Guest
#1
Tired of having your ramrod get stuck when cleaning, usually when dry patching to clear extra oil or moisture. Try this, install a brass or metal ramrod end on the rear of the ramrod (tubing works very nicely or a cartridge case cut down). Drill a 1/8 inch hole through the tubing and the ramrod, this gives you a hole to insert a small nail, awl or leather thong through, giving you extra gripping power to pull on, coming out mucho pronto !
#2
Here's a tip when your cleaning your smoke pole and the ramrod gets stuck at the breech plug and you can't get a good hold on the ramrod. Use a leather thong and throw 3 1/2 hitches on the ramrod end to give you a better grip, have seen several originals with shallow grooves on end of ramrods that would have been used for the same purpose.
#3
After breaking several ramrods where the brass tip meets the wood. I found that by drilling a slightly smaller hole on through the brass tip (bottom area) and into the ramrod, a small nail and some epoxy inserted into the hole will strengthen the ramrod considerably. Care has to be taken when drilling the hole to keep in line and parallel with the rod.
#4
Many years ago I was trying to decide how to use all the parts of the beaver I trapped. I pondered over those big teeth (you thought I was going to say casters), when an idea came to me to make a different type of necklace using these teeth. Have seen many just drilled holes and hung them on a thong, but after a few years they start to crack and in time are gone.
I removed the two main cutting teeth, top and bottom from the jaw bones. The two top teeth when put together making an almost complete circle. I used a piece of apple limb from some trees that were near where this gentlemen had been working when trapped in a irrigation ditch. The twig was about 1/2 inch in diameter after the bark was removed and cut to a length of 2 inches. I drilled two holes in the twig. You will have to work a little on the holes to shape them to the size of the teeth, as they are not round and you want a good fit, after fitting glue teeth into their new found home in the twig. Rub with boiled linseed oil, wood and teeth, do this several times to help in having either one - wood and teeth from cracking.
#5
We have all used one form or another of a travois to move anything from equipage to firewood for camp, but have you ever used one to drag a deer ? Finding a deer and taken it in a small wood lot usually is not found to be a problem, but locating one in huge tracts of wild country is often difficult. When you finally down that fine buck how do you get him to an access road that may be many miles away through rugged country ?
There are several ways, one is to grab an antler or use a rope to drag the animal back, with a fair chance of multiple hernias and a possible heart attack depending on your condition.
The second if your quarry is small is to hoist him over your shoulder and stagger off, providing an excellent target for other hunters in the area.
A third is to build a travois and bring the animal home in comfort with minimum of stress and strain. The only equipment you'll need to carry is a small belt axe (tomahawk) and a small coil of soft wire(twine).
To build a travois, choose a couple of tall, thin trees from a clump where they're already overcrowded. Silver maple, aspen and popular are ideal. cut two poles eight feet long for the side supports, then one more to be cut for the cross pieces. Since you're going to be hauling your game through timber or along narrow animal paths and trails, it should be no more than three feet in width, which is plenty for most game. Space cross bars at two foot intervals and secure with the wire (twine) securely.
Then use a final piece or two to tie your buck firmly to the travois and start dragging. Most of the weight will be on the bottom tips of your travois, and you'll be surprised at how easy you can haul even a large animal out.
This was originally published in a hunting journal from the New England states in the late 1830's called "A Gentlemen's Life in the Wild", the journal only lasted a few years as the New Englander didn't support this type of news media.
Here's 5 ideas for you, some you have used, others to be considered. Who has some more ideas that make living with your smokepole easier? Just continue on with the number when you reply. :hmm: :applause:
Tired of having your ramrod get stuck when cleaning, usually when dry patching to clear extra oil or moisture. Try this, install a brass or metal ramrod end on the rear of the ramrod (tubing works very nicely or a cartridge case cut down). Drill a 1/8 inch hole through the tubing and the ramrod, this gives you a hole to insert a small nail, awl or leather thong through, giving you extra gripping power to pull on, coming out mucho pronto !
#2
Here's a tip when your cleaning your smoke pole and the ramrod gets stuck at the breech plug and you can't get a good hold on the ramrod. Use a leather thong and throw 3 1/2 hitches on the ramrod end to give you a better grip, have seen several originals with shallow grooves on end of ramrods that would have been used for the same purpose.
#3
After breaking several ramrods where the brass tip meets the wood. I found that by drilling a slightly smaller hole on through the brass tip (bottom area) and into the ramrod, a small nail and some epoxy inserted into the hole will strengthen the ramrod considerably. Care has to be taken when drilling the hole to keep in line and parallel with the rod.
#4
Many years ago I was trying to decide how to use all the parts of the beaver I trapped. I pondered over those big teeth (you thought I was going to say casters), when an idea came to me to make a different type of necklace using these teeth. Have seen many just drilled holes and hung them on a thong, but after a few years they start to crack and in time are gone.
I removed the two main cutting teeth, top and bottom from the jaw bones. The two top teeth when put together making an almost complete circle. I used a piece of apple limb from some trees that were near where this gentlemen had been working when trapped in a irrigation ditch. The twig was about 1/2 inch in diameter after the bark was removed and cut to a length of 2 inches. I drilled two holes in the twig. You will have to work a little on the holes to shape them to the size of the teeth, as they are not round and you want a good fit, after fitting glue teeth into their new found home in the twig. Rub with boiled linseed oil, wood and teeth, do this several times to help in having either one - wood and teeth from cracking.
#5
We have all used one form or another of a travois to move anything from equipage to firewood for camp, but have you ever used one to drag a deer ? Finding a deer and taken it in a small wood lot usually is not found to be a problem, but locating one in huge tracts of wild country is often difficult. When you finally down that fine buck how do you get him to an access road that may be many miles away through rugged country ?
There are several ways, one is to grab an antler or use a rope to drag the animal back, with a fair chance of multiple hernias and a possible heart attack depending on your condition.
The second if your quarry is small is to hoist him over your shoulder and stagger off, providing an excellent target for other hunters in the area.
A third is to build a travois and bring the animal home in comfort with minimum of stress and strain. The only equipment you'll need to carry is a small belt axe (tomahawk) and a small coil of soft wire(twine).
To build a travois, choose a couple of tall, thin trees from a clump where they're already overcrowded. Silver maple, aspen and popular are ideal. cut two poles eight feet long for the side supports, then one more to be cut for the cross pieces. Since you're going to be hauling your game through timber or along narrow animal paths and trails, it should be no more than three feet in width, which is plenty for most game. Space cross bars at two foot intervals and secure with the wire (twine) securely.
Then use a final piece or two to tie your buck firmly to the travois and start dragging. Most of the weight will be on the bottom tips of your travois, and you'll be surprised at how easy you can haul even a large animal out.
This was originally published in a hunting journal from the New England states in the late 1830's called "A Gentlemen's Life in the Wild", the journal only lasted a few years as the New Englander didn't support this type of news media.
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Here's 5 ideas for you, some you have used, others to be considered. Who has some more ideas that make living with your smokepole easier? Just continue on with the number when you reply. :hmm: :applause:
