Researched Last of the Mohicans, guess I never caught it or was otherwise distracted, but Nathaniel was loading in the fort, he was questioned about his patching and replied silk it'll get me another 40 yards. Truth? Movie myth? I've NEVER seen or heard anything regarding silk for patches
Silk as patching
- Thread starter Twalling
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Only in the script writer's imagination and an excuse to reach under the lady's skirt.
Yup, Natty just wanted a look at Cora's ankles. Silk is not good patch material. If Cora had linen petticoats, then that might have improved range a little bit.
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L have tried silk in the stupid years, nope, stupid- stupid idea.
Woody Morgan
62 Cal.
Of course it is!
It WAS said in a movie!! Anyone can find the quote,, hollywood wouldn't lie to us!!
Would they?
sorry Twalling,, just teasin,,
I don't know about silk as patching material but you can catch a nice gal with it if you know how to sweet talk one.
A good line once you've got to know her is to whisper in her ear, "stick with me sugar, and I'll have you fartin through silk in no time" .
A good line once you've got to know her is to whisper in her ear, "stick with me sugar, and I'll have you fartin through silk in no time" .
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Very young and in a hurry to fire a weapon. Something I laugh about now. Can't recall too big of a mess in the barrel, lucked out there.
Nothing adds range to a ball. Shoot at 2200 fps it slows to 1100 at a hundred yards and about 3-400 at three hundred yards. Shoot at 1100 fPS it will be within 50 fps at three hundred yards.
Silk is slippery. Hang a silk neckerchief up by top two corners and shoot it it can let the ball slip through with out holing. It can’t ‘grip’ the ball.
Silk is slippery. Hang a silk neckerchief up by top two corners and shoot it it can let the ball slip through with out holing. It can’t ‘grip’ the ball.
Spandex should really stretch my yardage…
Absolute BALDERDASH!
and I was looking for a reason to use that word AND to play with some of the text controls on the forum!
LD
TrapperDude
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Man, that can be interpreted in sooo many different ways...
Balderdash. There’s a word you don’t hear much but is actually quite useful to describe much of what’s going on around us these days. 
Everybody’s missing the crucial part of the scene. Hawkeye isn’t imputing some mystical property to the material. The actual dialogue is the key.
Uncas: “Tight weave?”
Nathaniel: “Mm. Silk. Another forty yards.”
You can try this at home with different weaves of cloth- loosely woven fabric makes terrible patches. You won’t get the same accuracy from cheesecloth that you will from shirting linen.He’s not saying the ball goes farther, he’s saying that the tightly woven silk allows him to be accurate at greater distance.
I’ve used several feet of silk as patches over the years, and have found roundballs patched with tightly woven silk to be satisfyingly accurate. The big issue is the stink.
Jay
Uncas: “Tight weave?”
Nathaniel: “Mm. Silk. Another forty yards.”
You can try this at home with different weaves of cloth- loosely woven fabric makes terrible patches. You won’t get the same accuracy from cheesecloth that you will from shirting linen.He’s not saying the ball goes farther, he’s saying that the tightly woven silk allows him to be accurate at greater distance.
I’ve used several feet of silk as patches over the years, and have found roundballs patched with tightly woven silk to be satisfyingly accurate. The big issue is the stink.
Jay
Snapshot in Norway
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Funny, this is one of those things I just had to try out in the 90s... If I recall it right I did try out couple of different silk patches, they all made a mess and it was just treads after they had left the bore. found out I`d better stay with pure cotton or linen.
I am sure to the director, it sounded cool to be using the silk from Cora's petticoat as a patch material. Most likely out there on the frontier, Cora would have been wearing linen petticoats. Cooper never described the sisters' undergarments. Michael Mann just made it up. Even Mark Baker never affirmed the use of silk patching to increase range.
Danny Ross
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Silk is similar to spider web which disintegrates with fire. I was at the gun range some years ago and heard a guy shooting a new muzzle loader make the comment, he was couldn't figure out why his gun wouldn't group he was using silk . Movies you gotta love'em. Went over and handed him some pillow ticking and said try this.. I think he at least had a group after that. DANNY
. Movies you gotta love'em. Went over and handed him some pillow ticking and said try this.. I think he at least had a group after that. DANNY
Bwahahahahaha! It's only a movie, It's only a movie, It's only a movie, It's only a movie,
Take a think eh? It's only a movie, It's only a movie,
Take a think eh? It's only a movie, It's only a movie,
