match cord

[ofiebakoa]

What recipe do you all use to make slow match? I'm running low on the Dixie stuff.

 

[arquebus]

Here's a recipe I've posted a couple times before:

Using a plastic, two liter soda bottle, fill it with water and add half to three quarters of a cup of Saltpeter. Let a natural cord (like cotton clothsline) soak at least an hour (overnight is better), then dry thoroughly.

Outdoors on a dry day with low humidity and sun, it will usually take 3 to 5 hours. The other option is a DRY, warm cellar away from oil burners, etc., this may take two days. If you used too much you will get a thick crusty coating on the match. It will still work but you end up wearing a lot of white residue. Too little or not dry yet will cause you to continually have to relight it. If its crusty wipe the match with a wet rag and let it dry again. It will work fine when dry.

One thing when drying: Avoid iron railing and the like. Saltpeter is a fairly strong oxidizer and will cause rapid rusting of these items even through paint. Galvanized Chain Link fence or clothes line or wood fences or even tree branches work well.

 

[ofiebakoa]

Thank you, It's been a long time since I've shot my matchlock. I really enjoy it when I do.

 

[arquebus]

What type do you shoot? Any pictures?

 

[Brian Boru]

The saturated cord should be placed on a flat surface to dry.

I wouldn't recommend hanging the match. Hanging causes the solution the drip down thus causing an uneven concentrate from top to bottom.

 

[ofiebakoa]

I shoot a snapping lock made by Jurgen Kreckel.
It's 1575 .72 cal, fishtail, witha 44" cannon mouth barrel. It also has a 16th century peep sight on it. A great gun' I can try to get some pics

 

[Jumpshot]

Here's some interesting reading...
http://www.metamuseum.com/us\SlowMatch/

http://www.musketeer.ch/blackpowder/lunte.html

 

[ofiebakoa]

The gun in the second web site is identicle to mine. Same builder too.