Patch knife recommendations?

[Spot Shooter]

Hey fellers, and gal's,

What's a good patch knife ta get, and how's the best way ta use it?

Spot

 

[RJR]

Make one! I use old strait razors for blades, usually can pick up an old broken handled one for a couple-three bucks, then put a piece of antler on it for a handle.

 

Spot,.... Straight razors like DEADDAWG is talk'n 'bout, make good patch knives,.... and so do the "Norwegian laminated blades" thet TOTW sells. I skinned out a 400# black bear use'n one'a TOTW's liddle 2 3/4" blades, include'n skin'n out all 4 of the "paws"!!

 

[Spot Shooter]

RollingB,

How does one go about make'n a blade inta a knife - they don't come in a kit. Do ya drill the handle and pin it with brass rivets? Interest'n stuff - Do you have one of them laminate blades? If ya had to make one fer yerself, what piece parts would ya use to make a real nice knife fer yerself. I looked at shealths to, but din't know what style ta look fer. I'm in too deep a water here.

I used a pocket knife to trim today, but am wonder'n about the proper way to make the cut.

Spot

 

Spot,.... For a nice liddle patch knife, I'd order the,..

#Blade-N2
#KP-OV-4-078-S-B (hilt)
from TOTW,.... and if you got a piece'a small deer antler for'a handle, yore in business!!

Knife sheaths fit best, if ther made to "fit" the knife-blade and 1/2 the handle!!

I prefer to "start" a ball in the bore 'til it's flush with the muzzle, then I cut off the excess patch material straight across the muzzle.

BTW,.... How did yore "spent" patchs look today??

 

[No Powder]

My first patch knife was made from an old hacksaw blade. After removing what was left of the teeth I sharpened it from one side only, this left one side of the blade flat. The flat side would lay on the barrel and cut a nice clean patch. The handle was just a piece of wood that fit my hand and on one side I used a small piece of dowel rod to make a small ball starter. The whole thing was about 4 to 5 inchs long. It was cheap, easy to make and the flex in the blade came in handy for other jobs. I still have it but now have went fancy, with a nice blade on a stag handle.
Be advised it was not period correct, but it works well.

 

[Spot Shooter]

RollingB,

The patches weren't torn or had any cuts at all. All but one did have a solid dark ring around where the ball and patch bit the barrel rifle'n. It was real windy so I only got about 5 out of the 40 plus shot's I took.

I think the fit's OK, hard enough that it almost pop's into the barrel, but once it's there it doesn't want to come out easy. Heck, you really can't get it out without firing it, but it slid down with just a little less pressure then the plastic sabot's that I used in the Knight disc rifle in the past. I'm thinking that it's the lube'd patch - which I thank you most kindly for.

spot

Spot

 

[Stumpkiller]

My only designated patch knife is a Bruseletto laminated steel blade jammed into an antle tip (I got the blade from Dixie Gun Works 20+ years ago. The catalog picture in the blades section is the same but I don't know if they're still Bruseletto, or even laminated, currently). It gets and stays sharp. I rounded off the tip to keep it from chewing it's way out of the strap sheath on my hunting pouch.

I often carry a white bone-handled A.G. Russell (see below)
http://www.agrussell.com/knives/by_maker/a_through_d/a_g_russell_knives/folding_knives/a_g_russell_arkansas_toothpick_sandelwood_handle.html
that is a fine patch knife. Any small, sharp blade works well.

 

[Birddog6]

I don't know where you find ol straight razors for $3 at but you won't here. Even a rusted up piece of junk they want $15. for at all the flea markets & etc. I see them at.

Any piece of carbon steel will make ya a good patch knife. lso a reciprocating saw blade will make one that is useable.

Most of the ML dealers have knife kits & blades & etc. Als here is a place that has alot of good stuff. The lil Norwegian Runt knife blade is a good patch knife. Texas Knives

 

Spot,.... Thet liddle "Norwegian Runt blade" Birddog6 is talk'n 'bout, is the same blade thet I was talk'n 'bout in my other post!!

Now, what was it, they said 'bout "great minds think'n alike"??

Here's sumpthin else ya might think 'bout,.... I have a Civil War Era table knife, thet I cut down and made a patch/neck knife out'a, and a rawhide sheath covered with brain-tan deer-hide,..... I'll take $35.00 for the knife'n sheath!!
The knife is marked:....

----- & GOODNOW MFG. CO. (the first name is indistinguishable)
PATTENED MARCH 6 1864

It has a bone-handle, and 2 brass pins! (very nice liddle knife, and sumpthin you don't see often)

 

[sse]

Birddog - that link aint workin

sse

 

[RJR]

Birddog6, I only look for the broken junk that any serious collector wouldn't want, then I beat up on the guy selling it about how it's broken and nobody else would want it. Sometimes it works, somethimes it don't. But if you look hard enough in the weardest places you'll find them.

 

[RJR]

Birddog6, I only look for the broken junk that any serious collector wouldn't want, then I beat up on the guy selling it about how it's broken and nobody else would want it. Sometimes it works, sometimes it don't. But if you look hard enough in the weardest places you'll find them.

 

[smokeblower]

Deaddawg, you would try to buy my worn out boker Tree Brand congress. But you would not get it. It fits my hand. Has four different cuts. I have torn the fabric out the bottom of the couch to find it.

 

[steved]

Hey Spot Shooter,

Deaddawg mentioned making one from an old straight edge razor and it stirred my memory. Just tore through my back issues of Muzzle Blasts for an article on doin' just as deaddawg mentioned. As luck would have it, I could not find the article - it's in the only one of my back-issues that I cannot find - but I did find the reference in the 2003 Index. If you have MB back issues, the article titled "The One-Buck Blade" can be found in Feb '03. Otherwise, I would have faxed it to you. Maybe someone else out there has it if you are interested in making one.

 

[roundball]

The Muzzleleblasts magazines is online too...go to NMLRA

 

[Deadeye]

They're still Bruselleto, the smallest blade is the best for patch knifes( it's the only one of their blades that isn't laminated, it's just the hard center of their laminate) I've made a lot of patch knifes from these and round off the tip same as someone else said. Still use one I made about 35 yrs. ago.

 

[Spot Shooter]

RollingB,

I'll have a get a look at thet knife of yers. Send me a pict.

I like the idear of havin' a dedicated blade fer cutt'n stuff like this. But none of ya mentioned if ya cut tord the ball, or the barrel? I got to admit I was think'n how easy it would be ta use my fly fishin' cissors' ta cut them patches.

I ain't never heard of the muzzle blast magazine, I'm gonna half ta look fer that one.

I wish i had some MZ'ers close by so I could watch and learn more.

Spot

 

Spot,... the way I do it, (YMMV)!!

I put 'bout 1 1/2" of the "tick'n strip" in my mouth, then I center the "lubed" tick'n across the muzzle of my rifle, place a ball on it, then "start" the ball 'til it's flush with the muzzle.

Next, I gather the "excess tick'n" with my left thumb'n index finger, pull the material "up", and slice it off (flush with the muzzle) with my knife.

Be careful to cut "away" from you, and it's also good to "not" have the ramrod stick'n up high'er then the muzzle, 'cause the brass ramrod-end will dull the blade edge if struck when use'n this method. ::

 

[Spot Shooter]

RollingB,

I was worried about run'n low on patch material so I was cutt'n pretty close to square. I could hardly grab what was left ta cut it.

Hey does ya use the same patch material ta swab, or do ya use somethin' else?

Spot