Improvised Tow?

[kingsax26]

I was sitting on the couch staring at a pile of manilla rope. And I started wondering if it would work in place of tow? Has anyone ever tried this? I have already broke the manilla starnds from rope in to a big pile of fluff....I even spent a while beating the strands over a wood sawhorse! Just wondering whos already tried and how it worked

 

[Black Hand]

Try it and see if it does work.

I do have to ask "Why"? A generous supply of Tow costs little and is easily available....

 

[tenngun]

I've not tried Manila but have used hemp picked apart. Some time ago I bought a bag from Townsend trying to get tow. He was out of tow but sent a big bag of hemp stings. About the same as if you bought some hemp yarn at a craft store and cut it in to foot long pieces.
Picked apart in to fibers it works about the same. I got about the same results from blanket scraps picked apart....although don't try this with any wool blend :shocked2: the blend is nylon and melts, not easy to clean.
Also I took a bag of dog hair added some lard and squeezed iot in to a greasy mess, broke a wad off the mess and used that. It worked well, stank bad and was a pain to mess with.

 

[coloradoclyde]

Haven't tried manila....But I use sisal rope....It works ok.

 

[kingsax26]

Honestly I ahve no idea why...but I have alot of manilla, sissal and hemp rope laying around. So if I dont ahve to spend money ....well eventually I can buy another gun

 

[Black Hand]

A several year supply of tow costs about $10. Rope is far more useful as rope.

That said, I do not use tow for fire-starting, rather it is used for gun cleaning (I have yet to try tow as smoothbore wadding). For fire-starting, I prefer the shredded inner bark of cottonwood or shredded cedar bark, which just happen to be FREE.

I've read of people using grass and leaves collected on-site as smoothbore wadding, so shredded rope could work. Just seems like a lot of extra work.

 

[tenngun]

Never have used inner bark, will have to try. We have a lot of cedar( juniper) here. Grass will work, and dried leafs, but I have had it throw out fire. Ozark ground litter is dry enough to burn about 20 min after the rain stops.

 

[Hermit]

I use sisal 1/4" rope for wadding, I cut it in one inch pieces, I put one piece in a coffee grinder for about one second it fluff's up real quick, I lube it with peanut oil because that's what I have, this is all I use for smooth bore, it works good with large bore rifles also.
Hermit

 

[ohio ramrod]

I have used "unraveled" baler twine (which is sisal ) for years. Used baler twine is free and I am a cheap skate. :idunno: :idunno:

 

[coloradoclyde]

Never have used inner bark,

I have from a poplar tree.....works good!
25 yards offhand and the flyer was all me, I dropped my elbow...

 

[tenngun]

25 yards off hand...That's not a flyer, that's near perfect :wink:

 

[coloradoclyde]

25 yards off hand...That's not a flyer, that's near perfect :wink:

Naaaah! Not for a rifle.....Now if it was a smoothbore I'd probably have to frame it... :haha:

 

[tenngun]

Ah I misunderstood, but that's good offhand rifle gun shooting anyway. Won't get a ribbon at friendship but would make stew of bambi

 

[MSW]

as regards baler twine ... the stuff my hay guy uses is impregnated with some sort of green dyed chemical which is said to make it taste really bad (keeps the mice from chewing your bales open) ... has anyone heard of this? will this effect the performance of the sisal for gun applications?

Thanks!