Square Patches

[caneman]

Is there anything wrong with cutting square patches and using them as cut. The reason I ask is in reading the proceedure it always states use a sharp knife. I may be able to afford powder and ball but buying cutting knives by the gross will get expensive. In 50+ years of trying even under supervision I've NEVER been able to obtain a sharp edge on a knife. :redface: I used to take my pocket and kitchen knives to the hardware store to have them sharpened but they don't do that anymore. I even bought a Lansky sharpener and still end up with butter knives.

 

[Itegorm]

In my opinion round or square (maybe even ovals and tetrahedron) shped patches all work the same. I usually use square patches as I don't like cutting them at the muzzle (I have really terrible luck at times and have stitched myself up more than once)and I never saw a need to precut round patches. All that being said I still usually hit what I am shooting at and pretty consistently place in the top 3 places at the smoothbore shoots I hit (did just as well shooting a rifle with square patches as well but I don't own a rifle anymore).

 

[TANSTAAFL]

I have used square patches and really cannot tell the difference between the cut or round ones. Of course you have to consider, my shooting may be so bad I could have never reconized that difference.

If you don't like to sharpen things, or have a hard time doing so, here is the Scary Sharp system, it will not break (use off the shelf abrasive paper from Wally World) you, but will produce beautiful results.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=scary+sharp+system

 

[Johnny Tremain]

I bet the balls dont mind if they are wrapped in square or round patches.

I bought a very well made high carbon blade from DGW. When I took it to be edged, the knifesmith said in all his years, no one ever brought in a blade like mine.
I can cut thru a 1/2 inch mud flap with a two finger pull.

The optimum blade angle is 23 degrees. So I made a wood wedge at 23 degrees. I set the blade on it and the emery cloth on my table. Then slide the edge around the well oiled cloth.

I also have a 23 degree wedge I can carry with my stone. Its one inch square.

Give DGW a call and ask about their Searles Bowie knife kit parts. You will end up with a blade the will cut thru anything and stay sharp.

 

[roundball]

In my opinion round or square (maybe even ovals and tetrahedron) shped patches all work the same. I usually use square patches as I don't like cutting them at the muzzle (I have really terrible luck at times and have stitched myself up more than once)and I never saw a need to precut round patches. All that being said I still usually hit what I am shooting at and pretty consistently place in the top 3 places at the smoothbore shoots I hit (did just as well shooting a rifle with square patches as well but I don't own a rifle anymore).

:agree:...from my own playing around at the range, I've come to the typical conclusion that patch thickness and tightness of weave are very important of course, but I don't think round vs. square, or length x width dimensions are important at all.

IMO, as long as patch material is well up past the ball's contact area with the lands to provide it's main function, whether the excess material above that point is round or square has no bearing on anything...it's just excess material.

In terms of size, one day I took a very large 2.5" TC Cleaning & Seasoning patch that was all sticky & gooey with natural lube 1000, centered the ball in it and started it into the muzzle a couple inches.

Then I intentionally folded over all the excess layers of sticky gooey material back & forth over the top of the ball like closing up a roll of coins, and seated the whole mess down on the powder like normal.

The huge patch instantly flared open like a parachute when it left the muzzle, and the ball centershot a can off the 50yd line like I'd been doing all morning with regular patches.

 

[Slamfire]

That Scary system looks like it'd be real good for things with a one sided edge like chisels and plane blades. The secret to knife sharpening is management of the wire edge that forms as you work. Keep it centereed, and when it looks like it might break off, so to a smoother stone, or a steel. :results:

 

[TANSTAAFL]

With 600 grit, don't use the thumb test, and when I go to shave the forearm hairs, they really do just jump off at the very sight of the Scary Sharp blade.

 

[musketman]

I use triangle patches myself, just to be different...

 

[MikeChapin]

I've used both square and round patches for years and have seen no difference in the way the gun shoots.

I use round now since I find it easier to run the fabric under the drillpress punching out patches than handling a big chunk of fabric with scissors or a knife.

--Mike

 

[Ridge]

I wonder what you are doing wrong with the Lansky? That system is pretty fool proof. Maybe you are pressing too hard, or not using enough time with each stone?

I can't sharpen a knife with a wetrock to save my life. With a lansky though.........everyone I know talks about how good I am at sharpening knives. :winking:

 

[Stumpkiller]

One of my loading blocks produces an almost square patch. I countersunk the holes more than normal, and this seems to allow the material to fold up with the well defined corners.

Square patches from round holes. ::

 

[merdean]

I use a strip about 2" wide and a foot long. All covered with bore butter. I just place it over the muzzle, put a ball on top and push it down to just past the muzzle. Then I use my sharp knife to cut it off. I can use the same piece of cloth for all my rifles from .32 to .54. Keeping the knife sharp is the hard part. I found a source for straight edge razors a few years back. They all had plastic handles so I broke the handles off and stuck the shank into a chunk of dowel. Not pretty but they did work. (I bought a dozen razors for $5.00) I gave the last one to my Son when I gave him his first muzzleloading rifle. It had a nicer handle than a dowel. Now I have to look around. I think Dixie has some but I don't have a catalogue in front of me so I don't know the price. I used to see them for $3 or $4 at our local Western Town (RAWHIDE) I will have to take a look before they close it down....But wait, they are moving it to the reservation just down the road from my house!
But a razor stays sharp for a long time. Just remember, IT IS A RAZOR AND IT IS RAZOR SHARP! :m2c:

 

[WV_Hillbilly]

I'll add my voice to those who agree, that it does NOT matter whether round OR square patches are used with round ball.

I have found NO DIFFERENCE accuracy-wise. I DO find that it is very easy to line up the pillow ticking's blue and cream colored stripes; to keep these square patches pretty uniform in length and width. It is too expensive to get a punch for making round patches and I don't even know if you can get them anymore. Maybe Dixie Gun Works???

Cutting my own square patches is a lot easier than trying to bandage up my thumb and fingers after attempting to cut a decent "round" patch on the muzzle. AND it's a lot cheaper than buying those pre-lubed round patches (no need to mantion brand names--they all are too expensive!IMHO)

The only thing that might be a problem is getting blisters from using the scissors... so for goodness sake, buy a REAL good pair of scissors; all steel, if you can find them. It's not difficult to keep these sharp, and you may want to wear nice fitting gloves on your "scissor hands"

NO, I don't mean "Edward" either :crackup:

Shoot Safely (and with square patches too!)
WV_Hillbilly