Patch strips made easy.

[Mad Irish Jack]

I recently started cutting the patch from a strip after the ball is inserted into the barrel in the material. I had several old, and too small for me, thinner 100% cotton flannel shirts. Mine were plaid patterned which make it very easy to cut consistent widths of material using house scissors. I measured my shirt material and it at between .013 and .015. I take the strips, roll them tightly and insert as many as I can (2 TO 4 depends on amount) into plastic medicinal pill bottles. I then pour the purist Virgin Olive Oil to fill the container to just top the rolled material. Cap and set upright. The oil will soak into the material (You can shake occasionally) over a day or two. I then take the rolled strips out and either hand squeeze or roll out the excess on a board with a rubber roller. I re-roll the strips and re-insert into cleaned out pill bottles. I can use a strip one at a time and store the rest in the airtight bottles. They cut easily with a SHARP patch knife and seat easily. I still get consistent groups and am more methodically PC, which is MY CHOICE at my advanced aging. I used these when I started reenacting and found this technique after a Graybeard and I talked about it. The key is the thickness of Material. I tried small pieces before producing larger amounts. You need to be sure of this part of your loading process or your 'consistency of grouping' will go out the window. U bought a small, thick glass cork topped bottle that easily holds two strips in my pouch. (PC). This is easy to do as most materials are in your home. Cotton material (Shirts, long under ware etc) for this and cleaning patches can be cheaply bought at thrift stores. My $.02 .

Sorry: afterthought needs mentioned. Make sure (when buying thrift store material or clothes to cut up) you wash & rinse them in hot water ONLY (NO SOAP), dry NO SOFTENER STUFF.

 

[Huntschool]

And be sure the cotton material is 100% cotton with no other material present like polyester.

 

[sgtprovo]

Old silk from the Salvation Army and Hospice Stores can be cut up into strips and tied onto your possibles bags.
If you remember Daniel Day Lewis, he used silk patches for his long range shooting in "Last of the Mohicans"

 

[Grenadier1758]

That silk didn't help DDL shoot any further. DDL just wanted a look at Cora's ankles. If Cora had a linen petticoat, then he might have gotten some added distance.

Sorry sgtprovo, the silk patching was a device inserted by the director. For accurate shooting, stick with strips of cotton ticking, cotton drill cloth or linen patches.

 

[DaveC]

I've got a couple yards of pillow-ticking, washed twice and line dried to get the "sizing" and starch and chemicals out of it. Then it gets cut into strips, the strips are rolled up, and I stash 'em in a box until I need to use them. I like the extra-virgin olive oil idea... I'll have to try that out. I'm using one or another Ballistol mixed with water or Blue Thunder from the bottle. At some point I'll give it a shot with the oil. For my new-to-me .32, I just might try saliva...

 

[Rifleman1776]

Methinks ye are overdoing and overthinking this issue. Flannel shirts are rarely pure cotton any more. Plus used clothing is not consistent in thickness. I suggest you go simple (I like the 'KISS' principal). For shooting patching I buy pure cotton ticking measured to .015" from Walmart. My lube is mixed so that it room temp hardens into a semi-soft block. After washing I rub the block over the material and store in zip lock baggies. For use I tear strips and cut at muzzle. Simple and consistent.

 

[hawkeye2]

I cut long strips from washed & dried material and then ran them through my lube which I had melted in a double boiler. They were laid on wax paper to dry and then rolled and placed in 35 mm film cans. Do I need to describe 35 mm film cans to the younger members? They would keep forever and didn't make a mess in my hunting pouch. When I was ready to shoot I would open a can, pin a strip to my frock up near the top and cut at the muzzle as needed.

I too believe people tend to overthink things and am a strong advocate of the KISS principal.

If you have a hard time cutting a straight line or to a consistent dimension here is a trick you can use and it works great when making clothing too. Measure the dimension you want and then pick a thread there. Pull that thread out of the material for the entire length of the cut and you have a nice guide line to follow.