field cleaning title

Field Cleaning Flintlock Muskets


These notes are intended for field cleaning only. If these notes are followed, complete disassembly of a musket should never be necessary (short of a catastrophic incident of some kind). Complete field disassembly of a musket is strongly discouraged, especially when interpreting for the public. It is unlikely that any British Ordnance Officer or NCO would have permitted enlisted men to completely disassemble a musket for fear of them damaging it. Remember, the musket doesn’t belong to the soldier; it belongs to the Ordnance Department or the Colonel/Captain, and he is responsible for it!


GENERAL ORDERS

  1. Your musket must be cleaned EVERY MORNING and EVERY EVENING.

  2. Your musket must be cleaned after any rain, fog or mist; after any march or activity when you have sweated upon it; and as soon as practicable after being fired.

  3. All Marksmen must carry in their knapsacks cleaning rags (made of natural fabrics such as cotton or linen), tow and ramrod worm and/or hemp string with knife, musket tool with screw driver, sweet oil in a glass or tin bottle, and a small bag of brick dust. All Marksmen must carry spare flints and either spare leather or lead (depending upon which they choose to use) for their flint jaws in the pouch of their cartridge box. All Marksmen must carry on their cartridge box straps a pick and brush. THESE WILL BE REGULARLY INSPECTED BY NCOs.


Notes on Materials

Sweet Oil - Petroleum-based lubricants were not in use until c. 1860, when effective drilling techniques were discovered in western Pennsylvania that made petroleum oil widely available. Before then, vegetable-based oils were used. Generally, the drier the vegetable oil, the better. Olive oil works well, but it must be used carefully. Palm oil is another good choice, if you can obtain it. Petroleum oils should never be in use when in the field, or interpreting for the public.

Brick Dust - Used as an abrasive to remove corrosion, etc. The bricks used to create this dust must be made previous to 1930. Brick technology changes c. 1930 resulted in a considerably harder brick. If brick dust from this date on is used it will be too abrasive, and will scour and damage your musket and brightwork. Ensure that you are using brick dust from 18th or 19th century bricks, which are considerably softer. Modern abrasives or cleansers should not be in use when in the field, or interpreting for the public.


Field Cleaning Procedures

  1. Remove the lock. Remove any brightwork that has mud, dirt, or debris underneath it. Otherwise leave in place. Lockplate screws should be replaced once the lock is removed. Screws, once removed, must be either replaced or laid aside carefully on a piece of cloth, so that they are not lost.

  2. If the musket has not been fired: Your musket should not be covered with sweet oil, the oil should never be pooled in crevices, and the musket should not be visibly wet from the oil. A light coating of oil is sufficient. If you pour sweet oil inside your lock and let it congeal, you will eventually freeze the workings of the lock solid with a congestion of dried oil. You must be careful that oil is not permitted to run into the touchhole. At the end of the procedure, ensure that your touchhole is free of any oil or other cleaning debris.

  3. If the musket has been fired:
    1. Remove the sling and set it aside so that it doesn’t become stained.

    2. Clean the barrel:
      • Boil water. Pour boiling water down the barrel until it runs out clear or nearly clear.
      • Mix a SMALL quantity of soap with hot water, pour down the barrel. Use the ramrod to vigorously agitate the soapy water. Alternatively, use a piece of wood to close off the touchhole, seal the top of the barrel, and shake it. Continue this process until the water comes out of the barrel clear or nearly clear.
      • Boil more water. Pour boiling water down the barrel until no more soap or soap suds come out.
      • Run dry patches (tied using string) or tow (using a ramrod worm) down the barrel until dry.
      • Run damp sweet oil patches or tow down the barrel until clean.
      • Run dry patches or tow down the barrel until they emerge dry.
      • Wipe off the outside of the barrel and ramrod, being particularly careful to clean around the lock. Pay particular attention to ensure that all screw threads are clean of sweet oil or other cleaning debris.

    3. Clean the lock:
      • Use tow/rags and soapy water to scrub the lock clean. Pour boiling water over the lock to remove all soap residue.
      • Use a dry rag to entirely clean the lock.
      • Use a damp (not wet) sweet oil rag to wipe the interior and exterior of the lock.
      • Use a dry rag to remove all vestiges of the oil from the lock. Be very careful not to let sweet oil pool in crevices inside the lock.

    4. Clean the brightwork and stock:
      • Use rags/tow with brick dust to clean brightwork.
      • Use rags/tow with sweet oil followed by dry rags to wipe down the stock. The stock should not be wet or sticky when you are finished, it should be entirely dry.
      • Re-assemble the musket. Check for function. Ensure that no sweet oil or other debris from cleaning has obstructed the touchhole.

  4. You should always check your flint for tightness and sharpness prior to any possible action, and prior to going on any movement.

More involved cleanings, using modern products, should be done at your residence after the event. If you regularly maintain your musket properly, historically correct materials and procedures will be more than sufficient when you are in the field or in front of the public. If you regularly maintain your musket (a minimum of twice a day), there should never be a need to completely disassemble your musket in the field, or resort to the use of modern cleaners and lubricants. The only exception would be if something catastrophic occurs, such as (an unlikely and rare instance) submerging your musket in an Adirondack lake or Canadian river. In that case, obviously more intensive cleaning methods are necessary.

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