A Method For Clearing Blocked Vent

[Gasam]

Hi,

 

I wanted to share this method of cleaning out a blocked vent hole. It is entirely possible that this method is well known, but I have tried googling it to no avail and had to invent it myself (or at least reinvent it if commonly used).

 

At any rate: the vent hole of my Tanegashima was completely clogged, to the point where it was sold to me as "undrilled, probably ment to be drilled open in case of expected imminent use".

 

Poking around the bottom and inwards with a needle revealed that the vent was not undrilled, merely filled with rust, and caked dirt. Quite hard to remove.

 

The needle would only work for so long, as the vent hole changed angle after a few millimeters, and then started going inward towards barrel. After having barrel for almost 2 weeks, qualified gunsmith declined to try to open. Unsure of why, I spoke only to fellow at counter of gunstore. (Wisely (I assume) he also declined to remove bisen on account of him deciding that it was just as likely to break as come loose).

 

Therefore I took about 2 inches off the end of a bicycle gear wire and attached it to a drill. I had to bent back a few strands to make it flexible enough to bend into and around/through the corner of the vent.

 

Drilling carefully, the wire slowly but surely went all the way through and into the barrel. I had to use two pieces of wire as they kind of disintegrated with prolonged use.

 

Having drilled all the time in the direction of the twist of the wire, I now reversed the drill, to rotate against the direction of the wire twist. The wire was fully inserted before reversing rotation. This caused wire to open up and press against inside of vent wall. This removed a lot of gunk and dirt, and vent is now completely open.

 

Cheers!

 

 

[Brian]

Be careful anyone trying this. A few years ago I had a scrappy tanegashima with a blocked vent, and tried this exact same method. Be aware that it can "drill" far easier than you would expect, as mine cleared a hole right through the bottom of the pan, not into the barrel
Yes, there must have been corrosion and weakness making this possible, but the end result was a big issue, and no other way of clearing the vent hole, as the bisen is stuck fast.
For dirt and light rust, this method works...use oil and go slowly and carefully!

[Gasam]

Ah ye, this would be bad Brian. Duly noted!

I could not think of another way though, luckily it went ok.

 

Cheers,

[estcrh]

This removed a lot of gunk and dirt, and vent is now completely open.

 

Picture????

[Gasam]

Hi,

 

Haven´t pictures from process, in retrospect should have taken one or two.

 

Here is a picture from finished vent. It is very close up so the whole thing looks a bit crude. But I think a definite improvement over how it was :-)

 

Cheers and have a nice weekend all!

 

Edit: dont know why this was posted twice...