Ditch The Patch Knife

[Polecat_Tom]

Isn’t carrying a greasy roll of patching material a nuisance?
How do you keep from getting the grease on your other stuff?

I don't use lube, I have use a spit patch for the last 50+ years.

 

[Brokennock]

Isn’t carrying a greasy roll of patching material a nuisance?
How do you keep from getting the grease on your other stuff?

Maybe for some.
I find opening a container of individual patches and picking one out, putting the container away (or trying to fish one single patch out of a shot pouch), opening a container of lube, lubing the patch, closing and putting the lube away (without dropping said patch or smearing it all over everything), trying to center the patch on the muzzle and center the ball on the patch, then keep them centered while I push the ball into the muzzle,,,,,,,, a much bigger nuisance. Heck, I'm annoyed just writing out the process.

A patch cut at the muzzle always has the ball and patch centered.

A rolled up strip of patching in the small hanging inner pouch of my shot pouch keeps it from getting fouled with other shooting supplies. Or, if doing quite a bit of shooting, I'll take it out and tie one end to the shot pouch.

 

[Coinneach]

I've been thinking, instead of sawing away with a patch knife, why not use a pair of shears. Not historically correct, but probably faster and more efficient. Maybe some of you are doing this already, but I'm going to try it on my next range trip.

I've been using my Pinay Girlfriends "Lady shaver", sure it takes 8 times longer but hey we're doing the 18-19th century thing why be in a hurry ?

 

[manbat]

I use scissors also and they work fine and are convenient. If concerned about the historical perspective, scissors did exist at the time

 

[Buckskinquin]

I use both patch knife and scissors. The knife for the field. Scissors once or twice a year. I’ll cut up strips of material and roll them up to toss in my shooting bag. Or, I’ll cut square patches with the scissors at home. Those go into storage containers by the handfuls. An hour at home can yield more than enough patches for a year. Lube in the field or at the range.

Rather than scissors for cutting strips, buy a Fiskars rolling cutter and the self healing cutting board. Razor sharp, makes cutting strips a breeze. Once arthritis sets in you’ll prefer this method.

 

[Mulemauler]

I cut from a strip at the muzzle...that way I know patch is always centered.

 

[1BadDart]

Rather than scissors for cutting strips, buy a Fiskars rolling cutter and the self healing cutting board. Razor sharp, makes cutting strips a breeze. Once arthritis sets in you’ll prefer this method.

I borrowed this setup from my sister and cut up a yard and a quarter of flannel into 1 1/2" squares for cleaning patches. It's a lot faster and neater than scissors.

 

[rafterob]

Sharp knife or pre-cut. I prefer cutting at the muzzle over pre-cut because there is no fiddling to try to center the ball in the patch at the muzzle.

 

[Packrat]

I agree with Larry, using shears will probably raise your cut leaving enough material that it might get caught on the ram rod tip

 

[longcruise]

Isn’t carrying a greasy roll of patching material a nuisance?
How do you keep from getting the grease on your other stuff?

I make my shooting pouches with leather and most have one or more leather pockets sewn in. I just stuff the extra strip of patching into a pouch pocket or into the bottom of the bag if no pocket. No harm to anything else in the bag and certainly not the leather. I'll add that my patching is lubed sparingly. Just enough.

I'll use any old knife for a "patch knife". Sharp, sharp, sharp. That's the main criteria.

 

[ohio ramrod]

PC/HC plastic 35mm film canisters if pre-lubing, though I still have a few of the more ‘traditional’ aluminum ones. If one lubes their patch material as they load, getting grease on other stuff not an issue unless you are careless.

As long as you have a SHARP knife, trimming patches at the muzzle is very quick and easy. I have recently been experimenting with a couple of straight razors. Just have to work out a handle and sheath. If you can shave with it, it will breeze through any patch material easier than any shears I have used.

When I was still cutting at the muzzle I put my lubed patching strips in a 35 mm film canister with a slot down the side to pull the strips out of. Just wrap up the lubed strip, place it in the canister start the strip out the slot and put the cap on!

 

[Cruzatte]

I'll use any old knife for a "patch knife". Sharp, sharp, sharp. That's the main criteria.

Yes, that's the ticket right there.

 

[SciAggie]

I would love to find something like this - or find someone that makes it. This seems a handy way to carry lubed strips. I found this image and saved it from the web.

 

[Mike in FL]

I'm OCD, I reckon. I won't take anything on my wilderness forays that is obviously historically incorrect. No plastic. No electronics, nothing that uses a battery, not even a watch, other than a 150 year old pocket watch. No nylon, no knives with handles of carbon or other modern materials. Wool and leather covers my nakedness.
But I see nothing wrong in pre-cutting patches at home. Carry them in a tin, brass, or leather container. Lube ought to be a natural product, like saliva, wax, but not a commercial modern solution.
So either cutting from a lived strip or carrying prey cuts are both okay with my OCD.
For me, not doing as much as possible authentically ruins the whole thing. It is all about so much more than the rifle. My only departure is modern meds I must take, but all the inconvenience of doing it the old way is a challenge making the game I take my share of what the wild places have to offer. It makes me more deserving of being out there. When I get out of the truck, I am at the place I won't harm unless I do it with early colonial stuff.
Of course such a notion is nigh impossible. But some of us like to get it as close as we can.
Wow, did I go off course. I ought to have simply said pre-cut or patch knife are both good. Whichever you prefer.

 

[smoothshooter]

I cut from a strip at the muzzle...that way I know patch is always centered.

I never noticed that it mattered if the patch was perfectly centered or not.
Don’t know why it would.

 

[Cruzatte]

I would love to find something like this - or find someone that makes it. This seems a handy way to carry lubed strips. I found this image and saved it from the web.View attachment 158487

I can see how a clever guy could make one of these at home, using standard brass or copper tubing, cut a couple discs from scrap, solder or screw a knob on one end for the lid, and solder the other disc on the bottom, cut the slot, and Bob's yer uncle.

 

[Phil Coffins]

I ditched the short starter after the first year of muzzleloading. I have used this large knife to press the ball into the un-coned muzzle then cut the patch. It’s a tight fit and quite accurate. The other small knives are ones I’ve won and leave at home. Less is more.
001 by Oliver Sudden, on Flickr

 

[hanshi]

I pre-cut all patches. For the bush I lube them and carry enough for at least 5 more shots. At the range I carry lube with me and lube them as they are used. So if slower to pre-cut and retrieve one at a time It is still only a very tiny % of the time it takes to reload anyway.

 

[tenngun]

I tried patches in the patch box. Great for hunting, bit of a pain if running a string at the range.
I like pre cut in a old fire blacked cap tin.
Another for lube, animal fat.
Since I learned Black Powder maniacs trick I carry a strip on the bag, not too long from strips I keep in my patch box

 

[NorthFork]

I would love to find something like this - or find someone that makes it. This seems a handy way to carry lubed strips. I found this image and saved it from the web.View attachment 158487

Wow! I'd buy one in a heartbeat!