The Whisk and Pick: An Obscure and Vital Tool for any Musketman!

Рет қаралды 14,625

6 жыл бұрын

The whisk and pick (alternatively, brush and pricker) is a rather minor part of any reenacting kit. It's small, cheap, not very glorious to behold, and isn't really the sort of thing that the public generally asks about. Yet, as the art of soldiering is concerned, it is an immensely important tool for any private to keep close at hand! So let's go over exactly what the 'whisk and pick' actually is, and how it's used when firing a flintlock musket!
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Пікірлер: 65

@BrandonF 6 жыл бұрын

My apologies if this one seems a little rushed! I am leaving tomorrow morning for a reenactment in Stamford and wanted to get this out before bed. Also, I just realized that I forgot to raise the audio levels in this video, so it may be a little quiet!

@EzekielDeLaCroix 6 жыл бұрын

Just saying, you should get an attachable microphone that can be hidden in your clothing. That's how you get proper audio. That or get a boom operator.

@TheDrawnBlade 6 жыл бұрын

Brandon F., Dear God, good sir, you do a splendid Lindybeige impression! My kettlehat is off.

@oliversherman2414 2 жыл бұрын

I love your channel keep up the great stuff

@georgerobertsjr.3622 6 жыл бұрын

At 1:32 you refer to a "Brush and Prick". My experience is that the "Prick" is what was holding the rifle/musket to begin with... GO NAVY! Seriously, thank you so much for this channel. You do a wonderful job presenting and explaining each of the topics in a concise and easily understood manner. I hope you plans include a Doctorate of History degree, writing lots of books and making historically accurate movies.

@BrandonF 6 жыл бұрын

Hah! Well thank you!

@charleswickens2801 6 жыл бұрын

This was the most interesting video I have seen on KZfaq. The whisk and pick has never been spoken of in any War of 1812 or Napoleonic War novel that I have read so far.

@chringlanthegreat4556 6 жыл бұрын

This is what I like about this channel, it explains small things like this

@BrandonF 6 жыл бұрын

It's one of the greatest benefits of historical reenactment! This is the sort of thing that you wouldn't normally consider unless you've actually 'run in to' such problems in the field.

@chringlanthegreat4556 6 жыл бұрын

General Brandon2495 I must ask you are in need of a bagpiper in your reenactment teem, I'm learning to play it.

@BrandonF 6 жыл бұрын

My group in particular wouldn't need any pipers (we represent the Coldstream Guards) but I am sure that other Napoleonic groups would, where appropriate!

@chringlanthegreat4556 6 жыл бұрын

Brandon2495 if you want to see the band I play with we do sometimes march in Stockholm. There are videos on KZfaq from our teem, just search thistle pipe band and enjoy.

@BrandonF 6 жыл бұрын

Interesting. I never would have expected a pipe band in Sweden, of all places!

@matthewcalder9583 6 жыл бұрын

Never thought of using the pick to block the hole! I'm going to try that next season! Thanks for the info

@jjliveg3810 6 жыл бұрын

Loving your videos mate

@BrandonF 6 жыл бұрын

Thank you! Glad to hear it!

@ryanfrederick3376 6 жыл бұрын

I (as someone who's thinking about buying one, and has never used a flintlock before) think a "Brown Bess 101" video, on how to properly load and fire the thing (both live and blank) would be awesome.

@BrandonF 6 жыл бұрын

I'm not sure that I could really add anything to that discussion that hasn't already been said by others, and far better than myself. It's always an idea, though!

@dmman33 6 жыл бұрын

Great videos, man! I'm spreading you around to me reenactor mates.

@BrandonF 6 жыл бұрын

Well thank you!

@tumbleweed6658 6 жыл бұрын

I just came across your channel Very well done Sir. I keep one in my shooting bag with hand forge screwdriver, whisk and pick but, mine is on a ring which means I have to dig it of of my shooting bag. I think I will get one like yours. I think you added more knowledge on this at least that I have seen. I do not use a flash guard I think without one the fouling would be less. I do American Rev . May your powder be always dry and your knife sharp cheers.

@brianwyters2150 6 жыл бұрын

One of my friends said this after throwing a stick "Flick and wick, just this... nah!" He throws the stick. I think this was supposed to be like magical and done with a wand.

@Hanakowasright 5 жыл бұрын

Carbon I think is the word for the residue

@brianwyters2150 6 жыл бұрын

How much time would fixing your musket take? If it took a few seconds, would you fire with the next volley or fire alone?

@captianmorgan7627 6 жыл бұрын

I got one of these in a box lot at an auction. Nice to finally know what it is!

@BrandonF 6 жыл бұрын

What an interesting find! What period was the box lot from? Any other mystery items?

@captianmorgan7627 6 жыл бұрын

Mostly 1870s-1890s era US bits and bobs. Lieutenant shoulder boards, M1872 Artillery Shako and late 1800's (1872?, 1881?) hat/cap pieces, a hat box of unknown date, McClellan saddle girth strap, sword hanger bits. Some other things I can't remember. Seem to be all original (afaict) but I can't speak to the whisk and pick originality.

@thorvoldk 3 жыл бұрын

a friend of mine is a merchant at reenactments and sells, among other things, musket tools. it just so happened that i locked myself out of my van. that tool turned out to be perfect to break into the van. it was the right size to unlatch the back widow enough be able to reach in and unlock the door..

@EliotChildress 5 жыл бұрын

Pre-watching prediction based on knowledge from college. the brush is for cleaning the bowl and the pick is for clearing the hole (but I’ve always referred to it as a “pokey-stabby”)

@illiminatieoverlordgurglek140 6 жыл бұрын

''Why would you want to plug your touchhole?'' Well, when two people really, really love each other.. Sorry, very childish. Couldn't help myself snickering at that sentence. I'll just show myself out.

@jmitterii2 6 жыл бұрын

Was reading your comment as he started talking about the touch hole, and couldn't stop laughing... oh look there's no smoke coming out of my touch hole, maybe wiggle it in there... LOL!

@Albukhshi 6 жыл бұрын

Yes, it is very important to perfect the manual exercise of arms. Particular care must be taken to ram it home, but don't do it too hard, or the rammer will either bend or snap--a terrible experience...

@valaudae1809 6 жыл бұрын

You are hereby ordered to cease and desist these crass and pathetic attempts at humour. Remember, your prick is your most precious possession and some people put theirs where l wouldn’t put the ferrule of my umbrella. Now THAT’S funny.

@matt4239 6 жыл бұрын

Just discovered your channel and have been binge watching your past videos for the last few hours, absolutely brilliant. May I ask though what got you interested in British military history as an American?

@BrandonF 6 жыл бұрын

Thanks! And, funnily enough, it was when I was taught about the AWI in history classes at a young age that I became obsessed with the British military. Most of what I was told was completely false of course, with the British being portrayed as a highly-disciplined, nearly robotized, army where every soldier was absolutely loyal to the King and obeyed orders from their prim-and-posh officers absolutely. But still, I quite liked the aesthetic and was fascinated by it. So, from there I started learning more about the war and the British army, from that I went to British military history on the whole, then to wider history, to culture, the modern nation...and here we are today!

@matt4239 6 жыл бұрын

Brandon2495 thats really interesting thanks, please keep the videos up! If I could request a video it would be on the Hussars, my great grandfather served with the 13th/18th Royal Hussars from 1931 until 1946 and I feel Hussars in general are not well known about. I'd love to see a video on the Hussars and how they were formed up until today that would be awesome! Either way though keep up the good work and reminding us there are still some loyal to the crown in the colonies! 🇬🇧

@BrandonF 6 жыл бұрын

Perhaps I shall! If nothing specific to an individual regiment, I think a video on different 'classifications' of cavalry would be useful to many people. Thank you!

@bellakaldera3305 6 жыл бұрын

I also re-enact the American Revolution, I portray a lieutenant in Massachusetts colonial militia. I have used my wisk in the field to brush out my pan, but I note that my wisk is a wire brush, not horsehair as your nice new one is. The wire bristles do a better job than horsehair.

@halincandenza7640 6 жыл бұрын

i was just about to ask the same thing. This brush doesn't look stiff at all.

@settkundesu 6 жыл бұрын

Eyyyy, the intro changed. I like the one in the right bottom corner.

@BrandonF 6 жыл бұрын

I'll take that as a compliment, eh?

@91gold91 6 жыл бұрын

just out of curiosity you said that a way to tell if your musket had fired was to see if there was smoke coming out of the touch hole wouldn't there be no recoil and you could tell that way? love your videos i have been binge watching them since I found your channel the other day

@BrandonF 6 жыл бұрын

There would be recoil, but in the chaos of battle things like that can go unnoticed, if you only see the flash in the pan. There are historical cases of men double, triple, even more, loading their pieces in a panic in the field. Though, this is more a problem for untrained men, rather than regular troops.

@91gold91 6 жыл бұрын

Ok Cool thank you for the quick response

@adambaum9732 6 жыл бұрын

I bet that Brandon picks his nose with those things. That's how Brandon gets blood all over his uniforms, fun fact!

@JohnsonTheSecond 4 жыл бұрын

We don't see the blood because the red dye is made to camouflage it. Of course.

@martyrobbins5241 6 жыл бұрын

What music do you like may i ask?

@BrandonF 6 жыл бұрын

I'd say my tastes are rather eclectic with an overall theme of 'historical' and 'martial'. Which, I know, sounds immensely stereotypical. But I listen to things from old Gregorian chants, to military marches, sea shanties and soldier's songs, Baroque, Classical, and Romantic, and all sorts of folk music.

@martyrobbins5241 6 жыл бұрын

Brandon2495 cool