Tow

[crockett]

Some shooters carry tow to clean out their rifles in the field(on a trek, etc) How much tow do you need and can the same amount of tow be used over again or just one time? If the tow gets dirty, do you clean it or leave it alone? What other field cleaning procedures can you use on a muzzleloader if you are in the field and won't be back home for several days? Do any of you use hot soapy water in the field?

 

[Ridge]

Tow can be reused.

Just wash it out and let it dry. Eventually, it loses that courseness that helps clean.

All I use is water to clean.

 

[Russianblood]

I picked up "a few" bags of Hemp flax (tow) for my muzzleloading use. 50 bags to be exact. At $0.25 a bag, how could I go wrong? :grin:

 

[Rebel]

Where did you find a deal like that if i might ask?

 

[Russianblood]

www.hemptraders.com

The item number is F-50G. You will have to call to order it though as the on-line check out doesn't work for this product.

That box is 9 pounds of tow! :shocked2:

 

[Rebel]

Thanks for the info. That much TOW should last you for a while. :grin:

 

[Cruzatte]

I thought tow was from the flax plant, the same that gives us linen.

Cruzatte

 

I thought tow was from the flax plant, the same that gives us linen.

Cruzatte

It is. :hmm:

 

[LRB]

Hi Dave. You can use the tow until it gets too worn and soft to clean well, then wash and dry, and use it for your tinder nest for fire making.

 

[Russianblood]

I thought tow was from the flax plant, the same that gives us linen.

Cruzatte

Here's the[url] Dictionary.com[/url] definition for Tow:

Coarse broken flax or hemp fiber prepared for spinning

 

[wszumera]

I did a quick search on tow. Didn't get anything on it. What do you do with it?

Clutch

 

[Russianblood]

What to do with it:

Used in fire starting
Gun scrubbing
Smoothbore wadding

and in my house, hamster bedding :rotf:

 

Got to have something for the cats to play with. :grin:

Thanks for the info on tow being from flax OR hemp. Didn't know that. :hatsoff: I have always used flax tow for scrubbing barrels and it sure gets them clean in a hurry. Is the hemp tow about the same feel as the flax tow?

 

[Russianblood]

I have both types and I can't tell them apart.

 

[crockett]

Thanks to all, I'm about half way home. If you are in the field how do you clean a muzzle loader? Let's say you have some tow. I assume you ball it up and wrap it around a patch puller/worm type jag. That gets rid of the powder fouling- now what? Just rub the bore with a greased(bore butter) patch? Anything else?

 

[Bob J]

Let's say you have some tow. I assume you ball it up and wrap it around a patch puller/worm type jag. That gets rid of the powder fouling- now what? Just rub the bore with a greased(bore butter) patch? Anything else?

And two follow-up questions, if I may: You wet the tow or dip it in your favorite cleaner? How do you keep the patch-puller/worm from scratching the bore?

 

[Russianblood]

And two follow-up questions, if I may: You wet the tow or dip it in your favorite cleaner? How do you keep the patch-puller/worm from scratching the bore?

I soak mine in Stumpy's Moose Juice and to prevent scratching the bore is easy. Just wrap the worm in tow. :rotf:

 

If you take a peice of tow and put it in the palm of your hand. Put the worm in the middle of the length and twist the tow worm clock wise and shape the mop with your fingers as you twist the rod you'll have a pretty nice mop.

Use your coffee tin and fill it with warm water and swab the bore with that. After you swab the bore you wiggle the tow mop in the water and this will rinse the fowling out of the mop. Swab again and repeat this process until the bore is clean. By rinsing the mop out you can clean the rifle with one mop of tow. You don't even have to take the mop off the worm to rinse. Twist it against the breech and scour the face of the breech until your pulling out a white mop.

To take the mop off, twist the rod in your right hand in a counter clock wise direction pinching the mop with your left hand.

Put on another dry mop the same way you did the first and dry 'er out.

The third mop is for oiling or greasing.

I fooled with trying to get the tow mop off the worms and had fits with it until I started in the middle and screwing the worm into the tow and shaping it in my fingers as I twisted the rod. Wet tow can be hard to get off the worm. This screwing and unscrewing is the easy way to do it.
It will take a little trial and error to get the right amount of tow to size the mop to your rifle bore.

 

[crockett]

Thanks, coffee tin is a good idea.

 

Seasons the coffee at the same time. :grin: