|
S |
M |
T |
W |
T |
F |
S |
|
|
|
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
|
5
|
6
|
7
|
8
|
9
|
10
|
11
|
|
12
|
13
|
14
|
15
|
16
|
17
|
18
|
|
19
|
20
|
21
|
22
|
23
|
24
|
25
|
|
26
|
27
|
28
|
29
|
30
|
31
|
|
|
|
Forums10
Topics38,496
Posts545,354
Members14,410
| |
Most Online1,344
Apr 29th, 2024
|
|
|
|
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 288 Likes: 10
Sidelock
|
OP
Sidelock
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 288 Likes: 10 |
I vaguely recall there is a product the English use (or perhaps used to use) called toew(Sp?) which I recall is a product similar to what is used in hemp rope. I think Michael McIntosh referred to it in one of his articles.
I did a quick Google search and came up with zip.
Can someone help me out?
Thanks
Bill
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 288 Likes: 7
Sidelock
|
|
Sidelock
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 288 Likes: 7 |
Dixie Gunworks and other Black Powder suppliers offer "Tow" for gun cleaning.
Last edited by Saskbooknut; 03/11/23 05:42 PM.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 1,117 Likes: 92
Sidelock
|
|
Sidelock
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 1,117 Likes: 92 |
It’s a wool-like product made from hemp fibers used to clean muzzleloaders way back in the day because paper towels didn’t exist. If you really want to clean your gun the “English” way have your man Jeeves do it.
Last edited by eeb; 03/11/23 05:51 PM.
|
|
2 members like this:
Ted Schefelbein, Parabola |
|
|
|
|
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 190 Likes: 11
Sidelock
|
|
Sidelock
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 190 Likes: 11 |
From Wikipedia:
In the textile industry, a tow (or hards) is a coarse, broken fibre, removed during processing flax, hemp, or jute[1] and separated from the shives. Flax tows are often used as upholstery stuffing and oakum. Tows in general are frequently cut up to produce staple fibre. The very light color of flax tow is the source of the word "towhead", meaning a person with naturally light blond hair.[2]
The only constant in life is change.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 3,964 Likes: 89
Sidelock
|
|
Sidelock
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 3,964 Likes: 89 |
Bet’cha there is not a single Englishman on that little island that still uses tow to clean a barrel. Very archaic and as stated above they didn’t have paper products as we do today. I tried it once and it was a joke compared to what we use.
When an old man dies a library burns to the ground. (Old African proverb)
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 7,720 Likes: 480
Sidelock
|
|
Sidelock
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 7,720 Likes: 480 |
Since every British double I’ve seen seem to have pits perhaps you might be better off with some other product. They blame the primers or powders but pits are pits.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 4,081 Likes: 473
Sidelock
|
|
Sidelock
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 4,081 Likes: 473 |
Wasn't mercury at one time used to remove lead from the barrels?
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 3,730 Likes: 51
Sidelock
|
|
Sidelock
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 3,730 Likes: 51 |
I still have some tow from when I used to do some taxidermy work on making bird bodies from when I was a teenager and into my twenties. Very easy to form once the tow was wrapped with string. Now they use forms.
I did know a fellow years ago that used mercury for cleaning his pistol barrels. Scary stuff.
Last edited by David Williamson; 03/12/23 09:43 AM.
David
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2020
Posts: 912 Likes: 363
Sidelock
|
|
Sidelock
Joined: Dec 2020
Posts: 912 Likes: 363 |
I once used 88% Ammonia to try to dissolve heavy nickel fouling from the barrel of a .22 High Power Savage 1899 take down. It seemed to be a race between it dissolving the nickel and eating the rifling.
Equally scary.
Mind you we used to be given mercury to play with at school. Probably explains a lot.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 2,737 Likes: 96
Sidelock
|
|
Sidelock
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 2,737 Likes: 96 |
Joe, I have a large bag of the stuff that came with an old gun case that I bought; and no, I don't use it!
People used to pick old hemp rope to pieces to produce it and earn a bit of cash; hence the saying making 'Money from old Rope'. Lagopus.....
|
|
|
|
|
