Patch Knives.....

[RussB]

Like many of you, I have owned many different patch knives over the years.

To me, it seems an endless search. I like a knife that will hold a razor edge thorugh a box of round ball, at least.

I also like a "clean" cut....for whatever reason. I also don't like to "saw" on a piece of patch material, just a nice clean fast cut.

Over the years I have played with a lot of knifes, wore out dozens of stones, and cussed and fussed more than my share.

For the past couple of years I have decided that those little scissors on a Swiss knife work just about as good as anything I've come up with. I made a patchknife from a file, it was okay, still is okay for that matter and may be very close to being PC. The scissors sure ain't PC, but they work real well at the range.

Here are a couple of pictures of Patch Kinves that I do use.

This is most likely my favorite three. That razor is a an original, German made H.Boker & Co., the model is Red-Injun no.101......I payed $2.00, if I remember right, about 25 / 30 years ago for the razor.
It has bone handles, and the ends are silver fleur d'lis......pretty nice looking, actually.
I'm told by those who know a little about such things that it is probably pre 1875, perhaps earlier. I don't have a clue to it's actual age, maybe someone could help me here.

I would like to hear what you folks do when it comes to patchin, and your patch knife.

Russ

 

I tried cutting at the muzzle but it was too awkward for me to hold the rifle upright, hold tension on the extra patching material upwards and cut it all at the same time. I've even considered attatching some sort of leather loop to my belt that I could slip over the barrel to act as a third hand while I cut but that just doesn't seem right. Please tell me your technique. Meanwhile I will stick with my square pre-cut patches. By the way, those are cool blades you have there. :thumbsup:

 

I tried cutting at the muzzle but it was too awkward for to hold the rifle upright, hold tension the extra patching material upwards and cut it all at the same time. I've even considered attatching some sort of leather loop to my belt that I could slip over the barrel to act as a third hand while I cut but that just doesn't seem right. Please tell me your technique. Meanwhile I will stick with my square pre-cut patches.

 

[Stumpkiller]

I have three of three different sizes I made from Bruseletto blades (laminated Norwegian). One antler tip, one crown and one section. They stay VERY sharp. The larger two, 3-3/4" and 4-1/2", I also use to gut deer.

I have a 4-3/4" whitetail crown handled knife mounted on the back of my hunting pouch that is made from a full-tang coulter iron off a plow. It's wickedly sharp, forged into a gradual taper from back to edge & slightly upswept, and a good all around blade. A false-edge that's not false, which makes it kind of a danger to choke-up on for slicing open a deer's belly with a finger over the tip to prevent poking innards.

I have also used my file-sharp 10" rifleman's knife that is one of Dixie's old "Ticonderoga" forged blades stuck & pinned in an antler crown. It's a mighty patch knife, but in the winter it's the easiest to get to. :haha: Sometimes it's kind of nice to have a "patch-knife" that you can also use to work a blow-down into a ground blind. :: I've also used the back of that one to put the end to many squirrel's and bunny's sufferings when hunting with 'ol Bess & Blunderpotz.

 

[Stumpkiller]

Please tell me your technique.

A ball-block.

When cutting at the muzzle I usually hold the muzzle against my left palm and keep my fingers in the way. ::

You can get approximately the same technique by practicing switching flies mid-stream in a strong current on a windy day.

 

Yep, I ended up cutting myself trying the cut at the muzzle thing, guess I'm not alone on that experience.

 

[sniper68]

RussB; I agree that sissors work great but it just ain't right :cry: I've cut patches since I been shootin black powder, I guess I just don't know any better. My knives stay RAZOR sharp. As I type I'm missing a piece of the tip of my left ring finger from a slip of my patch knife. :: Who says sharp knives don't cut ya, dull ones do. Dull ones will bruse ya, sharp ones will tear you up! I have a safe full of knives but I couldn't pass these two up at WalMart. Old Hichory's $2 ea.! :: I had some leftover forend wood from my rifle so I used it to turn these into a huntin and patch knife, kinda makes them brothers to my rifle (sounds good) :hmm:

 

[RussB]

"I agree that sissors work great but it just ain't right"

Yes! I gotta agree with you there Sniper. :RO:

Those knives of yours look good, that's a great idea using the same wood that is in your stock. Why didn't I think of that too? :boohoo:

I have seen a few "Patch Knives" that looked real good. I watched one guy cutting patches with a beautiful little file knife, and I could have just torn the patch and done a better job...
My knives are sharp, at least they start out sharp, but they always need re-sharpened after a day at the range.
Maybe I don't know how to put a good edge on, or at least one that will last.
Thanks for your input....ahhh, now those handles....I'll check back with you in a week or so, I may just have a set of handles!

Russ

 

[sniper68]

:nono:I don't think you're sharpening your knives wrong, sharp is sharp. Its just hard to realize how much material is cut when you go through 20 to 50 shots. I usually carry an extra knife (pocket type that is) eace:

 

[weirdjack]

I have used the same patch knife for a long time. The blade is from a small sheath knife I found in my grandfather's old fishing junk. The handle is made from a piece of walnut salvaged from a piece of my grandmother's furniture. I got lucky, this blade holds an edge extremely well! No sawing necessary...it slices the patch material cleanly. I've considered making other patch knives, just never needed to.
WJ

 

[Rebel]

I've been using the same one for years now. It has a blade that came off and old 2 bladed pocket knife that is about 4" long. It is set in a small dder antler with the crown towards the back. Works good and holds a pretty good edge.

 

[reddogge]

I've always cut them at the muzzle. My knife is homemade from an old Drury Liverpool kitchen knife with a small deer antler handle and I keep it in the sheath on my bag strap. It's very old and rusty looking but does the job.

Just start the ball, hold the rifle between your legs grasping the pillow ticking with your left hand and cut away from you with your right.

 

[Rebel]

Yep, that's where i keep mine, in a sheath on my bag strap. With my antler tip powder measurer in a pocket on the strap right below it.

 

Sounds like I use a different "patch knife" than most of you fellas. I use my GR butcher fer most everthin include'n, ball-start'n, cut'n the patch material at the muzzle, plus all the other "chores" a butcher is used for.

I don't like pack'n/wear'n more stuff than I need, my butcher is always "at hand" in it's rawhide sheath, worn tucked into my sash.

I also hold my rifle with my knees like Reddogee explained.

YMHS
rollingb

 

[rifleshooter2]

Here is my patch knife I've been using for 20 years. She keeps a good edge with just a little touch up now and then. I made it from a straght razor blade and some antler I had laying around. The ferrule is german silver. Cuts nice and clean
Andy
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v218/rifleshooter2/115_1597.jpg

 

You guys have trouble holding the gun 'cause you have them little bitty short barrels!

Back in the old days they used to call them short guns "boys' rifles"!

Now when you grow up and get a real long rifle you can rest the butt on your foot and cradle the barrel in your elbow and reach up and load the thing proper.

:crackup: :crackup: :crackup:

 

While I own several patch knives, I don't use them much anymore. Not much evidence that the early hunters used them--at least not in the periods I am most interested in. Most probably cut the patches with their belt knives, usually called 'butcher' knives. I have read several accounts of the early use of pre-cut patches, which is what I typically use. My old patch knives include three little custom knives of varying quality--the first is a simple thin (saw blade steel?) 3" blade set in to a plain antler handle. The second has a Swedish 3.5" blade set into a small crown stag handle. The third has a hand forged 1095 steel 3.5" blade set into a small crown stag handle and was made by the late Master Smith Don Broughton. Before them I used a small Green River hunting knife and a pocket knife. I sometimes use the Swedish steel knife as a small game knife when hunting and it cleaned several squirrels this year, taken with my .32.....

 

I use a straight razor exclusively and find it works the best for me. I'm not hard on blades and so far (knock on wood) I've never broken the same one used for over 15 years. I strop it at the end of each session and it keeps an edge well.

 

[sniper68]

Anvil; I agree with ya, a straight razor is probably as good of a patch knife as you can get :imo:The reason I don' use one, is cause I don't carry a belt knife when I'm hunttin or just in the field. I use my patch knife for everything from guttin to skinning and I don't shave any more than I have to when I ain't workin :thumbsup:

 

[SimonKenton]

Sniper,

When did you find those and in what dept.? I haunt Walmart and have never seen a knife like those.

-Ray ::