Baco bore wiping felts

[LynC2]

I've been using BACO'S bore cleaning system and it has been Excellent. However I have noticed a number of the felts getting "spongey" and losing density and size. I have been cleaning them in water, detergent and Oxyclean to get them clean as I read here or elsewhere that worked well and it does. However I was curious about them deteriorating and checked about cleaning wool which I understand from what I believe is the composition of the felt cleaners. Oxyclean isn't recommended for wool as it has an alkaline base and wool is slightly acidic. I haven't proved it is an issue, just a precaution at this time.

[Toymaker]

I think the Oxyclean is just to make them white and purdy again. I put my cases in one bottle of water with some Dawn and the felts in a smaller one with water and Dawn. I'm usually too tired to mess with stuff when I get home, the rifle was cleaned at the range so the rest of it waits until the next day. I use a rotary tumbler and clean my cases then I use it to clean my felts. Just water and Dawn. They may be a little stained but I don't need them sparkling white.

[rfd]

i used the oxyclean on the felts and had no issues, however, i gave all that up - too, much added work for no functional return.

for me, the key with used felts is the same as with fired brass - get them both into water ASAP. i push my wipers into a deep tray of plain water. when the shooting is over, the wipers go into the big water jug of fired brass (it already has a touch of dishwashing soap mixed in). back at the ranch, the wipers get rinsed in water and laid out on newspaper to dry off on their own (never left in sunlight). brass goes into the ultra-sonic cleaner - quiet and fast (30 minutes) - can't say enuf good stuff about going that route instead of tumblers and vibrators, brass comes out like new, inside and out.

[Don McDowell]

Lyn I clean the felts with just oxyclean and water, after quite a few times they do get soft but they keep doing their job.
My shooting partner has always used Woolite and similar to clean his, and he has had several come apart..
If you think about it for a moment those things are built to absorb some of the nastiest bore solvents around, so I doubt what ever magic potion a person uses to clean them up is going to harm them.

[LynC2]

That's interesting, I was concerned about the ph factor may be an issue, but perhaps it's just normal wear and tear. Thanks for everyone's input. ☺

[Keith]

i used the oxyclean on the felts and had no issues, however, i gave all that up - too, much added work for no functional return.

for me, the key with used felts is the same as with fired brass - get them both into water ASAP. i push my wipers into a deep tray of plain water. when the shooting is over, the wipers go into the big water jug of fired brass (it already has a touch of dishwashing soap mixed in). back at the ranch, the wipers get rinsed in water and laid out on newspaper to dry off on their own (never left in sunlight). brass goes into the ultra-sonic cleaner - quiet and fast (30 minutes) - can't say enuf good stuff about going that route instead of tumblers and vibrators, brass comes out like new, inside and out.

What do you put in the water in the ultra-sonic cleaner to clean the brass?

[rfd]

What do you put in the water in the ultra-sonic cleaner to clean the brass?

hornady u/s brass cleaner. so bright, ya need sunglasses.

[45workhorse]

I do so love my sonic cleaner.

[greenjoytj]

Wool shrinks when washed maybe “Woolite” soap is required to prevent shrinkage.

[rfd]

been there, done that with the VFC felts using woolite, soap, oxy-clean, tumbling, scrubbing, etc. i've learned to just keep them wet before, during and immediately right after shooting. to clean, i rinse well with plain tap water, lay out to dry, but keep away from direct sunlight. yeah, they look used, but they work just as well as when they were new. still working with the same 72 felts since last year after many dozens of firings. YMMV.

[Keith]

hornady u/s brass cleaner. so bright, ya need sunglasses.

Thanks. They look good. I thought you might have had a home made recipe for the additive.

[rfd]

i've tried 4 or 5 different concoctions, but none have worked better than hornady's brass cleaner.

[indian joe]

I've been using BACO'S bore cleaning system and it has been Excellent. However I have noticed a number of the felts getting "spongey" and losing density and size. I have been cleaning them in water, detergent and Oxyclean to get them clean as I read here or elsewhere that worked well and it does. However I was curious about them deteriorating and checked about cleaning wool which I understand from what I believe is the composition of the felt cleaners. Oxyclean isn't recommended for wool as it has an alkaline base and wool is slightly acidic. I haven't proved it is an issue, just a precaution at this time.

Boys ---wool processing 101 - a strong alkali (caustic soda) will dissolve wool ---wool is resistant to acid - so any alkali solution is gonna deteriorate wool - just a matter of degree and strength as to how quickly the process moves

[indian joe]

That's interesting, I was concerned about the ph factor may be an issue, but perhaps it's just normal wear and tear. Thanks for everyone's input. ☺

You're spot on here
alkali dissolves wool ...............

acid? no
Spill battery acid during winter your cotton pants come back full of holes - your wool sweater survives unscathed

[Don McDowell]

When I started using the BWS from BACO back in 2016, I tried a number of different things to clean them with. Oxyclean won the day, and the only felts I've lost are the ones that actually got lost.. The rest are still working just fine, and most of them especially the 44 and 45's have been used several hundreds if not thousands of times.

[indian joe]

When I started using the BWS from BACO back in 2016, I tried a number of different things to clean them with. Oxyclean won the day, and the only felts I've lost are the ones that actually got lost.. The rest are still working just fine, and most of them especially the 44 and 45's have been used several hundreds if not thousands of times.

Oxyclean site says pH (when diluted) can be up to 11 - that is strongly alkaline - if the felt is wool (as in off of a sheep) then a pH 11 solution is gonna be deleterious to the wool felt - no ifs - no buts - no maybes - the extent of damage will depend on many factors - primarily dilution, but how long exposed, a whole bunch of stuff - you can have a pH 11 reading at quite dilute percentage if the water is not well buffered (pure rainwater as oposed to town supply or underground)

[Don McDowell]

Well all I can do is relate actual experience using the things.
I carry 30 bore wipers in a small container soaked in the Napa Oil and water wiping solution. Extra felts are in another container, during the course of a match I change the used felts for fresh ones. The used ones go in a 1 lb coffee can. At the end of the day all the used felts and the wipers from the last relay are in that coffee can, I put about a tablespoon of oxyclean , and then fill with warm water. Put the lid on the can let it soak a few minutes, then shake/roll the can around a few minutes. Drain the dirty water and fill again and repeat the tumbling cycle. Then rinse and put the felts and wipers in a calendar to drip dry. Next morning put the wipers in their container wet them with the wiping solution, single felts go back in the felt container.
Have not had a single one of those felts come apart. Some of them that evidently get used more than others get a little soft, but they still do the job.

[indian joe]

Well all I can do is relate actual experience using the things.
I carry 30 bore wipers in a small container soaked in the Napa Oil and water wiping solution. Extra felts are in another container, during the course of a match I change the used felts for fresh ones. The used ones go in a 1 lb coffee can. At the end of the day all the used felts and the wipers from the last relay are in that coffee can, I put about a tablespoon of oxyclean , and then fill with warm water. Put the lid on the can let it soak a few minutes, then shake/roll the can around a few minutes. Drain the dirty water and fill again and repeat the tumbling cycle. Then rinse and put the felts and wipers in a calendar to drip dry. Next morning put the wipers in their container wet them with the wiping solution, single felts go back in the felt container.
Have not had a single one of those felts come apart. Some of them that evidently get used more than others get a little soft, but they still do the job.

Don
All good - yr not leaving the wool exposed for long and its a dilute solution - would not expect any visible damage from that - maybe a little softening but hey they are getting used, at some point some of em are gonna wear out and need replaced anyways.

If ya want a bit of fun make up a strong brew of caustic soda (drano) and drop a felt in there, stir a few minutes and I bet its gone, absolutely dissolved, put a little square of pure cotton in as well, its gonna come out relativey unscathed. We use this chemistry in wool testing (raw fleece samples) to figure how much vegetable matter is in the fleece - dissolve the wool - wash the caustic solution out - dry and weigh the bits of burrs and seed thats left.

The same (jumping at shadows kind of) logic started this discussion as when blokes tell me I will blow meself up making powder.