Ramrod straightening

[Longarm]

Did a search on this subject as I'm sure you guys have discussed but didn't find anything ,or just missed it.
   Any tricks out there on some hickory rods that have dried kinda kinky.

[Black Hand]

Use you kitchen stove.  Warm the area over the burner until nearly too hot to touch and flex the rod the opposite way from the bend (overshoot a bit), hold in this position for bit (20-30sec) and release.   Allow to cool.  Repeat as necessary.

[northmn]

They straighten arrows by the means mentioned or bend over a hook such that the bend is over a tight radius.  Ramrods will have a tendency to straighten also if left in the thimbles over time.  Kinda kinky is not a real problem wiht a ramrod.

DP

[Nate McKenzie]

Fred Miller always says the a little crookedness holds them in the thimbles better.

[Ken G]

Take a wet wash cloth and wrap it around the rod where you want to bend it and use the iron to apply steam and heat.  Go easy and don't scorch the wash cloth.  You can bend the rod the way you want it to go.  Place it is the thimbles of the gun to let it dry. 

I've straightened a few that were too kinked and I've kinked a few that were too straight.   Real straight rods seem to work their way out while you are shooting.
Ken

[J. Talbert]

I agree with Fred.  If the bend is not too drastic, it might be plus; keeping the ramrod in place when the gun recoils.

Jeff

[Longarm]

Thanks y'all , that's what I've done so far so I'm on the right track. I haven't tried the cloth and iron trick yet Ken, I'll try that too. I'm on board with the " not too straight" idea it's just that I have a couple have some pretty good curves to them.......wood moves after it's been in Nevada a while.
   
      Larry

[Ken G]

I got a pretty nasty bow out of a stock a couple of weeks ago with the iron and wet wash cloth.  Sopping wet and blasting it with steam and heat.  On thinner wood it works great.  Not to shabby getting dings and dent out either.
Ken

[Birddog6]

I have bowed a many of them because they were too straight. Lil suckers will creep out of the RR pipes if too straight, catch on a vine & SNAP !

I usually wet them good, bow them on a board with the ends taped down & a block of wood in the center, dry them with a hair drier or heat gun & leave them sit overnight.  Next morning it will have a bow in it & you can finish it.  To take a bow out I just bow it the opposite way on the board & do the same thing.

[Eric Krewson]

About 15 seconds in my aluminum angle reflector with my heat gun and I can straighten anything.

[Scott Semmel]

clamp in angle iron wrapped in wet papertowels or cloth add heat till steaming heavily let cool = straight ramrod, a tad of non straight does help keep the little bugger in the pipes