Vent/Touch Hole Pick

[Flintandsteel]

I have several vent picks, and can’t even remember the last time I used one.

 

[AZ Dan]

I made one out of some old wound guitar string glued into a small piece of wood dowel. Flexible and does the job.

 

[Doug Fay]

Hmmm - I just made one with a stainless steel rod inserted into a wood handle. Works well, but now I'm wondering if there is any danger if the gun is loaded, because it's steel?

 

[Campbell]

Mesquite thorns work great

 

[Grenadier1758]

Hmmm - I just made one with a stainless steel rod inserted into a wood handle. Works well, but now I'm wondering if there is any danger if the gun is loaded, because it's steel?

These steel vent picks will be passing steel over steel and are extremely unlikely to draw sparks in use. Flint is much harder than steel and can scrape hot shards of steel. Steel rubbing on steel will only slide and not draw sparks. It may wear and eventually the touch hole will enlarge. So, it is better to use a softer metal as a touch hole pick.

 

[Doug Fay]

Thank you! I think I will remake the prick with a brass rod.

 

[bud in pa]

Have been using a copper wire for years.

 

[LonestarShootR]

Mesquite thorns work great

Living on a South Texas ranch they make awesome tire deflators too!

 

[RiverRat]

Here is mine, very thin doesn’t touch the edges of the touch hole.

 

[deerstalkert]

i have used vent picks. i made up a half dozen from welding wire and antler handle. figured one for each flintlock right?
should have made 365, one for each day. they seem to disappear shortly after a shooting session. not smart enough to tether them to the trigger guard.
i seldom "need" one but......
figure i will find a pack rat nest one of these days and recover a dozen or so. reminds me. time for another mouse safari.

 

[waksupi]

Hmmm - I just made one with a stainless steel rod inserted into a wood handle. Works well, but now I'm wondering if there is any danger if the gun is loaded, because it's steel?

No.

 

[bpd303]

Some leave the pick or a feather in the hole before pouring in the powder to do the same thing.

My grandfather always used a feather and I honestly can't remember ever having a flash in the pan with him.

 

[DiMarco_Mercantile]

Nothing super fancy, just some scrap I bent