Ramin?? Ram rods.

[Darkhorse]

Both Track of the Wolf and the new TVM website are selling a ramrod made from an imported wood. If memory serves me, it is called Ramin, or something like that. They claim it is stronger and straighter etc. etc. than hickory.
Anybody know anything about this wood?

 

[Birddog6]

I just got 2 of them in from TOW & they are basically useless. Well, I'll take that back.... I can cut them into 4" lengths & use them to mix epoxy maybe ? Both of them have runout all over from end to end.

It is hard to find a good RR today & if/when I run across a few of them I buy usually 6 in 5/16", 6 in 3/8", & 2 in 7/16". Problem is I may find 2-3 in a box of 50 that I consider good.

 

[Stumpkiller]

Ramin is what the common genaric hardware store dowel usually is. Some folks swear by them for arrows. I bought several dozen bare shafts from a reputable archery shop and felt they stunk as arrows. They tended to snap right behind the head. Looking at a ramrod - the tip is very much like a metal headed arrow. Now these were 23/64" dia.and beng shot into stumps, so it stands to reason that a ramrod would be thicker and not subjected to the same stresses. They did not split along the grain lines (very fine grained), which is a 'fault' of cedar, but they were not as durable as cedar.

Yep - just checked. T.O.T.W. lists a ramin ramrod. Maybe they have a batter grade than was my experience.

As far as being as tough as hickory? Not nearly, no how in my experience. Wouldn't be my choice over hickory. If it's straighter than hickory how do you keep it from sliding out of the ramrod pipes? Slightly crooked is OK as long as the grain is intact.

 

[riarcher]

Stump,
I'm with you. (as arrows) Ramin was terrible! The wood had a memory and within minutes after straightening they'd bend back. Even with steam. Sections of a shaft would become soooo brittle after flexing a bit, they'd break like glass.
Sometimes they'd even have "pin knots" that would mess with your spine and balance with the BH. Terrible thangs. :curse:
I'd go with anouther wood myself. A nice straight, tight grained wood I'd consider better. (ie, cherry, maple, hickory, even northern pine first. Specialty Supply houses online. $12 for 4, get the ends from TOW or Dixie. Better for cheaper (ends reusable), and more fun.

 

[Stumpkiller]

Well now here's a thought. I just went into my den (the junk room according to my wife) and pulled out a couple 3/8" x 36" dogwood shoots I have drying for making into arrows. Not a bad ramrod I'm thinking. I have no idea if it might have been used for a ramrod, but the local Indians preferred it as a arrow shafting. Dogwood was also used in making a maul and glutz (wood splitting wedge) because it will not itself split.

The shoots are long and straight, though you'd have to use a plane or drawknife to remove the natural taper - or not.

 

RAMIN SUCKS!
(bet you guys are just sick of me after ilearned how to use color and font huh? :haha
Everyone is right, Ramin is the Sh$t they sell at the hardware sore for dowel rods, and yes they do make poor arrows.
The wood is too brittle for a ram rod. Nothing I know of beats hickory for a wooden rod.

 

I used to make arrows for a livin'. A few years back I did a few dozen Ramin shafts for some of my traditional customers. Man, I thought they was a gonna use me for the target. Stuff is totally worthless. Can't keep it straight, breaks to easy. pin knots in most shafts and in general, sucks. The best huntin' shafts are made from white ash. Heavier, and once ya straighten them they stay that way. White ash is what they make baseball bats out of, so breakin' them is almost impossible. I've shot them into cinder blocks testin' broadheads. Blades bend and break and I use the shafts again with another head. :shocking:

 

[Birddog6]

OK Maxi: You know where all the dang Ash trees are ? That's right bub, right there with you in Ohio. Now get your butt in gear & get me some straight grained ash so I can make some ramrods. Don't give me this "I am working all the time" manure, you get off work for 12 hrs a day & you know a feller only needs 4-5 hrs of sleep, so just jaunt on over to a saw mill & get me a couple of straight grained planks.

To tell if it has no runout, you will see not open cut pores down the board on any surface. It will have long open slits like on it & that means the cut was made true with the grain. Then you look for the straightness of the grain as it travels down the plank. If it has lil open holes in it, that is where the grain ran out of being true with the cut.

 

[Randy]

TOW sent me the wrong sized barrel once and just to placate me they sent me about two dozen of their ramin blanks for free with my next order. They were all different sizes but mostly 4 feet long. Any ideas on what to use them for? I've broke several in the past always thinking I was being careful. I'm just glad I haven't skewered my hand with one yet. I always use a synthetic for target shootin and good hickory for my hunting rifle. Short pieces of them work OK to wrap sand paper around and sand inside curves.

 

Horse Doctor...If they're half way dry, ya could use'em fer kindlin' ::