Made a vent pick today

[1BadDart]

I had some time today (it’s nice being retired) so while piddling in the shop decided to make a vent pick. The wire isn’t epoxied in yet, I may try to get a piece of piano wire.

 

[oldwood]

Very nice pick. I like the soft wire ,instead of piano wire , 'cause my piano wire is not thick like the diameter of your pick wire . My thin wire has to have a lot of pickin' , to do as good as the size wire you seem to have. I use another type wire that's stiff and is a hair under 1/16". Works pretty good for me.. Luck to ya.....oldwood

 

[DuncNZ]

I make my vent picks out of horse shoe nails , they are soft iron and easy to file and bend and although I have no proof these were ever used the makings were certainly available .. I also make some with brass rod , The horse shoe nail ones ( without bead ) fit nicely in my patch boxes , I attach beads to make them easier for me to find , the pan brush is made from hog bristles from a Victorian hearth brush

 

[1BadDart]

I’ll make a pan brush next. My brother brought me some horse tail hair today, but I don’t think it’s stiff enough.

 

[Ricochet]

Well done!!

 

[1BadDart]

I finished the pan brush handle this afternoon after church. the boars hair should be here this week.

 

[granth]

Very nice.

 

[colimr]

What is the wood your using?

 

[1BadDart]

What is the wood your using?

Curly maple.

 

[1BadDart]

If I can find the right screwdriver, I'll make a handle to match the vent pick and pan brush.

 

[Sooty Scot]

Hammering copper wire into a pick is easy and work hardens it enough to use as a pick. I give mine a square or diamond cross section, to aid scraping the touchhole clear. They are cheap, easy, and losing one isn't as irritating as a finely forged iron one. I chained a nicely forged iron pick and a brush I'd made from mule tail hair. Lost both on the next woods walk. Now I only use these expendables.
\ I figure, with copper, there is little chance of adding wear to the hole.

 

[Polecat_Tom]

Nicely done.

 

[toot]

nothing worse than breaking off a hard / brittle piece of wire in your vent. is AKAIN TO SPIKING A CANNON! yes a malleable soft, not brittle horse shoe nail is the cat's meow!!!

 

[Snake Pleskin]

nothing worse than breaking off a hard / brittle piece of wire in your vent. is AKAIN TO SPIKING A CANNON! yes a malleable soft, not brittle horse shoe nail is the cat's meow!!!

I use a fairly stiff iron forged pick, but finish with dental brushes, the little Christmas tree looking things for cleaning between teeth. They work wonderfully and clean better that anything else, especially when cleaning between shots and it is still soft et. Also use nice brass ones that do a fine job

 

[hanshi]

Those pick handles are very nice, that's a truly good job. I have a box full of picks, some bought and most of them made by me. I've used the copper wire from leftovers of house wiring. Some may be H/C but most are not.
Below the bamboo "powder horn" is a short starter I made. The little red ball is a pick that inserts into the starter handle. Not H/C but it doesn't fall out and is easy to find if it does.

 

[toot]

I use a fairly stiff iron forged pick, but finish with dental brushes, the little Christmas tree looking things for cleaning between teeth. They work wonderfully and clean better that anything else, especially when cleaning between shots and it is still soft et. Also use nice brass ones that do a fine job

that is great, xmas trees. never would ever thought of it!

 

[toot]

Hammering copper wire into a pick is easy and work hardens it enough to use as a pick. I give mine a square or diamond cross section, to aid scraping the touchhole clear. They are cheap, easy, and losing one isn't as irritating as a finely forged iron one. I chained a nicely forged iron pick and a brush I'd made from mule tail hair. Lost both on the next woods walk. Now I only use these expendables.
\ I figure, with copper, there is little chance of adding wear to the hole.

just heat it up & quench it, & it will soften up again.

 

[toot]

I use a fairly stiff iron forged pick, but finish with dental brushes, the little Christmas tree looking things for cleaning between teeth. They work wonderfully and clean better that anything else, especially when cleaning between shots and it is still soft et. Also use nice brass ones that do a fine job

a killer assembly of items!

 

[1BadDart]

Finished.

 

[1BadDart]

I finished this one yesterday, just need to cut it off and seal the end. It has a 1/8" hickory dowel that will fit through the cleanout hole in my drum.