SPLIT hickory for ramrods

[Marko10thivi]

A few years ago someone was advertising Hickory splits for ramrods in either Muzzle Blasts or Muzzleloader magazines. Anybody remember who it was and maybe an address?
The only guy close to what I want is Steve Bailey. His are saw cut, but pretty straight down the grain. Not bad at all, the dozen or so I bought stayed fairly straight just laying in the shipping tube in my Van for a year, but not quite what I'm after.

 

[Brasilikilt]

I'd sure like to know as well
I got an expensive hickory ramrod from the local muzzle loading trader, and wouldn't ya know it, dang thing split on me!

I'd like the real deal for my .45 and not worry about puncturing my hand!

 

[mbw907]

If you had access to a hickory log you could split your own. I know that sounds like a lot of work, but you would know for sure that you have straight grain construction. I was planning on cutting a hickory for smoking wood for the holidays, but don't know when I will have time. I'm sure someone has some at a reasonable price or can refer you to someone who does.

 

[djnye]

marko,

if you go to the spring shoot in friendship, on sunday morning on the primative side we rive hickory splint and fashion rods. you could stop by and make your own, or take splint home to do up later.

take care, daniel

 

[Roy]

the dozen or so I bought stayed fairly straight just laying in the shipping tube in my Van for a year, but not quite what I'm after.

I split hickory for ramrods for most guns I build. If perfectly straight is what your looking for it would not be from hickory. Mine even though are split from a long straight section of hickory are snakey as heck. With heat and pressure and working it down it does become more straight, but I've never had one come out perfectly straight.

 

[djnye]

roy,

excellent point. hickory in the small dimensions of a ramrod will rarely stay straght on their own. due to the property that makes them so valuable as a ramrod--their flexibility--they respond to pressures both internal and external. luckily, the primary need is for straight-grain, not just straight-ness. they do respond to being kept in the thimbles of a rifle and that makes them so serviceable as ramrods, but almost none are truly straight and in fact the slight variations that the thimbles provide, coupled with hickories proclivity to wonder, alow for the rod to stay put in the channel rather than sliding out. isn't wood wonderful, as long as we use its valuable properties and learn to live with its peculiarities.

take care, daniel

 

[Will Bison]

Interesting topic. Many years ago I started making arrows out of Wild Rose as did the Indians. Arrows made of the Rose are quite sturdy and able to withstand the rigors of acceleration from a bow.

I tried some Rose for ramrods and it's great.

 

[Brawdhead]

If you had access to a hickory log you could split your own. I know that sounds like a lot of work, but you would know for sure that you have straight grain construction.

Not quite as straightforward as that. You can't rive a 30" true-grained stave out of just any hickory log. It has to be a log with clear, straight, twist-free grain. You might harvest a half dozen hickory trees and still not find a suitable piece. (Or you might get lots of good grain on each of them.)

Dan