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i cold forged a piece of heavy copper wire down to a point, i think it was a transformer ground wire. i haven`t moved that pic out of photo bucket yet. the copper, no matter how hard you make it, won`t damage your vent
 
You can easily work a copper wire down to proper size, or just epoxy a sewing pin into a horn tip. :idunno: :idunno:
 
Home Depot and Lowes sell "Black Iron" Wire in small rolls. The diameter is often big enough, but not too big for many/most vent holes. Not sure if this is actually straight Iron, but even if it is very low grade steel, the wire is plenty soft enough to make a vent pic from and not hurt your modern steel barrel.

Iron Wire was often used in the 18th century to make vent picks from, if available, though copper and even lead vent pics were known.

Gus
 
A thin piece of iron, copper or brass wire filed to a point and a loop bent in the other end (so long as the wire is soft - don't use music/spring steel wire). People have used safety pins and paperclips with great success, so it really doesn't need to be complicated. Stay away from the forged square wire picks as they may be hardened and the edges can wear the touch hole....
 
I stripped a piece of discarded cable company cable and found the working center to be a solid copper wire that is easy to work with.......and the price was right.
 
Thanks all. I kinda wanted sumpin that looked like it was a cupla hunnert years old. So I forged a piece of brass down to a taper and glued it into the tip of a deer antler. I made another and forged the back end flat and drilled a hole inter it to put on a leather thong. (not yer Missus undies)...................Chawbeef
 
Chawbeef said:
Thanks all. I kinda wanted sumpin that looked like it was a cupla hunnert years old. So I forged a piece of brass down to a taper and glued it into the tip of a deer antler.
A wire glued into a piece of antler screams MODERN not a cupla hunnert years old...
 
Black Hand said:
Chawbeef said:
Thanks all. I kinda wanted sumpin that looked like it was a cupla hunnert years old. So I forged a piece of brass down to a taper and glued it into the tip of a deer antler.
A wire glued into a piece of antler screams MODERN not a cupla hunnert years old...

LOL Okay okay, :surrender: The wire is a press fit and "glue" was an add on (in?). Hey, it "looks" old. :rotf: ..................Daniel
 
The objection is more about design rather than construction or technique. A wire glued, jammed, hammered, press-fit, etc into a piece of antler appears to be a modern approach... :wink:
 
Friend of mine uses a feather he has tucked in his hat.. Trimmed the quill works pretty good.. Price is right
Leroy
 
:doh: Don't worry about the PC Police. If it works for you ...fine! I have two like yours on two different bags and they have been there for at least twenty plus years and I have never been challenged at any event for using them. Remembering now! I think one of 'em dates back to the early 70's!

Rick
 
horner75 said:
:doh: Don't worry about the PC Police. If it works for you ...fine! I have two like yours on two different bags and they have been there for at least twenty plus years and I have never been challenged at any event for using them. Remembering now! I think one of 'em dates back to the early 70's!

Rick

Thanks Horner, I was gettin a complex over them "button counters" lol No offense meant to Black Hand. :v .................Daniel
 
Black Hand said:
The objection is more about design rather than construction or technique. A wire glued, jammed, hammered, press-fit, etc into a piece of antler appears to be a modern approach... :wink:

Appears to be a modern approach HOW? Because YOU don't care for it? Glue is not a recent invention; a quick search shows it being used over 20,000 YEARS AGO.
I don't think anyone can say that No One ever took a piece of metal and decided to attach it to a piece of antler.

I have a vent pick attached to a small piece of elk antler given to me by a friend. It was his first elk, he was very proud of it.
I imagine a hunter 200 years ago felt much the same way.
 
I have a prick in my bags but don’t recall the last time I used one. I blow down the barrel between shots and that blows out blockage in the hole. Should you not want to blow because of the safety issues a swab between shots and the whoosh of air out of the touch hole will save you a lot of pricking.
 
Black Hand said:
The objection is more about design rather than construction or technique. A wire glued, jammed, hammered, press-fit, etc into a piece of antler appears to be a modern approach... :wink:


I would note that the old timers don’t seem as taken by antler stuff as we are today. There is an antler charger known from the past stained to look like birds eye maple.
 
Eterry said:
Black Hand said:
The objection is more about design rather than construction or technique. A wire glued, jammed, hammered, press-fit, etc into a piece of antler appears to be a modern approach... :wink:

Appears to be a modern approach HOW? Because YOU don't care for it? Glue is not a recent invention; a quick search shows it being used over 20,000 YEARS AGO.
I don't think anyone can say that No One ever took a piece of metal and decided to attach it to a piece of antler.

I have a vent pick attached to a small piece of elk antler given to me by a friend. It was his first elk, he was very proud of it.
I imagine a hunter 200 years ago felt much the same way.
Before you get your knickers in a bind (too late it appears), look at period pieces. I have yet to see any pick from the period that is a wire attached to a piece of antler. If you happen to know of a period piece such as you describe, please share with the rest of us that are laboring under the yoke of facts. Since the description of this subforum specifically states Traditional Only - no modern designs, perhaps we should stick to documented artifacts.

BTW, I'm sure it was a nice gift, but the fact your friend jammed a wire into a piece of antler is irrelevant...
 
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