Vent Pick

[rfcbuf]

What's the real danger of using a steel(piano wire)vent pick vs. a softer (copper) wire when shooting a flint rifle? Can't imagine picking a vent with steel pick on a loaded rifle could cause a spark. Anyone heard of touching off a flinter by picking with a steel wire?

 

[Stubert]

I have been using steel picks for 25 years, I make them from old lawnmower throttle cables (inner wire)

 

[bob1961]

i'v started m/l'ing in 2003 and always used pipe cleaners as my touch hole picks....they even act like a small brush after a shot in the hole....even use them to plug the touch hole as i load so my gun don't self prime itself as the air moves past the pipe cleaner as it's held in place 1/4" in the touch hole by the frizzen :v ...........bob

 

[tg]

A lot of people use steel/iron picks, I would think the risk is small when compared to using the same material in a knapping tool, I like to use bronze welding rod tapered to a point at one end this stuff is real cheap and easy to work with.

 

[flashpanner]

Steel on steel making sparks? Maybe. But not at the speed you would be when just clearing a hole. I like the brass rod approach anyway. Less chance of buggering up the touch hole exit.

 

[paulvallandigham]

The vent liners are usually made of some alloy that is not hard enough to produce sparks, and the steel used for the vent pick is usually cold roll steel, and its doesn't spark well either. I have never worried about making a spark using a vent pick. I suppose if this keeps you up nights, then make a pick out of a length of copper heavy gauge wire, and go back to sleep. :thumbsup:

 

[whummell]

Ive never worried about it when I used a steel vent pick.. But the last few years Ive been using a pipe cleaner. After the shot I cock the hammer to half cock insert a pipe cleaner. The pipe cleaner allows a small chamber to be cleared away from the vent hole. When Im ready to prime the pan I take out the pipe cleaner and it cleans the vent as you withdrawl it. So all in all the pipe cleaner does two jobs for me cleaning and clearing the vent in one swipe.

 

I have used both soft steel wire and brass wire to good effect. I never had any use for the fancy twisted smithed out vent picks. They are pretty but they are to big to pick a vent with. Just get a piece of wire that will fit in the vent and form a 0 on one end and sharpen the other then tie it to your horn strap. :hatsoff:

 

[paulvallandigham]

Cooner: Those oversized vent picks are made that way so you can file them to the size you need for your vent hole. Since vent hole sizes also vary, there is not way you can make a pick that fits them all, unless you use a wire so small that it can hardly move any powder aside.

I make picks out of coat hangers. The metal is very soft, easy heated with a propane torch, and then hammered to a square profile so I can stick one end in the jaws of my bench vise, and twist the heated rod to make the twists. I usually make a round or heart shaped handle on the other end, heat welding the tip of the rod to the shaft where it touches.

When the piece cools, I file the point down with a real file, and then file it further to fit the particular gun I am making the pick to serve. I have seen similar picks for sale at Friendship on Commercial Row, and the makers leave the points " fat " so that the owner can file them to fit his particular vent. I leave a flat on at least one side of the point, to act like a shovel, so I can move powder around in the barrel by simply twisting the pick. If I didn't have so many coat hangers around, I probably would use a pipe cleaner to do much the same thing.

Most vent liners are stainless steel, and they won't spark worth a darn because of the high amount of chromium in the metal. The soft steel also won't spark, rarely giving off any sparks at all even when I use a grinder to shape them.

 

The vents in my rifles are 1/16th" in diameter. Some are 3/32" in diameter. The brass wire I use is about the same size as the vent holes. Plenty of pushability for black powder fouling. These vent picks are made in less time than it takes to file down a $15.00 smithed out vent pick and a whole lot cheaper. In fact, if you lose it on a hunt...there is more wire at the house to make another and you haven't lost 12-15 dollars american in the woods somewhere. If ya like those fancy vent picks go ahead and use 'em. :thumbsup:

 

[tg]

I like to epoxy a length of the wire or whatever into a short piece of antler tip and drill a hole thru this to add a wang of leather for tying off.

 

[paulvallandigham]

I carry two vent picks when I hunt. One is used to keep the tassle on my wool cap pined to the side of the hat. The other is on a chain that is attached to my possibles bag strap, and is kept in the bag, so It doesn't stick me. I have not lost a pick on a chain ever. I make my own picks, as you do, so I don't see there is much to argue about. No, I would not pay $15.00 for a pick, when I can make them myself. I enjoy the hammering work.

Oh, To finish my picks, I heat them red hot and drop them in a tin of oil. Any oil will do, but I usually have some motor oil in my garage. I have used cooking oil. Then to temper them somewhat, but to really set the black color on the metal, I lift the the pick out of the oil, take it outside, and burn off the oil with my propane torch. This give the pick a deep, even and rich black finish that wears very well. I have sold several of them to other members of my club.

 

[Parzifal]

:haha:
One thing I know for shure is NEVER use a c6 cleaning tool as it is such high carbon it has a hazard of snapping off and jamming your touchhole..Happened to me and what a pain in the butt..

Rob

 

[CrackStock]

I don't know, but I been told...

that you never want a pick of stronger steel then your vent hole since you will be wearing it out while using it. My pick is copper or feather.

CS

 

Yes sir, feathers make good vent picks. Rooster hackles work the best. I use them.