L. Day matchlocks

[joeboleo1]

Anyone with a Leonard Day matchlock ---- what do you use for match? Wondering what kind of rope, diameter, etc.--- anything that would be of help. I don't have one yet, but am on the list and trying to get some stuff together. Appreciate any info on what you use for match and/or where you get it. Thanks

 

[Teleoceras]

Joe:

I use hemp although you can you cotton line as well. I made a video on how I make it a few weeks ago.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrlCdMJOc-Y

Sorry if it is a little disjointed, but I had pieced together three different parts to make the video.

Hope this helps!

Slowmatch Forever!
Teleoceras

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

Until you make some yourself, Carl T, who runs this site:
www.metamuseum.com/us/

sells it for $4 per 5' length. Email him at "crossbow 42 at aol dot com" .... ignoring the blank spaces and replacing at w/ '@' and dot w/ '.' of course ...

 

[wahkahchimaol.com]

Could anyone with a Leonard Day matchlock tell me about it? Thanks.

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

www.metamuseum.com/us/[/quote]
Sorry ... the correct link = www.metamuseum.com/us/slowmatch/

 

[joeboleo1]

Thanks guys for the video and the web site link to the slow match site. Very informative. Will definitely help the learning curve.

 

[AJ Deery]

I own one what would like to know? I can tell you this much anything Leonard Day makes is great.

 

[wahkahchimaol.com]

I have his Dutch Trade musket. How accurate is your matchlock? 20 caliber? And does it have a fishtail butt? Thanks.

 

[joeboleo1]

What size in diameter of match do you use. I want to make or buy some match but don't have the gun (lock) yet to see what size fits the serpentine. Appreciate any info.

 

[AJ Deery]

Sorry for the delay in responding I had family emergency I had to attend to. The size of the match I use is 3/8 in cotton cord I made match myself and I have purchased match from www.gggodwin.com. The serpintine on my Len Day musket had an adjustable screw that allows you control the tension on the match. I will post pics as soon as I can.
Sincerely
Aj

 

[AJ Deery]

Here are pictures of the serpentine and buttstock of the L.Day Matchlock musket that I own.

As far as accuracy goes, the gun is very accurrate for the time period of a smooth bore musket. I plan to do more shooting with it this summer and will post results. Hope this help.

AJ

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

 

[wahkahchimaol.com]

Very nice! Those fishtail stocks are great for me; they don't smash my face.

 

[joeboleo1]

Thanks, that is what I was looking for. Nice looking gun!

 

[Canute Rex]

In response to the original question, I'd recommend buying some braided hemp rope from R&W Rope ( http://rwrope.com/index.php). They sell 8mm and 12mm, or to be more exact, sometimes their 8mm is more like 12mm. The braided stuff doesn't splay like the twisted and glows with a big pointed ember.

I line a big stainless pot with an old t-shirt, fill it with wood ashes, then hot water, and let it soak for 20 minutes. Then I bundle up the t-shirt and squeeze out the liquor. That's mild potash solution.

Then put in a coil of the hemp and simmer it for a couple of hours. The potash cooks the lignin out of the rope. It weakens it but reduces the ash formation. This was called "bucking" back in the day.

Then wring out the rope and soak it in vinegar to neutralize the potash. Then rinse and dry.

You can use it like this or soak it in a dilute solution of potassium nitrate. I use the KNO3, but I have to be restrained with it because too much will make the match spit sparks, which is unsafe. If you use the KNO3, dry the match flat on a cookie sheet. Otherwise the KNO3 will migrate to the low points and make the burn rate uneven.

Twice bucked match with KNO3 is sure fire.

 

[wahkahchimaol.com]

Thank you for the recipe!

 

[joeboleo1]

Thanks for the instructions as well as the link to the site for rope.

 

[Canute Rex]

You are very welcome.

I'll add that you may want to filter the potash solution through an old blue jeans leg or something similar before using it - keeps the whole deal cleaner.

A cheap source of potassium nitrate in small amounts is stump remover. There is one type (name escapes me at the moment - have it around here somewhere) that is 98% KNO3. Most stump removal powders aren't.

Also, I keep my match in a most unhistorical ziplock bag with unhistorical silica gel packets. Bone dry means hot ember.

Happy hemp burning!