Making ramrods from scratch , from a tree .

[Rob M.]

Was telling someone about making g ramrods from a hickory tree and I couldnt find any pictures of the time I recorded the work but they just popped up in FB memories... . Just thought it was interesting , kinda neat . Its not like I do this for every ramrod ive made or I make , last dozen 1/2" hickory rods I got from Log Cabin , good price too ! , but ....when cutting firewood every once in awhile ya come across a hickory tree and I can't think of just burnin up all those potential ramrods . Any who ....just some pics of from tree to ramrod ...kinda neat

 

[Rob M.]

Wedging that trunk to split ....

 

[Rob M.]

Just like split fence rails . Split them up into usable sections ....

 

[Rob M.]

And splitting ...and splitting ....

 

[Rob M.]

Then down to workable size say approximately 1" square , then its rasp time at the gun bench , taper it down from 1/2" down to 5/16" .... Just throw the extras in the corner for later builds .... Neat stuff .

 

[wiscoaster]

Pretty cool!! Thanks for the posts and the pics!!

 

[Comfortably_Numb]

I went through my home made split ramrod phase too. It's a lot of work for a ramrod!
I still have a piece of log that's 8 foot long in case I build any long barreled guns again.

 

[S.Kenton]

I’ve had to do that in a pinch, I used a sapling and whittled it down, although I’ve never split the tree.

 

[Rob M.]

I went through my home made split ramrod phase too. It's a lot of work for a ramrod!
I still have a piece of log that's 8 foot long in case I build any long barreled guns again.

Sure is a bunch of work ! Was just kinda neat to do a few times , LOL .... I call it " Going all Wallace Gusler " LOL ....

 

[Rob M.]

I’ve had to do that in a pinch, I used a sapling and whittled it down, although I’ve never split the tree.

My buddy Alpine had to do that , make one in the field . Pretty cool ...

 

[Brokennock]

Looks like some good bow wood there too. I'd probably split away the heartwood for ramrods and use the outer layers of sapwood for bows.

 

[Rob M.]

Looks like some good bow wood there too. I'd probably split away the heartwood for ramrods and use the outer layers of sapwood for bows.

Oh yeah ! Shaggy bark hickory makes good bows too . Ive made a few of them . I always split off the sap wood with froe and right there at that transition used that as the back of the bow . Worked good . Shag bark is a bit knotty for both though ...

 

[Brokennock]

Oh yeah ! Shaggy bark hickory makes good bows too . Ive made a few of them . I always split off the sap wood with froe and right there at that transition used that as the back of the bow . Worked good .

That's part of the beauty of whitewood bows like hickory, peel off the bark, and there is your bow's back, no chasing a ring. Shagbark shoots faster than other hickories, all else being equal, not sure why.

 

[Rob M.]

That's part of the beauty of whitewood bows like hickory, peel off the bark, and there is your bow's back, no chasing a ring. Shagbark shoots faster than other hickories, all else being equal, not sure why.

Very interesting . I'm no expert on bows , ive only made three , but its a very interesting subject . Been years ago and can't remember the books name , but made my first two bows by his book and then John McPherson's book , love that book . Good stuff .

 

[Loja man]

Lots of work!! Thanks for sharing!

 

[D.Summers]

That's exactly how to do it!!