Using tow for wads?

[Mwal]

I use tow in my .62 all the time. Usually I use brown paper or 1/8 over powder card then I rub tow ball in totw mink oil ,ball then lubed tow over .610 ball. Works well for me. I pick up my used tow off the range. For reuse as wadding or cleaning.
Mwal

 

[Cubreac]

I found this source for flax tow. They also sell hemp tow. Is one better than the other for our purposes?
https://woolery.com/flax-tow.html?nosto=categorypage-nosto-1-copy

 

[Grenadier1758]

The tow from flax is coarser and does a better job of cleaning the bore. As a wad, not much difference.

 

[toot]

I hated sheep when I was younger. I can't stand the taste of mutton, got soaked with lanolin and ticks when I sheared the darn things and had to round them up when they found a hole in the fence. Finely, maybe a good use for them! Other than wool hats, shirts, and coats of course.

I also hate LAMB, RAM SHEEP or MUTTON. I don't eat any of them. I am a BEEFEATER!

 

[senseisugarbear]

I don't mean to sound IGNORANT, guess it just comes naturally. But what is tow? what is it's original USE? I'm guessing it's sort of like OAKUM ?

I also hate LAMB, RAM SHEEP or MUTTON. I don't eat any of them. I am a BEEFEATER!

I guess you ain't ever been REALLY hungry. I Don't care for MUTTON myself. BUT with the price of Meat these days BEEF don't hit the table much latley. If I could only have 1 domestic meat source, I'd be PORK. My favorite, and just so much you can do with it, We eat deer at least twice a week too.......Be Safe>>>>>>>Wally

 

[Ross-shire Buff]

Over 20 years ago when I got my PH P53 & beautiful Pedersoli deluxe (tiger-striped maple) .45 flinlock "Frontier", I was continually reading in contempory (i.e., 1850s-60s) instructions that tow was the best thing to be used to clean an Enfield rifle barrel. After a year or 2 looking, I finally located a source (I canna mind where) & got a large circle of the stuff. I must say that the thought of combusting it makes my toes curl!

 

[Cruzatte]

I don't mean to sound IGNORANT, guess it just comes naturally. But what is tow? what is it's original USE? I'm guessing it's sort of like OAKUM ?

Tow is the leftover fiber from the flax plant; fiber that is too coarse to be woven into fine linen. It could be used in a variety of ways; making bags (tow sacks) coarse work shirts (tow shirts), even cheap wigs.

Apparently, oakum was made from recycled ropes, which were hemp.

 

[Cubreac]

Over 20 years ago when I got my PH P53 & beautiful Pedersoli deluxe (tiger-striped maple) .45 flinlock "Frontier", I was continually reading in contempory (i.e., 1850s-60s) instructions that tow was the best thing to be used to clean an Enfield rifle barrel. After a year or 2 looking, I finally located a source (I canna mind where) & got a large circle of the stuff. I must say that the thought of combusting it makes my toes curl!

How do you pronounce "tow" in Scotland? Does it rhyme with "toe" or "cow"? I've it pronounced both ways here in the PNW.

 

[Ross-shire Buff]

How do you pronounce "tow" in Scotland? Does it rhyme with "toe" or "cow"? I've it pronounced both ways here in the PNW.

As 'toe'.

 

[toot]

Tow is the leftover fiber from the flax plant; fiber that is too coarse to be woven into fine linen. It could be used in a variety of ways; making bags (tow sacks) coarse work shirts (tow shirts), even cheap wigs.

Apparently, oakum was made from recycled ropes, which were hemp.

was rope hemp waxed or tared?

 

[Brokennock]

Just for full disclosure.
When I use tow for wads it is actually what I call, "faux-tow."
Jute rope cut into approximately 4" lengths, then broken down into the sections that have been reverse twisted to make the rope. With the size rope I use, two 4" sections shredded and balled up are about perfect for my 20 gauge guns.
I think I have a topic with pics of the process in here somewhere.

If one wants dual use, wadding and fire starting there on an extra step/process. Most modern rope has treatments in it and are fire retardant, not going to work for fire starting. I leave a length of it tied to one of the tie down points in the bed of my truck all spring and summer (no cover on my truck bed) and it seems good by fall. I'll also leave some tied off other places outside for many months to weather.

 

[Cruzatte]

was rope hemp waxed or tared?

Apparently yes, oakum as used in ship building was tarred.

 

[toot]

thank you.toot.

 

[nhmoose]

I get my wool from my neighbor every time I ask for some, he tries to give me a whole live sheep. They are his wife's, and he hates them. I say no just a couple of my shears worth.

However when they wanted one to eat he had me come over and make it into meat. Don't blame him as he took care of them since birth feed and cleanup. We do get attached to our creatures. He in return butchered our broiler crop same reason.

 

[BoomStick]

I believe old rope unraveled and frayed into a tangled mess was called "junk" and also used as wadding in cannons. People made do with whatever they had and they often didn't have perfectly cut wads, cloth or patches.

 

[NorthFork]

I have read some of the posts, but not all. Most that I've read describe burning/smoldering. I don't get this at all. Here's what I do ........

1. Pour powder down barrel. I use between 80 and 120 grains of ffg depending on use and bore size.

2. Hefty wad of real flax tow or sisal fiber wadding lubed generously with TOTW mink oil/tallow.

3. Shot load between 7/8 oz and 2 oz.

4. Hefty wad of real flax tow or sisal fiber wadding lubed generously with TOTW mink oil/tallow.

There is no smoldering or burning after the shot with the flax or sisal fiber. Not one bit. Period. I sometimes reuse the wads of fiber as over the shot wads as they are blackened but otherwise fine. Saves me money.

It's the only load I use except for the SkyChief load.

I don't get why some folks say tow burns after the shot?????

 

[Brokennock]

I have read some of the posts, but not all. Most that I've read describe burning/smoldering. I don't get this at all. Here's what I do ........

1. Pour powder down barrel. I use between 80 and 120 grains of ffg depending on use and bore size.

2. Hefty wad of real flax tow or sisal fiber wadding lubed generously with TOTW mink oil/tallow.

3. Shot load between 7/8 oz and 2 oz.

4. Hefty wad of real flax tow or sisal fiber wadding lubed generously with TOTW mink oil/tallow.

There is no smoldering or burning after the shot with the flax or sisal fiber. Not one bit. Period. I sometimes reuse the wads of fiber as over the shot wads as they are blackened but otherwise fine. Saves me money.

It's the only load I use except for the SkyChief load.

I don't get why some folks say tow burns after the shot?????

I haven't had the issue either, but I also lube mine. It is sometimes a bit darkened but that is all.

I also found a few pics of sectioning the rope into usable sized pieces.

Work some lube into that last one and ball it up more and it is good to go. No smoldering, little fouling, lube softens what fouling there is.

 

[NorthFork]

@Brokennock

EXACTLY the same as you. Your pictures described what I do PERFECTLY. Your sisal/hemp/flax tow wads look exactly like mine.

 

[Dave Markowitz]

Well, I made up some hemp tow wads and lubed them with mink oil from Track. I might get to try them this weekend. I appreciate everyone's input.

 

[wganz]

Tow is the leftover fiber from the flax plant; fiber that is too coarse to be woven into fine linen. It could be used in a variety of ways; making bags (tow sacks) coarse work shirts (tow shirts), even cheap wigs.

Apparently, oakum was made from recycled ropes, which were hemp.

seen plenty of 'tow sacks' from growing up on the farm, but never heard of 'tow shirts' before
must have been a different material than used in the sacks, couldn't imagine wearing that material as a shirt