Tow for Cleaning?

[Smokey Plainsman]

I recently posted a thread asking about rammer tips and their historical versions. Well in my research it seems as if the rough fibers of the flax plant, called tow, and a byproduct of the manufacture of linen textiles, was a popular cleaning medium in “days past” as it were, for swabbing a bore clean.

Does anyone out there use tow in such a manner in this day? I have so far carried some quantity of modern cotton cleaning patches in my shooting bag for the job, but they are bulky and I’ve yet to encounter a historical note of their usage in period texts. I would assume cotton cloth too valuable for such a chore.

I have also read tow may be cleaned, dried, and carried for further usage. It seems to be a good mix of economy and historical correctness, but does it work well? Can any man present share his insights or experience on the usage of tow fibers for cleaning a muzzleloader’s barrel?

Regards,

-S.P.

[rich pierce]

I use tow at primitive shoots.  Also when using a tow worm, almost anything can be used to wipe a gun, including found materials, yarns, unwound string, or any scraps of cloth, etc.  That will not work with a jag, where patches of a specific range of thickness are required. 

[Natureboy]

  Tow on a worm works great for scrubbing the breech plug, and makes good tinder for flint and steel fire starting.

[WKevinD]

A nice tutorial by Nate Mckenzie
...but use cold water.
http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=24312.0

[Pukka Bundook]

Yes I use tow, but it is old stuff that came from the UK with me 35 years ago, and was old then!
I did get some 'new' tow from someone Stateside, but it is poor stuff compared to the golden and very strong stuff I already had.
The old stuff is hard to wear out, whereas the new stuff wears out fast and is sad looking.
It all works though, and is harder to lose down the bore than a patch and can be washed and re-used.  Just make sure you don't leave a bit in the bore when you load, as (in theory) it could cause a smouldering spark and not nice when you load again.

Best,
R.

[WadePatton]

I prefer tow and water over everything else.

See Nate's tutorial.  Lots of previous discussion here, but seems to be the last thing any newcomer learns about.

I wash and reuse my fouled tow and keep my oiled tow in a baggie. Picked up a big wad of it off eBay a few years back--pretty much a lifetime supply.  I only use patches for shooting.

Look up the yarn-spinning supplies places for sources too.  Or grow some Flax and make your own. Also understand that hemp fiber works and you can buy that too.

[stubshaft]

I gave tow a try years ago and swear by it now.  No brushes, or jags needed just a rod and tow worm which can be as simple as a coil spring that grips the rod.  I ran out a few months ago and got another bag from a monk that was doing organic farming on e-bay.  I gotta say that his stuff is great with long, strong fibers that are totally reusable.

[yulzari]

I use tow on a worm for the muskets I have owned. Simply washing out the bore with cold water and drying with dry tow. I bought a very large hank in a plumbers merchants here and I wash and dry it after use, The Memsahib works with fleece so I put it through the carding device and it comes out all ready to use again. I very much doubt if I will ever need to buy any more.

[Jerry]

Tow has been the only thing I use for cleaning. It's a fact, as mentioned before, you can wash it, dry it, and keep it handy in the pouch. Brad Emig has some excellent, period correct tow worms and ball pullers at Cabin Creek Muzzle Loading.

[Smokey Plainsman]

Guys, THANK YOU for comments and the excellent tutorial!! My heart swells to know the period way is also a good way, even today!!

Does anyone swab with tow between shots or after a string of shots, followed by more shooting? Seems it could be dampened with the mouth if needed, or from one’s canteen or a handy brook etc. Also I would assume soap may not be crucial if it is not handy in the field? And perhaps cold water would work alright too?

My goal is to be as historically authentic as humanely possible while still maintaining good order of my gun and possibles. This means doing it the old way and avoiding modern synthetic materials. You all continue to feed me knowledge and believe me, I am inhaling it!!!   

What a wonderful hobby is this, full of many wonderful people! Thanks for sharing!!

[Daryl]

For cleaning black powder fouling, from 46years of shooting muzzleloading guns, I have found that soap is never needed for cleaning.
Regular cool or cold water is all that is needed - whether shooting oiled or greased patches, or shooting water based lubes. There is
never any oil or grease left in my bores - never.
I use oils and greases that combine with the fouling to keep it soft and are easily and are cleaned with cold water.
Perhaps a tight combinations for shooting AND cleaning helps?
Being historically correct is a very difficult procedure as much of what is tabled as being so, is still just supposition and guess work.
We know there were some very good shots, at least in the mid 1800's - the records of the gun clubs and target shooting tell us this.
We know that as early as about 1830 or so, Remington was making barrels for the commercial gun 'trade' - barrels that had turned muzzles
 fitted for "guide bullet starters".

I reject claims there were no starters being used.
The British Army was issuing 'iron peg starters' in the flint period.
I cannot believe the 'colonists' were not bright enough to seize upon this method of loading more accurate ammunition.
Remington certainly did and improved upon the method with the starters noted above.

[Elnathan]

"The British Army was issuing 'iron peg starters' in the flint period."

Source? There is a flint era British military text that mentions just that, but it turns out that the author just plagiarized the rifle section of his text from a much earlier French source talking about the use of oversized unpatched balls, IIRC. That is why it is important to distinguish between loading undersized patched balls and oversized unpatched balls - the question isn't whether short starters were around, but whether they were used for patched balls.

Also, we have several 18th century texts describing the care and feeding of the rifle that seem likely to have mentioned short starters if they were used. One of these actually describes how to hold the ramrod to avoid breaking it when starting the ball - kind of hard to get around that one. It isn't just a matter of not having any sources.

Also, where did short starters come up in a thread about tow?

[Smokey Plainsman]

"The British Army was issuing 'iron peg starters' in the flint period."

Source? There is a flint era British military text that mentions just that, but it turns out that the author just plagiarized the rifle section of his text from a much earlier French source talking about the use of oversized unpatched balls, IIRC. That is why it is important to distinguish between loading undersized patched balls and oversized unpatched balls - the question isn't whether short starters were around, but whether they were used for patched balls.

Also, we have several 18th century texts describing the care and feeding of the rifle that seem likely to have mentioned short starters if they were used. One of these actually describes how to hold the ramrod to avoid breaking it when starting the ball - kind of hard to get around that one. It isn't just a matter of not having any sources.

Also, where did short starters come up in a thread about tow?

Thank you, Elnathan. I was puzzled at the mention of starters, too. I would like to be without one as it seems that if they were in fact used for starting patched balls, they were not mentioned. I am considering coning and understand it too is controversial, but it to me is a worthy trade off to get rid of the starter which is probably even less correct and conspicuous than a coned muzzle.

[Smokey Plainsman]

"The British Army was issuing 'iron peg starters' in the flint period."

Source? There is a flint era British military text that mentions just that, but it turns out that the author just plagiarized the rifle section of his text from a much earlier French source talking about the use of oversized unpatched balls, IIRC. That is why it is important to distinguish between loading undersized patched balls and oversized unpatched balls - the question isn't whether short starters were around, but whether they were used for patched balls.

Also, we have several 18th century texts describing the care and feeding of the rifle that seem likely to have mentioned short starters if they were used. One of these actually describes how to hold the ramrod to avoid breaking it when starting the ball - kind of hard to get around that one. It isn't just a matter of not having any sources.

Also, where did short starters come up in a thread about tow?

Thank you, Elnathan. I was puzzled at the mention of starters, too. I would like to be without one as it seems that if they were in fact used for starting patched balls, they were not mentioned. I am considering coning and understand it too is controversial, but it to me is a worthy trade off to get rid of the starter which is probably even less correct and much more conspicuous than a coned muzzle.

[Gun_Nut_73]

Does anyone know where I might find a tow worm for .30-.36 cal rifles?  All the tow worms I have seen were for .50 and greater calibers.  Are .30-.36 calibers too small to use tow, or would there be too much chance of leaving pieces in the barrel?

[Pukka Bundook]

I use one in a .40 and it works fine Gun Nut, but it's homemade.   We used tow in our guns we don't talk about here as well! (.303)  :-)

[WadePatton]

Does anyone know where I might find a tow worm for .30-.36 cal rifles?  All the tow worms I have seen were for .50 and greater calibers.  Are .30-.36 calibers too small to use tow, or would there be too much chance of leaving pieces in the barrel?

Make one?

Turn down (grind/file or drag behind the mule) a larger one until it fits? 

[rich pierce]

I’ve seen spring wire coiled into a cone shape and slipped on the end of wooden rammers to clean with tow.