Cloth patch cutter

[vrh]

Would this work in cutting out round cleaning .010 inch cloth patches? I need it to be able to cut 1 1/4 inch diam. patches.
Where would a person be able to find this ?
Thanks for your help.

226131

[rfd]

that HD punch should work fine. i'd rather use a patch strip and cut off at the muzzle, for a perfect patch every time. or sometimes, better yet, a preloaded ball board.

https://i.imgur.com/DcdXEQU.jpg

[mooman76]

Use scissors. Square patches work just as good.

[bosterr]

I took a couple of hole saws of the needed diameter and chucked them in my drill press. I laid a file on the table and spun the hole saws until the teeth were gone then started to turn them against the file to make a sharp edge on them. They're almost shaving sharp and can cut multiple layers of patch material on a clean block of wood. I've cut 5 layers at a time, but settled on 3 layers at a time because the material wanted to bunch up. It works fantastic for me and made a lifetime supply of patches in no time. I made a cutter for 50 cal. out of a 1 3/8" saw and after putting a sharp edge back on the diameter is down to 1 1/4". I started with a 1 5/8" saw for 54 cal. and end up with 1 1/2 dia. patches.

[koger]

Bosterr beat me to it, I have been doing this same thing for 25 years.!

[jj500]

Me too,makes a lot of patches very quick.If there is a Harbor Freight around you pick up a set of cheap hole saws so you don't have to use expensive ones.

[RustyReel]

Bosterr beat me to it, I have been doing this same thing for 25 years.!

Do you have the press spinning when cutting or just use it as a press??

[bosterr]

The hole saw is turning on the drill press. I run it at one of the slower speeds. I fold the material over a couple of times to get 3 layers to cut at a time. I made my cutters pretty darn sharp, keep your fingers out of the way! No, I didn't have any accidents... YET! I use a decent piece of plywood to cut against about 6 inches square.

[trapper9260]

The hole saw is turning on the drill press. I run it at one of the slower speeds. I fold the material over a couple of times to get 3 layers to cut at a time. I made my cutters pretty darn sharp, keep your fingers out of the way! No, I didn't have any accidents... YET! I use a decent piece of plywood to cut against about 6 inches square.

I done the same thing.But use a oak 4x4 I got from the lumber yard that they use for spacer for the lumber. I had my gunsmith sharp the hole saw also for me,I use it on the drill press also

[Drm50]

I do the hole saw method too. I chucked them up in lathe to detooth and sharpen. I fold layers of
material and tack the edges to a piece of 1x sheeting. On drill press I've found steady pressure is
more important than speed.

[indian joe]

I took a couple of hole saws of the needed diameter and chucked them in my drill press. I laid a file on the table and spun the hole saws until the teeth were gone then started to turn them against the file to make a sharp edge on them. They're almost shaving sharp and can cut multiple layers of patch material on a clean block of wood. I've cut 5 layers at a time, but settled on 3 layers at a time because the material wanted to bunch up. It works fantastic for me and made a lifetime supply of patches in no time. I made a cutter for 50 cal. out of a 1 3/8" saw and after putting a sharp edge back on the diameter is down to 1 1/4". I started with a 1 5/8" saw for 54 cal. and end up with 1 1/2 dia. patches.

Big wad punch works fine for me - big hammer - good end grain hardwood block to cut on - fold the material - I cut twelve layers at the time - dont take but a few minutes to get a bag full of patches. Simple !!

[bedbugbilly]

I use modified hole saws as well. I removed the teeth and sharpened the OD on my bench top belt sander. I use them in the drill press and can easily cut through five layers of material at a time to make patches - denim, linen, pillow ticking for ball patches and flannel for cleaning patches. Wash material to remove the "sizing" first. Works slick.

What you are showing is a arched punch - made by Osborn and other makers. You can find used ones on eBay. I have a selection of those as well but use them in my leatherwork when making holsters, etc. They will work but keep them sharp and use end grain to cut on.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I bought a new chinese Arched Punch for 50 cal off ebay...it was inexpensive.

[Toymaker]

Buddy of mine has used the modified hole saw cutter for years also.

I use both sides of a square patch for cleaning and strip patching for loading so I don't waste anything.

[pietro]

I need it to be able to cut 1 1/4 inch diam. patches.




FWIW, cut round patches should be a minimum 1-1/2 times bore diameter.

I found that manually cutting cloth patches to be aa Royal PITA. YMMV)


.

[oldracer]

I found on the rifles I have that use patches that the shape makes no difference at all. This might sound against all the rules when shooting patched round balls but when I first heard about it I thought I would give the shape and also material some testing. Sooooooo I dragged out the Lead Sled and set up targets at both 50 and 100 yards. I used my custom made 50 caliber Hawken type rifle that had won many matches and trophies and referred to the notes that came with it. They said 0.490 pure lead round ball, 80 grains of Goex FFG and pillow ticking patches (0.015 thick) lubed with spit. No word on shape so I called the previous owner and he said it makes no difference as long as the patch edges sit slightly above the top of the ball when it is inserted into the barrel. So I set up 20 shots at each distance and one set of round patches and one set with square cut patches that had been cut on the lines that the blue/white pillow ticking material has. Guess what......NO DIFFERENCE IN ACCURACY AT ALL. I was lucky there was no wind that day and my 'Sled had worked well.

Doug had told me thickness was more important than shape and just for fun I shot several with commercial round .010 thick patches and the group size really opened up to about double! So now I buy a couple of yards of material at Walmart and cut along the lines and then cut squares (as close as I can get them) to give me a couple years worth of patches.
John

[marlin39a]

I bought several of those punches at Harbor Freight .

[Gtek]

No strip and patch knife fans?

[indian joe]

FWIW, cut round patches should be a minimum 1-1/2 times bore diameter.

I found that manually cutting cloth patches to be aa Royal PITA. YMMV)


.

Ya might wanna do the math on that - must have patch between bore and ball all the way round
My math maybe different than yourn but
.50 cal ball circumference is 1.57" - half that would give us .78 --that minumum theory says 50 + 25 = 75 (three quarter inch for a 50 cal is wayyyy too small) - ya gonna have bare ball all over the place and that thing wont shoot worth a squirt - I would change that theory to two and half times bore (inch and a quarter for a 50 cal) diameter and reckon you got it about ideal - dont want a patch thats over the total ball circumference either - a too big patch will interfere with accuracy

[indian joe]

No strip and patch knife fans?

NAH! youll cut yr finger

but its the best way to establish what is the right size for a pre cut patch

[mooman76]

A good rule of thumb is patch that could wrap all the way around a ball. That gives enough extra in case the bal and patch shif a little when driving down the bore.

[Earlwb]

No strip and patch knife fans?

Well I have been known to start the patch and bullet into the barrel, then use my hand razor to cut it off flush and then ram the bullet/patch on down to the powder charge. I just carry the extra patch material cloth like a rag.

[oldracer]

To add some fuel to this fire, I bought a custom made 50 caliber patched round ball muzzle loader and it came with some exacting instructions: use 80 grains of FFG, .490 lead round ball, cut strips of the supplied linen about 2 inches wide, wet the linen with spit, start the ball and get it just below the muzzle then cut even with muzzle with SUPPLIED STRAIGHT RAZOR and finally seat the ball with several good tamps on the ram rod. It is the most accurate gun I have, even better than the one I assembled with the Douglas XX barrel. I have shot 50 point (5x's) small 25 yard muzzle loader targets every time I use it. The linen seems to be the main factor.
John

[indian joe]

Most of what I have read tells that linen is the rolls royce of patch material - in part is way more resistant to burnout than cotton. I shot it for a while years ago in a 54 I was running hard - quit because it was so hard to obtain.
But step back in history - our muzzle loaders date to before cotton was machine processed - everybody grew and processed homespun linen (and wool) - these were the common peoples cloth while cotton (and silk) was the luxury fibre for rich people. Machine processing turned that right on its head. I bet those old guys picked up their patches after a shot any time they could too.
joe

[dondiego]

To add some fuel to this fire, I bought a custom made 50 caliber patched round ball muzzle loader and it came with some exacting instructions: use 80 grains of FFG, .490 lead round ball, cut strips of the supplied linen about 2 inches wide, wet the linen with spit, start the ball and get it just below the muzzle then cut even with muzzle with SUPPLIED STRAIGHT RAZOR and finally seat the ball with several good tamps on the ram rod. It is the most accurate gun I have, even better than the one I assembled with the Douglas XX barrel. I have shot 50 point (5x's) small 25 yard muzzle loader targets every time I use it. The linen seems to be the main factor.
John

Have you measured the thickness of you linen? I can get it locally but it is often less than 0.007 inch.

[reivertom]

Either use scissors and make them square, or rip some strips and cut them at the muzzle with a patch knife. Round patches area 20th Century thing anyway. The ball doesn't care what seals off the gases and grips the rifling. Thickness and lube are more important than shape. The patch drops away when the job's done and the ball keep on trucking, round or square.

[rfd]

No strip and patch knife fans?

the only way for me. strips allow for a proper sized and bulked patch with every cut at the muzzle. i heat gun in lube to the strips, roll 'em up, ready to go.

as to patches "sealing in the gases", no such thing, gasses blow by no matter what. cloth wedges into the rifling grooves and gives both purchase to the ball as well as eliminating bore leading.

[arcticap]

Here are quality US made arch punches - https://www.mainethread.com/index.php/tools/arch-punches/product/7-arch-punches

Another US company with arch punches that are even more expensive: http://www.alanrichardtextiles.com/store/CSOsborne-Arch-Punches-Inches-ss2.html

[Drm50]

I not big on Muzzel loaders, I've got a couple TC Hawkins that I only shoot if I have tags left after
gun season. I always have used the strip & cut with patch knife method.

We used arch bunches at work on belt lines. Good quality American made. They bought some cheap imported once. They would cut when brand new. Cutting edge would fold under and break
off.

[oldracer]

Thanks for the offer on the linen. I did check mine once when I bought the rifle and it is about .015 but not even throughout? It came from some place in Iowa but after checking several fabric stores I found some that was about the same at an shop to redo furniture.
John