Patch Cutting

[Dean2]

Square is what I have been shooting and they seem to work fine, except the material isn't woven tight enough. Checked with my wife and she has a cutter and cutting board, so since we have that I will try it first.

Bob308 I am also going to see if I can track down an arc punch/cutter as I have the drill press and I get the wrap a few layers round a stick of wood and cut way. Then I can try round patches and see if they are any easier to use, and/or cut or shoot any better. Question is, exactly what is an arc punch/cutter and what are they usually used for so I know where to look for one or where would I find one.

Thanks very much for all the information, it is really helpful.

 

[jethro224]

I'm of the cut at muzzle school also. But, that's not what you asked. I use a large pair of antique tailors shears to cut my cleaning patches. But, I believe the easiet thing for you to do is take the patch cloth and make a starting cut for the size you want at the top. Then just rip strips. Then using sissors cut the strips into squares. Just eyeball the size. They may not be exact but that is not important. Faster than it sounds.

I was gonna type the same thing. :thumbsup:

 

[bob308]

they are punchs for making gaskets. they come as small as 1/8" up to 3". they are mostly used by driving them through with a hammer. another thing that will work is a hole saw with the teeth ground off and the edge sharpened.

 

[ohio ramrod]

The paper cutters used in schools etc. make an ideal cutter for cutting even squares quickly. :idunno:

 

[Rifleman1776]

the material isn't woven tight enough.

Not tight enough for what use?
Ticking is nearly the universal material for ml roundball shooters. It sure is "tight enough" a weave for most of us. Are you sure you got real pillow (or mattress) ticking?
I will agree, a tight weave is a desirable, and, IMHO, necessary feature for patching.

 

[Dean2]

Sorry if I wasn't clear. I have been, up till now using commercial Butches Centerfire Cleaning patches that were 1 1/8 square. They worked okay up to 25 grains but beyond that they were shredding a hole in them. From other adive I got on that post about my first range trip with this new gun, I went looking for pillow ticking as it is a much tighter weave, confirmed when I showed my wife the Butche's patches. :grin:

The CF cleaning patches were real handy because you can get 1000 for 6 bucks, and they come pre-cut, they just aren't tough enoug to handle the job. That is why I went to the fabric store, bought ticking and am now looking for a quick and easy way to cut them up. Thanks.

 

[Rifleman1776]

OK. Cleaning and shooting patches are two diffr'nt animules.
Cleaning ones should be soft and loose.
Shooting ones you want a tight weave.

 

[Stumpkiller]

For lengthwise strips I find it much easier to tear than cut. You also avoid all the little short thread pieces.

But then I cut the strips at the muzzle or ball block.

 

[VTdeerhunter]

Don't have a rotary cutter at my house, been using scissors to start the cut, then tear it the length of the cloth....left with a 1" x 36" strip that I saturate with mink oil and cut at the muzzle

 

[mooman76]

I just cut into long strips with scissors. Then cut several strips at once. Not perfect but gets the job done quick and easy.

 

[Herb]

A .32 caliber uses 1 x 1 inch patches? That's what I use in my .45 caliber. Have you used enough one-inch square patches to know they work well? Don't wedge on the ramrod when seating? I have some yard sale patches on hand (don't have a .32 or .36 caliber rifle), and the TC Prelubed ".45 & .50 Cal." patches measure 1.1". The CVA ".32 & .36" patches measure .85". The Ox-Yoke Wonder Ticking ".30-.39" measure .9". Whatever method you cut patches with, you might want to be sure of the size before cutting a couple thousand. I use a rotary cutter and also scissors. Circular patches don't unravel like square ones do, and I frequently use an arch punch for cutting round ones for .54 and .58. Like the idea of using a drill press to cut several layers at once, but haven't yet made the cutters.

 

[Dean2]

So, tried the rotary cutter and it worked like Billy be damned. I just cut one strip of the .018 and one of the .015, one inch wide. The self healing mat and the straight edge wokrked great for making a perfectly straight line. I then used the rotary cutter to cut the folded over strip into one innch squares.

You are right about the one inch square patches being a hair too big. On the .015s it wasn't a problem but on the .018s I found I had to trim the excess to get them to feed with the short starter easier. I am going to cut another strip of the .018 and I am going to cut it at 3/4" square and see how that works. Nice thing about making them yourself, you can tune them to exactly what you want.

 

[buttonbuck]

I have been cutting at the muzzle schoultz method. but may switch back, I don't like the bluing wearing off.

 

[silverfox]

For the size you want I have a metal yard stick that is 1" wide lay it on the material and with the mat and circle cutter one pass makes a 1" wide strip. For round I went to Harbor Freight and got a set of hole saws for under 5 bucks and cut the teeth off and sharpened the ones I wanted and put them in my drill press. You can fold and cut about 4 at a time move do it again about 5 times then you will have to stop and clean the patches out of the saw. But you will have about 20 in about 30 seconds.
Fox :hatsoff:

 

[caintuck rifle]

Amen

 

[tom deinek]

How'd you cut the teeth off?

 

[Dr5x]

Cutting at the muzzle is not the Schoultz method. It goes way beyond my 85 years.
It is the only way to absolutely guarantee that you have a perfectly patched ball with the material in a nice belt around the ball. Precut patches are handier but will often enough go in off center which will cause the powder power to bypass the projectile of throw it off target when exiting the muzzle.

You can touch up the bluing, I believe, with a variety of goos.

I never blued or browned my barrels. The act of shooting will give it a nice old time patina.

 

[necchi]

Dutch is posting!!
:bow: :bow:

 

[MSW]

well, if Dutch said it, i believe it.

(I've cut at the muzzle for some time ... seems to work best for me, and it gives me a reason to use the neat little patch knife the kids bought me).

Nice to have Mr. Schoultz on board: I've always thought very highly of him.

 

[Rifleman1776]

HI Dutch
Good to see ye here. :grin: