Patch Cutter!

[Valkyrie]

I usually use square cut pillow ticking but I like round patches better so I pushed a ball wrapped in patch material into one of my loading blocks and cut the patch flush. 1 1/4” looks perfect so i bought a 1 3/8 hole saw and ground off the teeth and sharpened the outside edge.

Cuts a perfect 1 1/4” patch that holds a .490 ball perfectly. Unfortunately I had just enough deer tallow and coconut oil lube to finish the patches up. I shot four deer this year and didnt think to save any tallow from them. I might go out hunting Thursday and if it works out I’ll get a bunch. They are fat this time of year.

 

[Tom A Hawk]

Clever solution. Will you pound it or spin it? Where are you able to hunt deer this time of year?

 

[Valkyrie]

I spin it in a drill press and it cuts through an inch thick of patch material easily.

I live in SE PA and we have an extended special reg season in this area for flintlocks. Saturday is the last day.

 

[Sparkitoff]

I am going to collect some deer tallow per your discussion in this post. I am going to South Texas where the season is still on until Feb 3rd in pubic places and Feb 28th on private property with special tags.

 

[Valkyrie]

I am going to collect some deer tallow per your discussion in this post. I am going to South Texas where the season is still on until Feb 3rd in pubic places and Feb 28th on private property with special tags.

I’ve read a bunch about deer tallow not being ideal but i has it and saw some stuff online and figured that a high smoke point oil like coconut might work and I tried it with good success. Keeps fouling soft and swabbing the bore to a minimum. I’m curious to try the DA/castor oil formula also.

 

[Rich]

Clever solution. Will you pound it or spin it? Where are you able to hunt deer this time of year?

Louisiana primitive season goes to Jan 31

 

[Valkyrie]

Well gotta work the rest of the week through the weekend. Deer season is over for me so I’ll have to tinker through the winter to keep me busy and mix up some of the castor oil and alcohol patch lube to try when I get to the range.

 

[Rifleman1776]

I usually use square cut pillow ticking but I like round patches better

You like better, so that is "yer own thang". Can't criticize what you like. Personally, I find holding patch, ball and rifle in one hand and trying to keep the ball exactly centered on a pre-cut patch very awkward. I use strips of pre-lubed patching I make up and cut at the muzzle. Seems a lot simpler to me. But each to his own.

 

[Smokey Plainsman]

You like better, so that is "yer own thang". Can't criticize what you like. Personally, I find holding patch, ball and rifle in one hand and trying to keep the ball exactly centered on a pre-cut patch very awkward. I use strips of pre-lubed patching I make up and cut at the muzzle. Seems a lot simpler to me. But each to his own.

Cutting at the muzzle is more accurate, both historically and mechanically speaking.

 

[Carbon 6]

Cutting at the muzzle is more accurate, both historically and mechanically speaking.

That's funny.

 

[Van1955]

Muzzle + Ball + Patch strip + Knife = Cut Finger.
Hand me my loading block, please.

 

[Smokey Plainsman]

That's funny.

You’re funny!

 

[Scota4570]

I like the hole saw method too. I made a cutter for each caliber I shoot. My local used tool store has old hole cutters cheap. Fold the material over to do a eight at a time. Use soft wood backing and the drill press run slowly. One can cut a bunch of patches very quickly from whatever material you want.

 

[Carbon 6]

I like the hole saw method too. I made a cutter for each caliber I shoot. My local used tool store has old hole cutters cheap. Fold the material over to do a eight at a time. Use soft wood backing and the drill press run slowly. One can cut a bunch of patches very quickly from whatever material you want.

I've seen individual hole saws at Menards for just a few dollars. I made my own cutter that is very similar to as hole saw. works great. If I needed another I would buy a hole saw.

 

[8 BORE]

I like to cut my patch from the muzzle. Sometimes pre-cut patches slide off the ball when short started.

 

[Newtire]

A guy on YouTube uses what appears to be a Wally World fabric cutter. He cuts a series of strips the width he wants and then scores the strips almost all the way from one side to the other. Then he rolls up the strips, stuffs the roll in a pill bottle and pours in his lube. I tried it and rolled out the strips to get out excess lube. You put the ball in the center into the bore and just tear off the patch with the ball under your thumb. No patch knife needed. The tool looks like a pizza cutter only sharp as a razor. Made by Fiskars. Guy goes by Black Powder Maniac Shooter on YouTube.

 

[Carbon 6]

I tried that method, found all kinds of things wrong with it. went back to regular round pre-cuts.

The rotary fabric cutters are great for making square patches and cleaning patches.

 

[Dr5x]

I agree.
I bought a device that would cut fabric into nice round circles. I was most pleased BUB Over the next few days at the range, about 5 or 7 would perform as desired but every so often when giving the ball sitting on top of the nice round patch that for no reason I could determine the patch would go in way off center which seemed to greatly detract from any hoped for accuracy. I found this odd behavior on other commercially produced pre-cut patches,

I had seen some old timers cutting their patches at the muzzle and being a newbie assumed they did that because it was cool.
It was patiently explained to me that when you cut at the muzzle you can see that the patch material was all around the ball pressed into the first half inch or so into the muzzle. The patching is now centered. It can't escape. I cannot go off center. When the excess is cut away the remaining material creates a nice tight seal around the ball. It will be perfect every time.

Dutch

I like to cut my patch from the muzzle. Sometimes pre-cut patches slide off the ball when short started.

 

[Rifleman1776]

I like to cut my patch from the muzzle. Sometimes pre-cut patches slide off the ball when short started.

Exactly and that is why I cut at muzzle also. I pre-lube large pieces of material then cut into handier sizes and put in a plastic baggie until needed. When needed I take out and tear into a strip apx. 3" wide and use that for loading. When in the field I'll tie one end to my shooting bag strap and use the hanging cloth for loading. Very handy. The cloth and lube are cheap so small amount of waste is not an issue.

 

[Grimord]

Exactly and that is why I cut at muzzle also. I pre-lube large pieces of material then cut into handier sizes and put in a plastic baggie until needed. When needed I take out and tear into a strip apx. 3" wide and use that for loading. When in the field I'll tie one end to my shooting bag strap and use the hanging cloth for loading. Very handy. The cloth and lube are cheap so small amount of waste is not an issue.

I don't like to have the lubed strip of cloth hanging off my bag, or in my bag. I don't want it to pick up dirt and debris. My solution is to take an old aluminum, screw top 35 mm film container that I cut a slot in. I roll the strip of pre-lubed patch material and place it in the film container and feed the end out of the slot cut in the side of the container. I attached a screw eye to the lid so I can attach a thong and tie it to the strap of my shooting bag. Keeps the patch material clean.