fellow did it. I have seen one done by winding a long strip of heavy wet paper spirally, and scorching with a torch. I put stripes on most of mine. Whatever suits you.

I believe they artificially striped a few stocks back in the day, so it would be surprising if someone didn’t stripe a ramrod or two.

 

[user 34486]

They're not historically based. The end of the ramrod you ram with goes on the outside (front), the end of the ramrod you screw stuff on goes inside (back).

 

[Shiloh]

I’ve never done it but I was told once to use a cotton twine soaked in kerosene. Wrap it around the rod and light it.

 

[Eric Krewson]

I like to stain the ramrod the same color as the stock wood to make it disappear under the gun.

Here is what I get when I put aqufortis on hickory and blush it with a heat gun, I think there is some finish over the blushed aqufortis to bring out the color.

I put 2 coats of aqufortis on this ramrod (might have been 3) and followed that with a little diluted mahogany leather dye to try to match the gun's stock finish.

 

[appalichian hunter]

If you like it go for it.

 

[Dale Allen Raby]

I really don't like those. 'Nuff said.