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Making A Ramrod Flexible

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Not that I really have to, but I have a hickory dowel blank I want to use as a ramrod on a rifle and I was wondering what soaking solutions could be used to add to it's flexibility.

For field and range use I will be using a Delrin rod in this rifle, but I still want a functional hickory rod to go with this rifle for appearance.

While I really do not have any access to one suggested material of any bear fat for this purpose, I have also read that kerosene, lantern (candle?) oil, and linseed oil coil could be used to soak wooden ramrods to gain more flexibility before final finishing.

Some of the suggestions seem a bit odd to me, but if I could find some common household items for this purpose, it would make things a lot easier.

Any explanation of process would be appreciated.

currently I am using a milled down 30/30 shell casing crowned, drilled and tapped at 8-32 for a ramrod tip on this .45 ramrod and I like the way it is turning out so far.

Anyway, thanks for taking time to read this and for any replies as well.
 
I have heard both that it works and it doesn't. Dixiegunworks catalog said coal oil which I believe is pretty close to kerosene. I have used different brass for RR tips. A 38 special with the rim ground off and a 32 ACP for my 32. I have a ball shaped rasp that fits on a drill I used to concave the tip to prevent flattening the ball. I don't know what it was for but it works on soft brass.
 
Cpl. Ashencheeks said:
Not that I really have to, but I have a hickory dowel blank I want to use as a ramrod on a rifle and I was wondering what soaking solutions could be used to add to it's flexibility.
Don't bother - none of the treatments really do anything except make your rod slippery & smell funny.
 
A STRAIGHT grain hickory rod is plenty "flexible" as it is (why are you flexing it that much anyway?). Soaking it in stuff just makes it soaked in stuff. A split hickory rod would be the best, of course, but they can be carefully selected from hickory "Dowel rods" to get them with no grain runout.

Avoid Ramin wood at all costs.
 
Thanks for the replies.

I value much of the advise here and will probably just water stain it and use tru-oil finish and leave it at that.

As far as getting a hickory dowel rod by high grading a selection, it is a little harder here to do on the west coast because we have to import hickory from other places, the one I am using was selected by Treso, so hopefully it has passed some kind of standards.

Probably of the few ways we can get hickory out here short of ordering it would to be to find an old fence railing and split it so run out could be avoided.

I am already aware that ramin is not all that great as I do make a lot of my own wooden arrows and the best wood out here for that use has been cedar and then after that maybe poplar if straight grain is taken into account. I am not sure I would not consider any of these 3 woods suitable for a ramrod though.

Hickory still seems to be the prime choice here in States for a wooden ramrod.
 
Cpl. Ashencheeks said:
Thanks for the replies.

I value much of the advise here and will probably just water stain it and use tru-oil finish and leave it at that.

As far as getting a hickory dowel rod by high grading a selection, it is a little harder here to do on the west coast because we have to import hickory from other places, the one I am using was selected by Treso, so hopefully it has passed some kind of standards.

Probably of the few ways we can get hickory out here short of ordering it would to be to find an old fence railing and split it so run out could be avoided.

I am already aware that ramin is not all that great as I do make a lot of my own wooden arrows and the best wood out here for that use has been cedar and then after that maybe poplar if straight grain is taken into account. I am not sure I would not consider any of these 3 woods suitable for a ramrod though.

Hickory still seems to be the prime choice here in States for a wooden ramrod.
Hickory is easily available at lumber stores that sell hardwoods. Just find a board where the grain runs as parallel as possible to faces & edges. Cut a piece ~1/2" x 1/2", plane round then scrape/sand smooth.
 
Some are seen grasping the rod on the end and try running the ball home in one long shove. The rod bows, snaps and bloodies their hand. Grasp your rod close tho the muzzle and any bowing can’t be more then the size of your bore.
Push home in short strokes. With a good hickory rod you will not get a break. I do put my gun stock finishing oil on the rod every time I clean.
 
FWIW, I soak my new RR's in new/clean kerosene for about 30 days (+/-), inside a capped length of 1/2" ID PVC tubing from HomeCheapo.(outside my home, in shed/etc)

* No, the kero-treated RR's have NEVER thrown a detectable odor after they were removed from the kero & air-dried.

* Yes, the oil in the kero works it's way into the wood fibers just enough to allow microscopic movement when flexed during loading.

(I've had & seen plenty of non-treated RR's split/break during loading; in 45 years, I've NEVER had any such issue)

* I always purchase inexpensive brass RR tips (T.O.T.W. & others), epoxied & pinned to the RR ends.

I've taken possession of several guns that had Derlin RR's - I found them too flexible & tossed them. :td:

My favorite & best-performing RR's for shooting/hunting are the epoxy-impregnated wood RR's from the likes of T/C & others.(YMMV, of course)
 
Pete44ru said:
* Yes, the oil in the kero works it's way into the wood fibers just enough to allow microscopic movement when flexed during loading.
Pardon my skepticism:
How do you know this? You would need sophisticated equipment to measure microscopic movement, equipment which might found in University and Government labs. Do you have any proof that the kerosene does anything at all? The fact that others have broken rammers in no way lends support to your belief that a kerosene soak does anything of consequence.
 
Color me skeptical, too. I think the internal structure of wood is completely locked in place, can't move. It's not as though it's composed of separate fibers which can slide in relation to each other, it's more like a sponge, connective tissue fastening every element together in a fixed relationship, immoveable.

I've always thought this idea was another one of those 'truths' passed down by the graybeards which has no basis in fact.

Spence
 
Hickory is already flexible & strong - after all, it has been used to make bows and tool handles for some time.
 
Do you have any proof that the kerosene does anything at all?

My experience has been that kero does work but only for a relatively short period of time. e.g. a couple weeks. Then it dries out and provides no benefit. For safety reasons, my use of wood rods has been minimal for quite a few years. But, those rods I have made from hickory, I soak in lemon oil for a couple weeks. That, for me, has worked much better than kero.
However, your use of the word
caused me a serious pucker. :shocked2: Unless the hickory rod has been carefully selected for no grain run-out you are asking for dangerous trouble. As others have said, when using a wood rod grab only a couple inches above the muzzle. Do not try to seat the ball in one push by grabbing high. I know we try to be traditional here but running a sharp broken spike of wood through ones wrist or hand is not the kind of tradition we encourage. Stay safe out there.
 
Not certain why people would want to make the rammer more flexible? The ideal rammer should not flex easily, allowing the force to be used for ramming the ball rather than being wasted in excess lateral movement/flex.

People will still do stupid things regardless of rammer quality. Get/make a good rod with little/no grain run-out and ram the ball gradually - forget making the rammer more flexible and focus on technique...
 
Black Hand said:
Not certain why people would want to make the rammer more flexible? The ideal rammer should not flex readily, allowing the force to be used for ramming the ball rather than being wasted in lateral movement/flex.

People will still do stupid things regardless of rammer quality. Get/make a good rod with little/no grain run-out and ram the ball gradually - forget making the rammer more flexible and focus on technique...


BH, a little flex is better/safer than brittle. And, yes, folks do do stupid things. The NMLRA should have a 'Darwin candidates' shooting category. :doh: (not really :wink: )
 
Rifleman1776 said:
Black Hand said:
Not certain why people would want to make the rammer more flexible? The ideal rammer should not flex readily, allowing the force to be used for ramming the ball rather than being wasted in lateral movement/flex.

People will still do stupid things regardless of rammer quality. Get/make a good rod with little/no grain run-out and ram the ball gradually - forget making the rammer more flexible and focus on technique...


BH, a little flex is better/safer than brittle.
Agreed.

However, no one should have a floppy rammer, otherwise you would be wasting energy trying to push a ball downbore with what equates to a piece of rope. Fortunately, Hickory does the job without needing anything done...
 
When young and dumb I put a dozen Hickory rods into a 2" pvc pipe with one end capped and a cleanout on the other. Added Kerosene. 2 years later I could snap the 3/8 inch rods between my fingers of 1 hand. I was not able to that before.

Gave that idea up then and there
 
FWIW: The only ramrod I ever broke was not soaked in kerosene and I have never broken a rod that has been. I've only been doing this for 45+ years so I still may have something to learn.
 
A rammer with crappy grain/grain run-out will likely break if used improperly whether or not you soak it...
 
the best rods I used were made by boob watts of stone mt, armoury. you need a STRIAHT GRaiN ROD not one from the lumber yard. he soaked them in kerosene for 1 month. wiped off nd air dry. I never had an issue with any I used. October country sells good rod blanks.
 
Black Hand said:
A rammer with crappy grain/grain run-out will likely break if used improperly whether or not you soak it...

I also agree with this statement. For those of you that have soaked your ramrods and not have had them break is great BUT that same ram rod if NOT soaked MAY not break ether - you will never know if there is a difference. :idunno: :hmm: :surrender: :thumbsup:
 
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