Vent pick- just how small?

[James Kopp]

Came across this forged mail. Would love to know how thin I need to file it down to make a fit with Kibler Woodsrunner .50. Love to hear from this great group

 

[sussexmuzllodr]

you can also use copper wire stranded to make a pick vent. get it the right diameter hit it with some heat and solder. You could make several so no big deal if you lose it....

 

[Johnny Tremain]

Thats a nail. Way to big. I had to grind my Pickering tool down, and they were made as a vent pick.

 

[Rancocas]

I just use a common paper clip. I straightened out one end. The other end I bent into a loop for a hand hold.
I tied it to my shot bag on a thin, short, waxed cord. It hangs beside my powder measure.
I keep an extra one inside my little tool bag that is kept inside my shot bag. That one is made of a very thin nail tapped into the end of a 1/4 inch dowel. I painted the short 3/4 inch section of dowel, blue, just because I could. ():>)

 

[French Colonial]

I drill all of my vents out to 1/16 if they are not already.

So.... a little smaller than that.

 

[Dusty_Traveler]

Just smaller than the inside diameter of the vent. Take care not to wallow it around in there. Just a poke straight through is enough. I'd be sure to knock all those corners off first thing.

 

[The Appalachian]

I drill all of my vents out to 1/16 if they are not already.

So.... a little smaller than that.

This ^^^

 

[The Appalachian]

Came across this forged mail. Would love to know how thin I need to file it down to make a fit with Kibler Woodsrunner .50. Love to hear from this great group View attachment 262373

Do you have a propane torch, some kind of hammer, and a vise or other heavy hard metal "thing"?

You could heat it up and tap it to shape/diameter and say you "forged" it yourself.

When it's done heat it up a final time and dip it in oil. It'll turn a nice durable black color.

 

[ZUG]

Thats a nice old nail and it would make into a nice vent pick - BUT - I would make a vent pick out of copper or brass wire so as not to enlarge the vent hole after repeated use of the vent pick - It will happen!

 

[Ohio Rusty]

Although not period correct, The large size paper clip is about the perfect size for a vent pick. Bend out the long leg and the flat end pushes powder into the vent hole perfectly and is a perfect fit. When done with it, clip it to the inside pocket so it doesn't get lost. You'll know right where it is when you need it again.
Ohio Rusty ><>

 

[64Springer]

A number drill smaller than the vent hole works well.

Drill a hole in a piece of hardwood and you have a handle.

 

[Brownwl]

Blue Jays tail feather

 

[Two Feathers]

FWIW:
I forge my vent picks to 1/16" dia. Seems to work for every vent liner?
Good luck.
God bless:
Two Feathers

 

[sussexmuzllodr]

pipe cleaner

 

[TDM]

Paper clips do work well as @Rancocas said. I also use a stout needle in an antler handle and I have a store bought #bit with an aluminum handle. It’s whatever I pick up first.

 

[oldramrod]

I use sewing needles epoxied into an antler tip.

 

[reddogge]

Blue Jays tail feather

I did that for a while but found out it's a Federal offense to possess one. Any songbird feather for that matter.

"
The possession of feathers and other parts of native North American birds without a permit is prohibited by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA).Apr 17, 2023"

 

[Jaeger]

Came across this forged mail. Would love to know how thin I need to file it down to make a fit with Kibler Woodsrunner .50. Love to hear from this great group View attachment 262373

That looks about 7 or 8 inches long and about a quarter inch in diameter......waaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyy too big. Even with a lot of grinding it might be good for a cannon vent pick.

 

[IanH]

I did that for a while but found out it's a Federal offense to possess one. Any songbird feather for that matter.

"
The possession of feathers and other parts of native North American birds without a permit is prohibited by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA).Apr 17, 2023"

I was going to mention that and am glad to see someone else did. I saved some dove feathers to use in mine, they work fine and as far as I know are legal to possess.

A friend of mine found a red-tailed hawk tailfeather on airport property and hung it from his rearview mirror. Got pulled over and if the DPS officer hadn't been kind and told him to get rid of that "chicken feather" before another officer identified it as something else and arrested him he would have been in deep poo.

 

[ADK Bigfoot]

I use a small allen wrench, just smaller than the touch hole. I heat it with a torch and bend a loop in the short end to tie it to my trigger guard. Always there when I need it.

ADK Bigfoot