Slowmatch recipe

[Teleoceras]

I was going through my files today and came upon this recipe for making Slowmatch.

------------------------------
Using a plastic, two liter soda bottle, fill it with water and add half to three quarters of a cup of Saltpeter. Let a natural cord (like cotton clothsline) soak at least an hour (overnight is better), then dry thoroughly.

Outdoors on a dry day with low humidity and sun, it will usually take 3 to 5 hours. The other option is a DRY, warm cellar away from oil burners, etc., this may take two days. If you used too much you will get a thick crusty coating on the match. It will still work but you end up wearing a lot of white residue. Too little or not dry yet will cause you to continually have to relight it. If its crusty wipe the match with a wet rag and let it dry again. It will work fine when dry.

One thing when drying: Avoid iron railing and the like. Saltpeter is a fairly strong oxidizer and will cause rapid rusting of these items even through paint. Galvanized Chain Link fence or clothes line or wood fences or even tree branches work well.
------------------------------

Graywolf from[url] Handgonnes.com[/url] gave that one to me about four years ago.

I've made some great slowmatch using the original hemp cord. Hemp burns hotter thus giving a better chance for a quick ignition. ::

 

[SquirrelsaurusR]

Where do you get hemp cord?

 

[Teleoceras]

Where do you get hemp cord?

I was very fortunate that my Mom had been into macrame back in the 70's. There was a large box of hemp cord left over in the attic. My Dad had remembered it when I had mentioned to him about my looking for some cord to make slowmatch. He showed the box to me and said "Can you use this?".

To say that my eyes were bugging out :shocking: when I saw how many yards of cord was there is an understatement! ::

Since the stuff is not cheap, I have been making sure not to use it up too quickly. Plus the hemp cord is much easier to cut into finger lengths at the range than the cotton cord.

You can try to find retailers of hemp cordage over at http://www.hempstores.com/

 

[musketman]

I was going through my files today and came upon this recipe for making Slowmatch.

------------------------------
Using a plastic, two liter soda bottle, fill it with water and add half to three quarters of a cup of Saltpeter. Let a natural cord (like cotton clothsline) soak at least an hour (overnight is better), then dry thoroughly.

I hear tell that vinegar will work as well for making a slow match, is that true?

As for hemp, won't your matchlock get the munchies if you use that type of fuse? :winking: :haha:

 

[Teleoceras]

Musketman:

I hear tell that vinegar will work as well for making a slow match, is that true?

Yes. There is another recipe that I heard of that requires boiling the cord in a mixture of vinegar and black powder. I never tried it thought. I call that the Hot Fusion method.

The recipe that I mentioned at the top of the post I like to call the Cold Fusion method. ::