Tow worm

[Daryl Crawford]

Thanks, I actually did think of that. I took the file to both ends. When I crank clockwise a tag of metal bites into the wiping stick and I sharpened the other side so it would grab a patch, wool, toe, whatever.
Again, thanks. I can't believe I didn't think of making one the way you mentioned. I suppose that's why this place exists.
I appreciate the guidance and info from all.

 

[toot]

I made one from a piece of electric copper malleable wire that the telephone/power co. left at the end of my drive way. pointed one end and rolled it around a mandrill/ wooden dowel.

 

[Smokey Plainsman]

Very cool, gang.

And these coils are period? I like the idea of whittling a spiral into the end of the rod to catch the coil so it doesn’t pop off in the bore.

 

[Grenadier1758]

The wire would come from a forged strip of annealed iron, hammered more or less round. Then the soft iron strip would be wrapped around a mandrel to make the coils. The coils would be opened or twisted tight to the rod to fit the application. Often it would be simply grooves at the end of the ramrod to catch the wad of tow. Best in the grooved rod case to have the tow and toggle (ball of tow and a long string to pull the ball of tow back out).

 

[Smokey Plainsman]

Are these the coil types mentioned?

I am wondering if they are period correct, or a modern invention?

 

[smo]

Are these the coil types mentioned?

I am wondering if they are period correct, or a modern invention?

 

[tenngun]

From museum of the fur trade in Nebraska

 

[tenngun]

A gun was sold with a tin measure and worm.
Rifles oft came with a mold.

 

[Grenadier1758]

Technically, the tow worm coils are not springs since they were made of soft iron or copper. For most of our purposes the coils that Smokey has pictured above would be fine for being correct in all but the most stringent of juried events and even there would be accepted. The tapered one on the left is very good as well as the one on the rod.

 

[Smokey Plainsman]

Thanks! Seems the smallest I could find is this from Track of the Wolf:

https://www.trackofthewolf.com/Categories/PartDetail.aspx/851/1/WORM-PR-S

It says the large end of the coil is .40”, not good. It’d be scraping or very close to scraping the size of a .40 barrel.

Wonder if I could trim off one or two coils on the fat end then sand down my 3/8” rod for a tight fit?

 

[Grenadier1758]

Trimming off a couple of coils would help to make the worm fit your barrel better.

 

[spudnut]

I can screw these right over the brass tip that I screw other tools into on my northwest gun, my favorite go too tool

 

[Smokey Plainsman]

Trimming off a couple of coils would help to make the worm fit your barrel better.

Awesome!! Glad to know they’re period. They’re so cheap I’ll pick up a couple for my next Track order, which seems about once a week anymore LOL.

 

[Pukka Bundook]

Tenngun,

If I make these, I make them like the middle one in your photo in post # 27.
Easier to get off wit the long straight bit, otherwise it's a Chinese finger puzzle and hard to get them off when tapered as they should be.

 

[Stophel]

I've made them (they're not terribly difficult to make), but I often just use a hunk of tow (or rags or whatever), tied with a string, and pushed down with the rod, and retracted with the string..... or use a modern jag with a patch!

 

[Stophel]

I question how far back the wire type tow worms really go back. "Northwest trade guns" cover a pretty broad time period.

 

[Smokey Plainsman]

I've made them (they're not terribly difficult to make), but I often just use a hunk of tow (or rags or whatever), tied with a string, and pushed down with the rod, and retracted with the string..... or use a modern jag with a patch!

View attachment 19166

What material is the string made of?

 

[Stophel]

Just some heavy linen thread.

I don't know who told me how to do this many years ago, but it's simple, easy, and works, without the use of any extra implements. Is it historically accurate? I have no clue.

 

[Grenadier1758]

The ball of tow tied to a string is called tow and toggle. Why '"toggle", I don't know. But that practice is period and historically correct.

 

[spudnut]

The ball of tow tied to a string is called tow and toggle. Why '"toggle", I don't know. But that practice is period and historically correct.

You tie the other end of the string to a toggle, or small piece of dowel, and you can wrap thei string around it for easy storage.