Pillow ticking thickness

[S.Kenton]

I have been using blue striped pillow ticking for a very long time. Normally it measures around .016 give it take a frog hair. I had ran out a while back so went to Wally World and got a few yards more, I washed it as normal and then cut my patches as usual. I use an olive oil beeswax mix as lube, sometimes pure olive oil.. depends. Anyhow, went out to shoot my new Kibler 54 caliber and wife took her 45 caliber out to shoot using the new patches with same old lube and they seemed really hard for wife to load, I noticed they seemed really tight. So remeasured the patches and the measured out at .020… I went back to Walmart, measured what they had on hand, red and blue striped, both measured .020. So now I’m scratching my head… all I want is .015-.016 cotton patching material..Joan fabrics will be my next stop. Anyone else have the same experience?

 

[NorthFork]

I have been using blue striped pillow ticking for a very long time. Normally it measures around .016 give it take a frog hair. I had ran out a while back so went to Wally World and got a few yards more, I washed it as normal and then cut my patches as usual. I use an olive oil beeswax mix as lube, sometimes pure olive oil.. depends. Anyhow, went out to shoot my new Kibler 54 caliber and wife took her 45 caliber out to shoot using the new patches with same old lube and they seemed really hard for wife to load, I noticed they seemed really tight. So remeasured the patches and the measured out at .020… I went back to Walmart, measured what they had on hand, red and blue striped, both measured .020. So now I’m scratching my head… all I want is .015-.016 cotton patching material..Joan fabrics will be my next stop. Anyone else have the same experience?

You ain't the only one with patch thickness troubles. See my very recent post on this.

https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/threads/im-done-with-emss-patch-material.164759/

 

[necchi]

Why is it always "pillow ticking" that's the Alpha and Omega of patch material?
And guys still get stuck on either Red or Blue,,
There are dozens of other perfectly suitable 100% cotton fabrics that work just as well if not better.
Denim is by far the largest selection of varied thickness available.

 

[S.Kenton]

Why is it always "pillow ticking" that's the Alpha and Omega of patch material?
And guys still get stuck on either Red or Blue,,
There are dozens of other perfectly suitable 100% cotton fabrics that work just as well if not better.
Denim is by far the largest selection of varied thickness available.

It’s the most common and easiest 100 percent cotton material to be found. I can travel 15 miles and get a yard of it for 6.99….Walmarts variety these days are not the best. I could also travel 25 miles to Joan fabrics and get the same for more $$ or go through all the denim and find the right size, honestly I have trouble finding anything less than .018 in denim that’s 100 percent cotton. Not only is it hard to find the correct size in denim, but it’s also more costly at my local Joanns. I may try muslin next.

 

[RMH]

The JoAnn's Fabric blue 100% cotton pillow ticking that I bought is .018" thick lightly compressed with a Starrett Micrometer. What you call compressed and what I call compressed may or may not be the same.

 

[Grimord]

The JoAnn's Fabric blue 100% cotton pillow ticking that I bought is .018" thick lightly compressed with a Starrett Micrometer. What you call compressed and what I call compressed may or may not be the same.

I use JoAnns pocket drill for my patches. It is very strong, and 100% cotton. Most of the stuff I have miked in the store run between .014-.018".

 

[Grenadier1758]

Walmart changes fabric suppliers often. What one can purchase is a gamble. Unless you take a micrometer with you to the store to measure fabric there is no way to determine thickness. One can develop a sort of feel for thickness, but that is not as reliable as a measurement. JoAnn's Fabrics have been consistent in thickness and have an extensive selection of fabrics. Go to their website and you can usually download a 50% off coupon. That take some of the pain out of the higher cost for what I believe to be a better product.

 

[Timber Wolf]

I have both red and blue ticking from Joanne’s. The blue was thicker but the size escapes me right now. The red was around .013ish (by my measure) and works great for me. I have prelubed it with 1:5 Balistol/water for my 20/.62 smoothbore with .600 balls and have been very happy. Yes, search Joanne’s website for coupons, they always have at least a 40% off coupon available and sometimes 50%.

 

[Mike Wetzel]

I get my pillow ticking at Hobby Lobby. They have a very good selection of different thickness.

 

[SDSmlf]

I have talked to a few suppliers about the difference between different colored stripes on their ticking. Told the only difference was the color of the striping that was printed on it. Now if you find different lots of material or different manufacturers, there very well may be a difference in thickness, but the color of the striping was decorative according to the distributors/manufacturers I contacted.

When you find a material that works for you, don’t just purchase enough for the next time you go to the range, buy enough to last for a long time and you won’t have to worry about it. Unless you consider that hoarding.

 

[Kansas Jake]

Years ago the blue tended to be mattress ticking and was thicker. The red was for pillows typically and was thinner. I’ve some 30+ year old of both. The blue ran about.018-.020 and the red .010-.012. You can definitely feel the difference but these days it sounds like all bets are off.

 

[Togo]

The last yard I bought at wally was .022 thick, I went back with my calipers, and it didn't matter what color, they were all .022 thick. I ended up going to Joans fabric and found what I needed.

 

[oldwood]

Get a compression mic to take to the fabric store. When using it ,screw it down firmly ,because that's what is going to happen between the ball , and the bore. .018 posted size ,might be actual .015 .015 posted size , might be .013............That's how it works out from what I measure. The bolt of cloth should say , 100 % cotton to be sure. If it doesn't have a 100% cotton notation on it , it is suspect to not be so. That's how it's been since I started muzzleloading in 1970. This ain't rocket science , or brain surgery guys.

 

[Timber Wolf]

Years ago the blue tended to be mattress ticking and was thicker. The red was for pillows typically and was thinner. I’ve some 30+ year old of both. The blue ran about.018-.020 and the red .010-.012. You can definitely feel the difference but these days it sounds like all bets are off.

Those thicknesses closely compare to the Red and Blue I bought at Joann’s a few months back.

 

[SDSmlf]

How and with what you measure will make a difference. And once you find something that works, try and purchase a few yards of the stuff from the same roll you got the initial test sample from. You will then be set for some time.

What follows about measuring patch material thickness I have posted before.

I have found that if you can find one, a radius anvil micrometer works even better than a standard micrometer for compressed measurements of patch material. As an example, with normal pressure on a regular micrometer, a piece of denim may measure about .022” thick, however, this is NOT the important measurement. What is important, at least in my opinion and experience, is the compressed thickness. In this case, about .0155”. Also very important is how consistent you measure that thickness. I use a micrometer with a radius anvil and apply normal torque pressure as I measure. The radius anvil allows for a small area to be easily compressed. A standard flat anvil micrometer works also, you just have to be a bit more careful with how you apply pressure to compress the fabric to get consistent readings, at least in my opinion. Hope the following photographs help explain.

Below are two more photographs showing measurements of a different lot of denim. Normal measurement is .018” thick. Compressed, .0085” thick. With .012” deep grooves in the bore I would expect it to fail spectacularly as a patch material.

 

[Kansas Jake]

I agree with how you measure makes a difference but if you are consistent in how you measure and find what works in most cases you will be fine.

 

[flconch53]

Pillow ticking is just twill woven fabric as is jeans fabric. You don't have to use stripped fabric. That will open up alot more choices for you. The stripes are originally so people would recognize what to make their bed ticks out of. Joann's also sells natural colored twill woven fabric

 

[Snydly]

I have been using blue striped pillow ticking for a very long time. Normally it measures around .016 give it take a frog hair. I had ran out a while back so went to Wally World and got a few yards more, I washed it as normal and then cut my patches as usual. I use an olive oil beeswax mix as lube, sometimes pure olive oil.. depends. Anyhow, went out to shoot my new Kibler 54 caliber and wife took her 45 caliber out to shoot using the new patches with same old lube and they seemed really hard for wife to load, I noticed they seemed really tight. So remeasured the patches and the measured out at .020… I went back to Walmart, measured what they had on hand, red and blue striped, both measured .020. So now I’m scratching my head… all I want is .015-.016 cotton patching material..Joan fabrics will be my next stop. Anyone else have the same experience?

The lady at the cloth store told me there is a difference in 'pillow ticking' and 'mattress ticking' . They look almost the same but can be a difference in thickness. They vary when I measured mine. Some are .020 and some are .016

 

[S.Kenton]

The lady at the cloth store told me there is a difference in 'pillow ticking' and 'mattress ticking' . They look almost the same but can be a difference in thickness. They vary when I measured mine. Some are .020 and some are .016

Yes, maybe my pillow ticking was mislabeled. It seems awfully thick when compared the stuff I got a while back

 

[Mike Wetzel]

Yes, maybe my pillow ticking was mislabeled. It seems awfully thick when compared the stuff I got a while back
[/QUOTE

Yes, maybe my pillow ticking was mislabeled. It seems awfully thick when compared the stuff I got a while back

I take my micrometer with and measure before I purchase. If you have a Hobby Lobby near by they have a very good selection of different thicknesses