So what's your favorite pick for nipples?

[Tallbald]

Just gonna get it out there. The seemingly simplest of tools in a BP accessory kit, but one which must have stiffness, hardness and flexibility to work as needed. Heck. I thought about a small safety pin.
I need one to poke a hole (maybe) in the rear of loaded paper cartridges when in the cylinders.
Some read-made nipple pickers are fancy affairs with retractable wire, some are simple wire in a bone and beaded handle. I have some high tensile thin, very stiff stainless wire I was considering making up a few picks with in oak dowel handles. But am wondering about sparking risks. Isn't it best to use copper or brass wire for non-sparking reasons and if so where can a person buy a small quantity, or is there some wire around the house I'm not thinking about? What are the commercial wire picks made from?
My nipples are stainless steel if that's of interest. Don.

 

[BullSlinger]

Piano wire in a wooden dowel. Contact a piano tuner and as for a piece of scrap wire.

 

[Crawdad1]

I always carry a pick even out in the field. I have this one for the range, I have the TOTW wrench for turning those tough ones but either the Traditions or CVA are good also.

https://www.trackofthewolf.com/Categories/PartDetail.aspx/65/1/NW-140

http://www.oldsouthfirearms.com/nipplewrenchdeluxe.aspx
http://www.pcsoutdoors.com/traditionsdeluxenipplewrenchmodela1211.aspx

And one of these for in the field,

http://www.oldsouthfirearms.com/universalcleaningpick.aspx
http://www.possibleshop.com/s-s-tools.html

Or as Bullslinger said, make your own.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

I thought about a small safety pin.

I normally use a flintlock, but I have caplock rifles and caplock revolvers. Now I carry a brass hat pin for the flinter, BUT I also have a couple of safety pins pinned to the inside of my hunting coat and vest, as well as several in the range bag. I normally use the brass since if I were to break it off, it would be easier to punch-out than the steel from a safety pin. Bottom line though more important to be able to open the hole in the nipple (and in your case a cartridge) so why not have a few on standby.

LD

 

[Tallbald]

Thanks folks. I will raid the family sewing box for possibilities today. Don.

 

[Patocazador]

I shoot a Hot Shot nipple on my caplock rifles but I really haven't had any problems with nipples since I switched back to real black powder. I usually take a small drill bit and open the bottom of the nipple slightly. It may make a difference but it might just be over-kill.

 

[Mk VII]

I made one out of copper multi-strand electrical flex soldered together - but I hardly ever have to use it.

 

[Panzerschwein]

I use a pipe's cleaners.

 

[44 Dave]

I use an air compressor every time I do the end of the day cleaning. The last time I had some thing blocking a nipple at the range it had to be taken out to open a pick was not enough.

 

[Timtoolman]

I use a torch tip cleaning tool . Different diameters in the kit . I just use the ends only the cleaning wires not the ribbed section

 

[whughett]

My nipple wrench has one attached to a knurled screw on cap. Never used it, not sure it even fits, that's a mighty small hole on revolver nipples. I've gotten into the habit of eyeballing the cylinder for that pin point of light after blasting the cylinder bores with compressed air as a finial step in cleaning.

Tallbald, would a wire thin enough to fit through the flash hole make a difference on paper cartridges.

 

[Crawdad1]

A nipple pick is for the range while shooting. Every second or third charge I put through a chamber I run the pick through both holes into the chamber making sure its clear. I never use a pick for cleaning a nipple as I use a pipe cleaner for that.

 

[whughett]

A nipple pick is for the range while shooting. Every second or third charge I put through a chamber I run the pick through both holes into the chamber making sure its clear. I never use a pick for cleaning a nipple as I use a pipe cleaner for that.

Dang its never occurred to actually scrub the inside of the cone. I attack all around the nipple cavities with a tooth brush, clean the bottom of the chambers with a Qtip, use a foam tip to force water through the vents of the chambers, guess I better add pipe cleaners to my kit. Gas and soot is being blow back thru that pin hole at the base of the nipple so stands to reason there will be deposits inside there.

 

[Crawdad1]

The crud that comes out of the cones when cleaning. My white pipe cleaners are black with crud the first time I push it into the cone even after they have been soaking in hot soapy water. Nasty stuff.

 

[J-Bar]

For cleaning nipples after shooting, I just pump soapy hot water back and forth through the nipple with a tight fitting bore mop on a cleaning rod. For percussion revolvers, just submerge the cylinder in a container of soapy water and pump each chamber with the mop. On a percussion rifle, dismount the barrel from the wood, submerge the nipple in a gallon jug of hot soapy water and pump the water through the nipple with the bore mop. You are cleaning the barrel too, don't you know! Rinse with plain water, run patches until dry.

I check my revolver nipples between stages at a cowboy action match...look through them to see daylight before reloading the chambers for the next stage. If I don't see daylight I use a home made pick to clear the vent hole.

A piece of 0.030 spring wire will pass through the vent on a Slix-Shot nipple. I made several picks from pieces of spring wire epoxied into a brass cartridge case. They work just fine, and don't cost anything.

 

[Ironhand54]

Not for nipples but for vents.
Following a suggestion posted here I went to the local farm supply store and found a set of extra long torch tip cleaners.

After I found the right size one I used some wood beads and lace to make a grip. Works great.

 

[Cowhide Cliff]

Piano wire in a wooden dowel. Contact a piano tuner and as for a piece of scrap wire.

I second piano wire. I make them with antler tips and a piece of piano wire.

 

[Tallbald]

Excellent information all. Thanks everyone. Don.

 

[351 WINCHESTER]

I use a pipe's cleaners.

How do you get a pipe cleaner inside a nipple?

 

[Panzerschwein]

How do you get a pipe cleaner inside a nipple?

I use it to swab the inside part then use a thin metal pick for the flash hole.

 

[351 WINCHESTER]

I use it to swab the inside part then use a thin metal pick for the flash hole.

That's a good idea. Thanks for sharing.

 

[maint1517]

Best thing ive found yet is a torch tip cleaner.

 

[piettakid]

I've always used a paper clip. I thought everyone did.

 

[Snidely70431]

Stainless steel does not spark unless you run it under a grinder, and even then not much. 'Piano wire", I buy stainless steel leader wire, there are many sizes.

 

[4v50 Gary]

I have several. One is inside a capper. Another is for the flintlock. Both are generally in the shooting pouch.