Touch hole Pick

[paco97]

Do you make em or buy em? I need one.

 

[MSW]

make or buy- they're readily available at any one of a number of supply houses, ToW, DGW, or get a small paper clip and unbend it, or a sewing needle...

 

[Stumpkiller]

I take about 4" of coat hanger wire, pound it square, heat it to orange hot with a propane torch (you can twist it for decorative effect and flatten the end and bend it into a nice finial loop). Then I allow it to cool slowly (so it stays soft. DO NOT QUENCH). I file the tip round and have a nice little "forged iron" pick.

I bend the loop at a right angle and hang one on my measure lace.

 

[TANSTAAFL]

If you have access to a welding supply outlet or other source, might pick up one of the gas welding tip cleaner tools. They come with different small size diameter wire cleaners, so you can pick the right one for the vent hole diameter. The individual cleaners can be easily removed from the tool, and they are cheap.
[url] http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/topages/tipcleaners.php[/url]

 

[Russianblood]

I just use an opened up paper clip. :grin:

 

[Legionair]

I made mine out of 1/8" brass rod... coiled one end to make a hanging loop and filed the tip. I always liked the look of brass....

Legion

 

[HarborMaster]

I made mine out of 1/8" brass rod... coiled one end to make a hanging loop and filed the tip. I always liked the look of brass....

Legion

Yes myself included. for Flinters and cannons .., Brass doesnt spark.

 

[2172]

I have a bunch of springs of various sizes..I straighten a coil spring out using a vice and pliers, and cut off about 2" using a Dremel wheel, and bore a hole in a small piece of antler, and use epoxy to hold the spring wire in the antler...I then drill a hole cross wise at the end of the antler and run a narrow thong through it, and tie it to my trigger guard..I try and put the pick in after every shot as I leave the line...Hank

 

I make em. You can use iron, brass or copper. The simplest (and PC) is to use a section of proper diameter brass or copper wire/rod material. Bend one end into a loop and file the other end to a point and you are done! Cheap, expendable and they work.

 

[J.D.]

Many 18th century vent picks, sometimes referred to as "priming wires", were nothing more than a piece of brass, copper or iron wire twisted on one end, for ease of handling.

"Pricklers" don't have to be hard wire, just somewhat smaller than the touch hole, and stiff enough to clear the vent.
J.D.

 

[Stumpkiller]

'Tis true. Or the quill of a small feather.

One seagull provides a looooong supply.

 

[Bearbait2]

Seagulls no longer federally protected?
They were always making a mess on my GunBoat!
Best Wishes

 

[CrackStock]

I kept a couple of turkey body feathers in my hats for decoration, but they also could serve this purpose.

CS