Using tow for wads?

[flntlokr]

freedom475,where do you find raw sheep's wool. I have tow but now am living in Arizona and it is in the desert.

find a raw sheep, and ask the owner.

 

[tenngun]

was rope hemp waxed or tared?

I like to build ship models also. A bit of rigging on one.
The black lines are standing rigging. They were put up and pulled taunt then largely left, only moved if absolutely needed. Wind and sea conditions may dictate loose or tightening but largely left still. They coated these lines heavily with tar till black.
Other lines were lightly oiled, the running rigging. These were constantly moved as tge sails were trimmed to the wind. And may be moved hourly or more.so these look just like rope colored.
Hemp was the go to rope for much of history

 

[TDM]

I like to build ship models also. A bit of rigging on one.
The black lines are standing rigging. They were put up and pulled taunt then largely left, only moved if absolutely needed. Wind and sea conditions may dictate loose or tightening but largely left still. They coated these lines heavily with tar till black.
Other lines were lightly oiled, the running rigging. These were constantly moved as tge sails were trimmed to the wind. And may be moved hourly or more.so these look just like rope colored.
Hemp was the go to rope for much of historyView attachment 172255View attachment 172256

That, is beautiful work.

 

[tenngun]

Thank you

 

[user 49399]

In this picture is jute tow next to the round balls. Normally, I use tow, wasper nest or brown paper for shot wadding. Whether it’s historically correct or not, I also like patched round balls in a smooth bore.

 

[tenngun]

Patched ball was mentioned in 1847 as being normal in HBC areas. While that doesn’t prove it was earlier it doesn’t refer to it as a new idea, but common practice

 

[Smokey Plainsman]

I pinch off a piece and lube it with a little lard.
Tow burns, powder burns, lard burns, talk about an issue
However lard has to get hot before it can burn. and there isn’t the time when exposed to the heat of the charge.
It’s like passing your hand through a candle flame, or melting lard to season a hot cast iron skillet.
Most of the stuff we shoot burns, from cloth patch to paper cartridge. But the flame has to stay on long enough to transfer enough heat to start the fire.
Now logic aside, you don’t want to be saying ‘honest your honor I didn’t think it would burn, I read Tenngun and he told me it was ok’
A dense fiber wad may be a better choice when shooting in a tinder box.
Now the practical
Tow was used in the past, and it works. But as early as Pteryplegia or the art of shooting the flying in 1727 said ‘now search for tow and some old saddle pierce
No wading lies so close or drives so fierce’
The felt stuffing in an old saddle compress by the riders weight was wad of choice. Then in 1767 Thomas Page wrote “ Tow I think is uncertain’ he goes on to thin brown paper 2”x1”, folded and rammed tight.
These guys figured out something modern test reveal.
Black powder TV found shooting over a chono that a charge using tow, all else being equal, lost about 200 FPS compared to a solid wad

Do you have a recommendation of the type of felt to buy that would mimic this?

 

[Smokey Plainsman]

From my sheep....
View attachment 160446

I want to hug it.

 

[Cruzatte]

Do you have a recommendation of the type of felt to buy that would mimic this?

Will this stuff work? Seems like it ought to. I think it's what Duelist1954 uses.

 

[Magungo1066]

One thing to look out for is that tow can sometimes be an absolute bear to get down the barrel if you use too much without lube. I have had to hammer a dry tow wad down the barrel when I accidentally eye-balled too much to roll up. You wouldnt think it, or at least I didnt.

 

[Dave Markowitz]

Will this stuff work? Seems like it ought to. I think it's what Duelist1954 uses.

That's what I use for revolver and shotgun wads.

 

[Ed Pilkington]

At Crafts Shows, the weavers will gladly give you free raw sheep’s TOW. Wash it but leave some natural lanolin in it. Amazing results…with or without an over powder card. So far, no squirrel or Deer has said to me, “That ball bounced off me cause you shot me with TOW not a tight, expensive, commercial felt overpowder wad.” Nope, if they see me coming, they run like crazy.

 

[Snydly]

I have a bag of hemp tow that I bought from Turkey Foot Trading that I'd like to try using as wads in my smoothbores. I have a Euroarms Magnum Cape Gun 12 gauge, a Middlesex Village Fusil de Chasse 20 gauge, and a Jackie Brown percussion canoe gun also 20 gauge.

I understand that each gun will require experimenting to find good loads but I am wondering what a good starting point is for how much tow to use both under and over the shot or ball. Also, do you use an over powder card between the tow and projectile?

Finally since we're in a drought and everything is dry, has anyone experienced the tow burning? I don't want to set anything on fire.

Thanks.

My tow has caused more than one fire. Lucky for me they were small and I caught them quickly. Most will just smolder, but be careful. Love to use it as it is my most accurate loading.

 

[Cruzatte]

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

You're probably right about the discomfort of tow shirts. Most of the references I've seen to tow shirts were commenting about clothing slaves cheaply.

 

[toot]

I haven't had the issue either, but I also lube mine. It is sometimes a bit darkened but that is all.
View attachment 161386View attachment 161387

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

View attachment 161388View attachment 161389View attachment 161390View attachment 161391View attachment 161392View attachment 161393View attachment 161394View attachment 161395
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.

 

[toot]

I haven't had the issue either, but I also lube mine. It is sometimes a bit darkened but that is all.
View attachment 161386View attachment 161387

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

View attachment 161388View attachment 161389View attachment 161390View attachment 161391View attachment 161392View attachment 161393View attachment 161394View attachment 161395
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.

this is a great set of pictures of how to make tow./ sisal wads for shooting. kudos to yah!

 

[toot]

View attachment 172274In this picture is jute tow next to the round balls. Normally, I use tow, wasper nest or brown paper for shot wadding. Whether it’s historically correct or not, I also like patched round balls in a smooth bore.

ROGER THAT, I also have used the same material for patching/wadding for over 68 yrs. and if it ain't broke don't fix it!

 

[Cubreac]

Burlap is a traditional fabric for inexpensive clothing. It's made from jute and hemp.
Just FYI, one supplier of fat wood sends the stuff in a jute bag because it is great fire started. We heat our house with wood and I use raw jute fibers to start fires sometimes. I wouldn't use it as wadding in the dry season.
It's not traditional, but I imagine you could use dryer lint (also flammable) for wadding in a pinch.

 

[toot]

drier lint has been used for years. as long as it is cotton, and not synthic drier lint, as it will melt in the barrel. yes it may start a fire.

 

[Rob M.]

Hornets nest in dry weather .... It won't catch on fire ...