What's the purpose of the Patch box

[bnail]

I've thought about this at some length, but can come up with no other purpose for the patch box other than storing prelubed patches and maybe an extra ball or two. Anyone ever read any period accounts of its use/purpose? I figure anything else would rattle too much.
Would prelubed patches keep well in a patch box?

 

[Bob Riegl]

Oui mon ami---c'est vraie----pre-lubed patches or plain patches would be what I would put there. How long the pre-lubes would stay???? I do suppose that other little trinkets may also have stored within---probably wrapped up in either cloth or a piece of animal skin--to prevent rattling. Our ancestors had to travel as light as possible and still be able to maintain themselves---so every nook & cranny would have been used. :hatsoff:

 

[Okwaho]

Joe Kindig had a rifle in his collection and he never opened the box although it had something rattling around. When it was sold an old worm was found inside.There is at least one and perhaps other old rifles with holes bored in the butt opening into the box under the head and there is one rifle with a hole bored into the butt which can only be accessed by removing the butt piece.There are other old guns with a residue of grease in the box. I suppose flints could be stored there and perhaps a vent pick or other tool and some tow for cleaning.
Tom Patton

 

[Stumpkiller]

In mine, right now, is a vent feather, a metal vent pick, one spare flint, one spare ball, a ball-puller screw, a patch jag, and a tow worm (wrapped in tow to help keep everything quiet).

The only time I open it is to clean, or . . . * gulp * . . . to pull a ball.

All the fiddly little things that would be hard to find in the bottom of a bag. The spare ball & flint so, worst case, I have one shot as long as I have powder and a shirt-tail. ::

When a gun is new the patch box is a good place to include the jag or tow worm, which has to be bore diameter and including one with the gun would have been a nice gesture. A mould, too, but that wouldn't fit. :haha:

 

[Cruzatte]

I keep a spare flint and a hunk of tow in Ol' Melindy's patchbox. I used to keep a tow worm and a ball screw in there too, but I lost them on a woods walk once upon a time. So I don't do that anymore.

Cruzatte

 

[revehuntsman]

I keep a worm, a ball puller and an extra flint, all wrapped in a piece of cloth to keep 'em quiet. (DGW Tenn. Mountain Rifle that came with a grease hole. I bought and installed banana lid patch box cover -- looks great.)

 

[Twisted_1in66]

I keep a spare flint and a hunk of tow in Ol' Melindy's patchbox. I used to keep a tow worm and a ball screw in there too, but I lost them on a woods walk once upon a time. So I don't do that anymore.

Cruzatte

I had to go look to verify what I had in mine. I've got two flints wrapped inside some patching material. I keep my ramrod accessories in my possibles bag, but I do keep some patching material in my patchbox...imagine that's why they call it a patchbox :rotf:

 

[AZ-Robert]

I've thought about this at some length, but can come up with no other purpose for the patch box other than storing prelubed patches and maybe an extra ball or two. Anyone ever read any period accounts of its use/purpose? I figure anything else would rattle too much.
Would prelubed patches keep well in a patch box?

Travels Through the States of North America and Providences of Upper and Lower Canada during the Years 1795, 1796 & 1797[/i], as cited by Joseph Ruckman]The grease and bits of rag, which are called patches, are carried in a little box at the butt end of the gun.

 

[bnail]

Thanks AZ, EXACTLY what I was looking for! :hatsoff: :bow:

 

[Zonie]

While reading GUNS on the Early Frontiers by Carl P. Russell (LCCCN 57-6042) I noted a bit of information on this subject.

Speaking of the new Model 1803 Rifle, Tench Coxe, Purveyor of Public Supplys in those days and one who strongly disliked the new gun said:

"...The butt-box for the wiper, flint and Rag is made to open by a pin near the bottom of the butt where it is liable to be struck by stones and stumps and opened..." (Pg 177).

Zonie "Keep Your Eyes Peeled"

 

[Arrowstorm]

I stuff mine with a couple of dry patches.

The rest I just keep in my possibles bag.

 

[musketman]

In my guns wuth patchboxes I keep band-aids, I know how I am around sharp things like knives and flint... :grin:

 

[Arrowstorm]

is that PC, musket man? Lol

they had band-aids back then? :hatsoff:

 

[AZ-Robert]

"...The butt-box for the wiper, flint and Rag is made to open by a pin near the bottom of the butt where it is liable to be struck by stones and stumps and opened..." (Pg 177).

I've wondered just that about the boxes that open that way.

Now I'm wondering how a perfectly good term like "butt-box" gave way to "patch box."

 

[musketman]

is that PC, musket man? Lol

they had band-aids back then? :hatsoff:

There is no such thing as PC when your bleeding prefusely from a self inflicted gash while knapping flint... :rotf:

PC: Pretty Clumsy

 

[Swampman]

Most were filled with tallow. They are in fact a covered tallow hole. Here's a picture of an original with tallow still in it.

 

[longshot47]

Mark-
Now thats believable.
Great shot! :thumbsup:
~Longshot

 

[Swampman]

The biggest problem with following this practice is that when you leave your rifle in the hot car there won't be any tallow in the box when you get back. Don't ask how I know. The funny thing is, I could never figure out were it went. It was completely gone without a trace.

 

[musketman]

The funny thing is, I could never figure out were it went. It was completely gone without a trace.

I would suspect it got absorbed into the pores of the wood like a hot oil treatment...

 

[Swampman]

Could be, the wood inside the patchbox, and the wool cover over the rifle, showed not a single trace of it. They were clean as a whistle.