Where to buy tow ?

Depends what you're using it for. To wind on a tow worm I like the long fiber bundle.

Then you can always pull lengths out and wad it up if you like.

What you want is this loose stuff left over from making flax fibers for spinning into thread, like this:



This is the spinning stuff you don't want, long and straight, not good for wads:



Spence

Here's a video of flax combing.....check out his channel for more flax related videos.
https://youtu.be/WOpETzPmH8A

And that link led me to this one, using nettle fiber:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=361YVBkFylo

Love this simple technology. I have made cordage from dogbane, which was the preferred fiber of the ancient inhabitants of the Northwest and Great Basin.

Yep! I went there too I have lots of nettles...

Guess that's why liquor stores have whiskey and scotch - different tastes. I bought six pounds of the long tow fibers and that has seen me many years.

Wasp nest material works as well. I have a crop just outside our bathroom window in a maple tree I'll harvest mid-winter.

I also use wool. We raise sheep and the washed fleece makes a great wad.

I'm new to flintlocks. I'm reading and watching all the books and videos I can trying to learn how to load, shoot and clean my rifle. I was going to buy some TOW for cleaning, I assume it works better than cotton fleece patches plus you can wash and reuse it.

BTW this site is a great source of information, I log in every day looking for information.

Thanks,

Percy, it really is a great resource. Glad you are here.

Stumpkiller said:

Guess that's why liquor stores have whiskey and scotch - different tastes. I bought six pounds of the long tow fibers and that has seen me many years.

Wasp nest material works as well. I have a crop just outside our bathroom window in a maple tree I'll harvest mid-winter.

I also use wool. We raise sheep and the washed fleece makes a great wad.

Click to expand...

So you just run to tow on a worm ..up and down the barrel ..without any solvent ..to clean after so many shots..correct ???????

"The Tow "

You have to at least get the Tow wet with water. You can't run a dry tow patch down it and expect much to happen. Water is the oldest solvent (and one of the very best) for black powder.

I use MAP which is equal parts of Murphy's oil soap, 91% isopropyl Alcohol (rubbing alcohol) and hydrogen Peroxide . If I'm out of that, water works just fine.

Twisted_1in66:thumbsup:
Dan

I have been using windshield washer fluid ,cut 50/50 with water...works great and won't freeze.

Question, is Jute the same as Tow?

I bought a bunch of Jute at Joann's fabric this weekend and was going to use it in my fire starting kit. Is this good to use in that manner?

Anyone?

Nessmuck56 said:

So you just run to tow on a worm ..up and down the barrel ..without any solvent ..to clean after so many shots..correct ???????

Click to expand...

Nope. Saliva or soapy water.

Sticking a re-used tow worm and wad of tow in your mouth is as good as espresso to wake you up in the morning.

NEVER wipe a fouled bore with anything dry.

Trust me on this.

No.

Toe is what the big rock fell on when Kermie let go of his end without warning me. Unfortunately, it was my big toe and 62 years later it still kooks weird.

Jute is the guy the Beatles were singing to when they said,

" Hey Jute, don't make it bad
Take a sad song and make it better
Remember to let her into your heart
Then you can start to make it better"...

:rotf:

:redface: Will it help if I say I'm sorry?

Jute will probably work.

Tow is raw linen fibers from the flax plant. Jute are the fibers from the jute plant.

Linen makes tablecloths and thread, jute makes coffee sacks and rope. It's coarser and stiffer.

IowaShooter said:

Question, is Jute the same as Tow?

I bought a bunch of Jute at Joann's fabric this weekend and was going to use it in my fire starting kit. Is this good to use in that manner?

Anyone?

Click to expand...

Jute is not the same as tow....but they are kind of similar right along with sisal and hemp. they are all from plant fibers....the one exception being that tow is the waste product from retting flax.

I use it off and on in some of my fire kits. along with other plant based fibers.

Oh the pain, the pain. :haha:

Some peoples kids. We buy you books and we buy you books, and all you do is color the pictures. :rotf:

So will Jute work in my fire kit?

I've got a whole spool of the stuff.

Do I need to do anything to it to make it catch a flame better when I use my char cloth?

Why not make it? Just untwine rope or thread.