Vent Pick Question

[mab7]

I have a Christian Springs smooth rifle made by Nathan Stephenson that has a vent pick inlay.
Unfortunately, the vent pick and rifle have parted ways as the pick is long gone.

The question I have is in regards to function. Were these inlays actually a prevalent feature or more of a modern contemporary, artistic touch?
Any pick that would be retained by the style of 'mounts' such as this would seem to be subject to loss a lot more readily than retained for use.

   

[rich pierce]

I can only guess they were used to hold a feather. No big loss.

[Mike from OK]

I'm not knowledgeable about the historical accuracy of vent pick inlays. I am  interested to know more on the subject as well.

Concerning vent picks... I am tempted to purchase one of the nice hand forged ones. But I'm absolutely positive that I would lose it quickly. So I just make my own from 14 gauge copper wire... If I lose it, no big deal. Takes me two minutes to make another... But since they're cheap and plain I have yet to lose one. Murphy's law.

Mike

[Bob McBride]

Concerning vent picks... I am tempted to purchase one of the nice hand forged ones. But I'm absolutely positive that I would lose it quickly. So I just make my own from 14 gauge copper wire... If I lose it, no big deal. Takes me two minutes to make another... But since they're cheap and plain I have yet to lose one. Murphy's law.

Mike

I'd lose one attached to the cheek in a heartbeat.

I've been playing around with adding picks to the inside of my horn stoppers. Works pretty well and the stopper is already in your hand when you need it.... I usually just rough bend a piece of copper or brass wire around my measure tether. If it's not attached somehow ill lose it every time.

[Robby]

I don't often incorporate a pick but when I do I make it such that it has a little quality of retention. Like anything in life, no guarantee.


Robby

[smylee grouch]

I keep a priming flask on a cord around my neck and a piece of copper wire on the same lanyard.

[rich pierce]

I like the horn stopper/vent pick idea.  I have been keeping a vent pick on a string attached to the guard for primitive match shooting.

[Marcruger]

Those loop vent pick holders under the cheekpiece were fairly common on NC longrifles.   If the pick is oriented correctly, recoil should not dislodge it.  The picks that spring to mind look like cotter pins on the non-pointy end.  I think that retains to pick.  I hope this helps.  God Bless,   Marc

[hanshi]

Years ago I installed vent pick inlays on my two SMR.  Both hold tightly onto the simple bent-wire pick.  If, by rare chance, one came loose then making another one is super easy.  I do have a nice forged vent pick but it stays in my shop; I won't risk it on a rifle.  But, then, I seldom use a pick anyway.

[Mike from OK]

I keep a priming flask on a cord around my neck and a piece of copper wire on the same lanyard.

My priming flask is tethered to one of my brass strap rings and rides in the front pocket of my bag... but I too keep my vent pick on the same tether.

My routine is to pick, then prime. Makes sense to have both those items together. I'm not big on rushing to load/reload. But a little economy of motion doesn't hurt at all.

I'd like to eliminate the flask and just prime from my horn... but the end of the spout is just thick enough to be cumbersome around the pan/frizzen.

Mike

[John SMOthermon]

I can’t say how many picks I’ve lost, until I started installing them in the powder horns plug.

It seemed to be the simple answer...  probably not HC/PC.

But I’m not loosing picks now....

[Marcruger]

Those forged vent picks are beautiful art, and I have one.  That said, I pick each load to open a flash channel into the center of the main charged (I learned from a target shooter).  Therefore, I won't use a steel/iron pick as it'd really erode the flash hole.  I use copper, tapered to a long point to preserve the life of the liner.  God Bless,   Marc

[mab7]

I normally use a brass one, attached to a tether and carried in the strap pocket with a measure like shown.
I just think it would be nice to have one that is right for the method intended on the rifle. Unfortunately, wood and leather are materials more to my speed, metal not so much.

[RoaringBull]

I have mine attached to the trigger guard, along with a pan brush on the other end of the string.