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ORIGINAL 19TH
CENTURY HANK OF TOW – THE FIREARM BARREL CLEANING
MATERIAL USED BY THE US ARMY FROM 1776 TO 1865:
This twisted hank of flax or “tow” as is was known in
the period, was the primary cleaning material issued to
the American soldier from the time of the French and
Indian War through the end of the War Between the
States, and quite possibly into the early years of the
Indian War period. The musket wipers issued with the
military firearms of this period were specifically
designed for the use of tow to clean the bores, as cloth
was too valuable a commodity and was not issued as a
cleaning material during this period (see page 97 of
Gun Tools, Their History and Identification,
Shaffer, Rutledge, and Dorsey). A hank such as the one
shown, measuring 6”– 7” long, was carried in the
implement pouch of the cartridge box or in the soldier’s
pocket or saddle bag.
At one time I had a few of
these hanks, and when they quickly sold I had no
prospect of finding another supply. I was fortunate
enough to find another small cache of these original, 19th
Century hanks of tow that were discovered in an old
estate in western Pennsylvania. Once a ready source for
these early treasures, estates of that era have all but
disappeared, having long since been liquidated, and
those concentrations of items such as this tow are no
longer existent. When this supply is sold, I do not
expect to be able to replace it.
Absent from most
collections, this hank of original tow will be an
excellent addition to your display of the early arms and
their appendages. $16
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