making slowmatch....

[JCKelly]

With only the greatest respect for Michael Trőmner (Matchlock}, I must take issue from a chemistry standpoint with one quote.
"Slow match basically consisted of three main strands of fibrous hemp including a considerable amount of porous cortex, twisted and soaked in saltpeter/nitrate (Salpeter/Bleizucker). As this chemical solution is volatile it can usually no longer be proven in existing pieces of matchcord."

I will tell you that there is nothing at all "volatile" about saltpeter (potassium nitrate). Given a small length of cord any good lab could analyze for it.

The only questions are, would be is there a modern way (Xray) to do the analysis non-destructively, and is the lab indeed competent to do so.
From my own work experience getting metallurgical analyses done at a number of laboratories, I would not trust any official status of "Great Lab". Instead, make up a few samples of cord my self so that I absolutely knew what they were. Send them to a number of potential laboratories.
You may be surprised at how many different results you get from wonderful/Certified/usedbyAerospace laboratories. Pick one you deem correct, then send the real old matchcord for analysis.

For myself, I would accept what Ulrich Bretscher said, and use no saltpeter/gunpowder in my match. I did use saltpeter in the match for my own matchlock maybe 40 years ago, and it behaved as Bretscher said. I know enough chemistry to regard Bretscher as knowledgeable when it comes to actually shooting a matchlock gun.

Trőmner was the worlds greatest collector of matchlocks. Perhaps not a shooter

 

[RAEDWALD]

I have too many things in hand to get a start of my matchlock project (one being actually getting my Brunswick Rifle fore end parts delivered from TRS) but I have been playing with my lock as it has an integral pan and these are my observations.

I found that saltpetre resulted in the hemp match growing a long soft ashy glowing tip and saturated with saltpetre it did tend to occasionally spit sparks which was somewhat disconcerting. The two best matches were braided hemp, with the lignin removed by 'bucking' i.e. boiling in a caustic sodium hydroxide (lye) then drying and soaked in a saturated lead acetate solution. The same with little rods of dried bracket fungus lead acetate treated. These would burn very slowly with a stable small pointed yellow hot coal.

With the saltpetre the soft ashy coal not only made sparks but a long build up of the ash could result in a misfire with the coal insulated by the ash when it hit the priming and the ash cone made the point of contact of the match cord tip with the priming less obvious. With the bucked lead acetate the tip set off the priming every time as soon as it reached the priming.

However, in the field or on campaign improvising a match from 'liberated' cord* and one's own powder is a more practical choice for the military. For my amateur use the bucked lead acetate seems the obvious choice when the time comes. Possibly with small sticks of fungus tinder lit for each shot from a cord slow match otherwise kept in a metal gauze match case.

In time I will put this to the test but it will be project number 6 in the queue and number 1 is finishing the new house for the Memsahib (and myself I should add).

*'goodnight and sleep tight' from the old beds with the mattress resting on criss crossed cords. A popular requisitioning/looting target of matchlock men seeking fresh match.

 

[toot]

WOW, this subject it so fascinating.it truly is a history lesion.

 

[Abarnes]

Easy Matchcord:

Step 1: Acquire a length of 100% Cotton braided cord. Cut a length of about 6 feet.

Step 2: Place two tablespoons of 2F or 3F Blackpowder in a small ziplock sandwich or freezer bag.

Step 3: Fill the bag 1/2 full of water. (Tap water is ok.) Seal the bag and shake up the contents until the powder dissolves in the water. The water should be dark black.

Step 4: Place the length of cotton cord in the ziplock bag with the blackened water and allow it to sit for several hours. If the water does not completely cover the cord, you may turn the bag periodically so that all of the cord becomes saturated.

Step 5: Remove the cord from the bag and lay it on a flat surface to dry. Do NOT hang the cord as the water will drain toward the ends.

Step 6: Place additional cord into the bag if producing more than one piece. Several matchcords can be made from one bag of solution.

Step 7: Once the cord is thoroughly dry, ignite one end to test it and observe the rate of burn. The cord should smolder with a bright orange tip which is very hard to extinguish.

Use care in handling and using your matchcord and alway be sure it is fully extinguished before storing.

Happy Shooting.

DO YOU FIND ONE SIZE CORD BETTER THAN OTHERS?

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

I like 5/16”, but is getting harder & harder to find in pure cotton.

 

[Rudyard]

No problems. Check out Ulrich bretschers page. He explains how to do the whole thing
:stir: :v

Ulrich is still active then ? he was shooting these early' .gonne'. type guns years ago 'Good on him .You don't need much salt peter , the right cotton or hemp cord is more important, boiling in lye works some add Pee to the mix .The Pee of wine drinking Bishops was considered the best .Never met any to test it I made some match that acted like a fuse you want a slow ideally clean burn rate good stuff burns with little ash and will stand left in light rain ' Ive platted Macrame string .the Asian matchlock seem to be just thin cord while Old Europe or at least military tend to use much rounder 3/8th" or there abouts' Match'. Plenty champion the Tinder fungus well suited for target guns Even long after matchlocks where a military arm the shooting matches being as popular in their day much like we today still have events for matchlocks at international level. You don't need copper caps or pebble s think of the saving's !
Rudyard the thrifty

 

[Rudyard]

I once took my big German matchlock on a woodswalk I wrapped the match cord around a tin lantern the lit end went into the tiny opening at the top of the lantern I do not like the idea of the lit match on or near my body while shooting. I had the long gun on one shoulder and the lantern in the other hand. I did not set the woods on fire but I wound up with a few pin sized burn holes in my shirt. Ain't matchlocks fun!

Good on you Ive hunted locally days on end with my snap matchlock in that case 54 rifle barrel to suit NZ game laws.
Rudyard

 

[Rudyard]

I have too many things in hand to get a start of my matchlock project (one being actually getting my Brunswick Rifle fore end parts delivered from TRS) but I have been playing with my lock as it has an integral pan and these are my observations.

I found that saltpetre resulted in the hemp match growing a long soft ashy glowing tip and saturated with saltpetre it did tend to occasionally spit sparks which was somewhat disconcerting. The two best matches were braided hemp, with the lignin removed by 'bucking' i.e. boiling in a caustic sodium hydroxide (lye) then drying and soaked in a saturated lead acetate solution. The same with little rods of dried bracket fungus lead acetate treated. These would burn very slowly with a stable small pointed yellow hot coal.

With the saltpetre the soft ashy coal not only made sparks but a long build up of the ash could result in a misfire with the coal insulated by the ash when it hit the priming and the ash cone made the point of contact of the match cord tip with the priming less obvious. With the bucked lead acetate the tip set off the priming every time as soon as it reached the priming.

However, in the field or on campaign improvising a match from 'liberated' cord* and one's own powder is a more practical choice for the military. For my amateur use the bucked lead acetate seems the obvious choice when the time comes. Possibly with small sticks of fungus tinder lit for each shot from a cord slow match otherwise kept in a metal gauze match case.

In time I will put this to the test but it will be project number 6 in the queue and number 1 is finishing the new house for the Memsahib (and myself I should add).

*'goodnight and sleep tight' from the old beds with the mattress resting on criss crossed cords. A popular requisitioning/looting target of matchlock men seeking fresh match.

As in ' stand by your Charpoy ' A trader I ran with made a Chapoy trying to woo the widowed Caroline Tierny . She told him what to do with it ! Well he was a gun dealer so its still in context . NMLRA Easton RV ous at Swatara PA Dave Mantzs (Squirrel foot )might have been Booshway .I did two I liked the freights on the opposite bank .Music to my ears .
Rudyard Never had a' primitive ' name

 

[Rudyard]

WOW, this subject it so fascinating.it truly is a history lesion.

For my humble part Ime only too pleased you find the topic fascinating , I view it as the ' New way backwards '' Ive been shooting & making M 'locks since school days & I left school at 15 & ime 80 now and still find them fascinating .
Regards Rudyard

 

[Jay Templin]

Anyway, the simple way of making match is to order up some braided hemp from RW Rope in Massachusetts. It's about 1/2" in diameter. It has to be braided because the twisted stuff just splays out.

Line a big stainless pot with a defunct t-shirt. Fill it with wood ashes and then with boiling water. Let it sit for 15 minutes and *wearing rubber gloves* gather up the t-shirt and squeeze out the liquor. You now have 5-10% potash solution. Dispose of the ashes, dump in a coil of hemp, and simmer for a few hours, till the liquor is brown. Discard the liquor, make more and repeat. Rinse match in vinegar to neutralize, and then water. Dry thoroughly.

This is basically the method we’ve been using at Jamestown for the past couple of years and it works great. Our cord is HempTraders 9mm hemp, as it was far more common than cotton in England in the 1600s. Ours is twisted, not braided, and works fine for match but because it’s twisted backwards, I’m the only one who can splice the stuff.
Jay

 

[Bucks Co]

More should shoot matchlocks !!- I have had so much enjoyment shooting my Rudyard made 44cal Dutch Style Snapping Matchlock - even at the 1989 MLAIC Championships in Germany (poorly - too new to it then!!). Initially I used matchcord from Dixie it was about 1/4" in diametre - after that became unavailable I made my own for a while it was very hard to find all natural fibre cordage in NZ so I usually braided up cotton or hemp string to get the right thickness and soaked it in dissolved Black Powder. Lately I've used some I got from Tanner Moulds in UK - works great. One thing to look out for and I think it's more prevalent in common matchlocks but will happen in snapping guns - that is what I call a 'Stub in the Pan' - the match has gone into the priming but it has not ignited - the gun will usually go when the serpentine is withdrawn and some oxygen gets to the end of the match. In my case the serpentine falls back towards me - without thinking I have reached forward to re-cock and the gun has gone off - my right hand getting the full vent-jet into the palm from about 2 inches - yes it hurt and over 20 years later I still have traces of the powder burn on my hand. Has this put me off -no way I'm just a bit more wary now and will recock with my left hand if I have to (should be out of the way if it goes!) and it's still fun!

 

[Thunder Bay]

Great thread!