Wooden Patchbox

[Hoyt]

The guns I build are just for hunting and don't plan on selling any. I do like the way wooden patchboxs look and think they add to a flintlock's appearance. However..are they worth what looks like to me a good deal of effort..do they get used..and is it normal to loose the lid while hunting?
I need to either make up my mind to try one or forget about it..Thanks for any info.

 

[rich pierce]

Do any patchboxes get used much? I doubt it. They are mostly for style in my opinion. History says that if you use a wooden patchbox for 60 years you will probably lose it, as most we see now are replacements.

 

[LRB]

I like the wood boxes, and use mine for storing cleaning tools and extra flint and such. As long as your catch is reasonably strong and positive, you should have no problem, but I am constantly checking mine to be sure it is still there. Have never yet had it unlatch.

 

[Hoyt]

I guess I could fasten a little wire or string..or to be more PC..a piece of leather from the inside of lid to inside of box to keep from loosing lid if it were to hang on something and snatch open.

 

I keep my cleaning/loading jag in mine. I lined the box with felt to quiet things down a bit. Guess I'm just trying to be cool and I could keep the jag in my shooting pouch but what the heck. I might add a flint, ball, patch and powder wrapped in a paper cartridge for that last ditch life saving shot.

 

[rich pierce]

I do use the patchbox but just because it's there. I figure sometimes a fella might lose everything but the rifle and the powder horn so I do keep flints, tools, patches and a couple of balls in there. Now if I could fill the buttstock with gunpowder.......

 

[Stumpkiller]

I keep cleaning tools & tow in the patchbox, and a spare flint. I have a three-hole ball block in a sleeve on my horn strap so I always have three shots as long as I remember the gun and horn. :haha:

Some guns just look proper (to my eyes) with a wood patchbox lid, some wouldn't look good with anything but brass. Generally, the beefier the butt, the better the wood box complements it. The slimmer styles do not.

Of course, everyons has their own tastes and likes.

I don't know much about wood box lids, but everything from ink pen and needle cases to domino boxes seem to have a stop built in to prevent the box and lid from being seperated. Couldn't the same be fashioned for a wood patchbox lid? Or, a little brass chain?

 

[dlemaster]

I'm probably looking at things bass a$$ backwards again, but I have made both sliding wood patch boxes and brass ones and I can make and install a sliding wood box in the time it takes to lay out, cutout, and make the hinge for a brass box, that would still leave me to inlay the brass box, make the catch assembly and engrave it. I'm not a very good engraver so I rarely do it and 95% of brass patch boxes need some engraving to look right to me.
Anyway, to be honest maybe the wood patch boxes are easier for me just because I like early rifles with wood patch boxes better than later rifles.

Regards, Dave

 

[BLAHMAN]

I always wanted to try to make my own metal patchbox. So far I made two. They work good.

Never tried a wooden patchbox though!


I am tinkerin' with the idea of just puttin a grease hole in an upcomming[url] project......tryin[/url]' to make a lid may be a problem! :haha:

 

[dryfly]

What I have heard about wooden patch boxes is that they swell and hang up. I use metal patch box

 

I run a bar Dove soap ( the white bar) along the edges of my wooden lid and I've had no trouble here in steamy, humid southeast Missouri. I agree that humidity could cause a problem especially if it's a pretty snug fit to begin with. My lid doesn't rattle around but it's not too snug either. I may totally skip any patch box at all on my next rifle. Maybe.

 

[BLAHMAN]

I run a bar Dove soap ( the white bar) along the edges of my wooden lid and I've had no trouble here in steamy, humid southeast Missouri. I agree that humidity could cause a problem especially if it's a pretty snug fit to begin with. My lid doesn't rattle around but it's not too snug either. I may totally skip any patch box at all on my next rifle. Maybe.

Ya know, if ya tried 'Irish Spring' yer rifle would smell better! :haha: :haha: :haha:


......sorry........just could'nt hold back.

 

At least it was a "clean" joke!

 

[Dave K]

I don't use my patch boxes, they are really just for looks. If I had a really GREAT piece of wood, I would not hide that wood with a patch box. If the grain is so so, then I would put jewelry on the gun. JMHO

 

[dryfly]

Yes, but a silver Dickert with gold sideplates looks nice also. And I can keep my cleaning gear with the rifle.