deerslayer303
New member
Alright I need a little more Edumocation. What is the difference in the different style patches. Like Pillow tiking, etc. The patches I have say they are just .015 prelubed. Please shed some light on this for me.
Lets talk patches
- Thread starter deerslayer303
- Start date
Ticking is a light/medium/heavy cotton material that was used in the making of feather pillows and mattress covers when straw and other similar materials were used to stuff them. The dense tough weave prevented the stuffing from getting thru and interfering with ones sleeping.
Pillow ticking usually is striped and when held up to a bright light, no light should be visible thru it, if you can see light the weave isn't close enough.
Upholstery/Mattress ticking is similar to denim in weight and usually without a busy pattern.
Last time I bought Ticking, to replace some that I appropriated from both my mothers sewing room and that of the significant other
, ran about 15 dollars per yard US for pillow ticking and nearer 25 dollars per yard Mattress/upholstery.
The material is fairly strong and provided it is thick enough can withstand being used in a muzzle loader, without cutting or being/burned shredded enough during firing to hurt the accuracy of a round ball, when fired from a muzzle loader.
The thickness makes up the difference between the ball and the bore or depth of the rifling of the muzzle loader. measure the ball, measure the depth of the rifling and choose the patch of the appropriate size, that makes up the difference.
You will find the best way is to go out to the range with various patch thickness and find what works the best, measurement will only take you so far and actual trigger time and examination of the patch and target accuracy are about the only way to know if you have everything right.
To thin a patch and the propellant gases may/will shred the patch and the ball will basically get shoved down the barrel without any real spin being imparted to it, because the patch was not thick enough to engage the rifling and spin the ball.
Too thick can make loading a pain, usually requiring a solid steel/brass rod and a hammer to load seat the ball safely against the powder, resulting in a deformed ball and possibly a cut patch, accuracy is lost and one really needs to be careful when dealing with BP in that sparks and heavy impacts are not a good thing with this powder. You can also damage the toe of the butt stock during loading if one needs to hammer the ball home.
Lubrication helps the patch slide down the bore and has the added advantage , dependent on the lube of course, of softening the left over fouling.
There are entire books written about running round ball rifle/muskets and they go into much more detail than the above, but I hope this helps.
Pillow ticking usually is striped and when held up to a bright light, no light should be visible thru it, if you can see light the weave isn't close enough.
Upholstery/Mattress ticking is similar to denim in weight and usually without a busy pattern.
Last time I bought Ticking, to replace some that I appropriated from both my mothers sewing room and that of the significant other
, ran about 15 dollars per yard US for pillow ticking and nearer 25 dollars per yard Mattress/upholstery.The material is fairly strong and provided it is thick enough can withstand being used in a muzzle loader, without cutting or being/burned shredded enough during firing to hurt the accuracy of a round ball, when fired from a muzzle loader.
The thickness makes up the difference between the ball and the bore or depth of the rifling of the muzzle loader. measure the ball, measure the depth of the rifling and choose the patch of the appropriate size, that makes up the difference.
You will find the best way is to go out to the range with various patch thickness and find what works the best, measurement will only take you so far and actual trigger time and examination of the patch and target accuracy are about the only way to know if you have everything right.
To thin a patch and the propellant gases may/will shred the patch and the ball will basically get shoved down the barrel without any real spin being imparted to it, because the patch was not thick enough to engage the rifling and spin the ball.
Too thick can make loading a pain, usually requiring a solid steel/brass rod and a hammer to load seat the ball safely against the powder, resulting in a deformed ball and possibly a cut patch, accuracy is lost and one really needs to be careful when dealing with BP in that sparks and heavy impacts are not a good thing with this powder. You can also damage the toe of the butt stock during loading if one needs to hammer the ball home.
Lubrication helps the patch slide down the bore and has the added advantage , dependent on the lube of course, of softening the left over fouling.
There are entire books written about running round ball rifle/muskets and they go into much more detail than the above, but I hope this helps.
deerslayer303
New member
Wow, That is a great explaination. Thank you! So now I gotta get some Pillow ticking patches. Say I go buy a quarter yard of ticking from the fabric store, can you just measure the thickness with a caliper? Or is the thickness usually on the packaging? I know the thickness is listed on there if you buy them in a shooting supply store. But what about just a fabric store. I know I could easily buy them, but there is just something about making my own shooting stuff that draws me in. And for lubing patches, can I use the Gatofeo Lube?
Pillow ticking is surprisingly stiff for its thickness and very durable.
The TC pillow ticking patches have a thickness of about .018.
It's another patch size to experiment with when working up a load, i.e. when trying a out a round ball that has a slightly smaller diameter, or is from another manufacturer or if using cast balls.
And not all pillow ticking is of the same quality or has the same thickness.
http://www.buy.com/pr/product.aspx?sku=218914455&sellerid=25912822
The TC pillow ticking patches have a thickness of about .018.
It's another patch size to experiment with when working up a load, i.e. when trying a out a round ball that has a slightly smaller diameter, or is from another manufacturer or if using cast balls.
And not all pillow ticking is of the same quality or has the same thickness.
http://www.buy.com/pr/product.aspx?sku=218914455&sellerid=25912822
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Ideal Tool
Moderator
Just do what I did..stroll in the fabric store with my trusty 0-1" Starrett...Ask to see their ticking..and start measuring..the look on those salesladys faces was priceless!
I think I used a caliper the last time I purchased some, but I have seen them sell it by weight/thread count and occasionally by thickness, usually because a BP shooter ordered some in.
Dixie gunworks and Track of the wolf are two places that should have it in various thickness to name a place or two off the top of my head (please don't hold me responsible if you find you are spending /purchasing a lot of stuff from either site).
If you can only find one size/thickness..say like .016 then you can work around it, by trying various sized round balls, then getting a mold to cast your own once you find the right combination
You will also need to get a Hollow punch cutter (can't remember what the are called) of the appropriate size, to cut round patches, I use to use one for cutting the wads for a 12 gauge out of Buffalo board and had another that was just the right size for a .58 rifled musket that I occasional shot both minnie and round ball out of.
I was using wonder lube for a while, played with a synthetic whale oil and various homemade paste/wax/natural lube recipes..but have to admit I am not familiar with the lube you mention...one can use cutting fluid cut with water as a quick and dirty patch lube too.
Dixie gunworks and Track of the wolf are two places that should have it in various thickness to name a place or two off the top of my head (please don't hold me responsible if you find you are spending /purchasing a lot of stuff from either site
). If you can only find one size/thickness..say like .016 then you can work around it, by trying various sized round balls, then getting a mold to cast your own once you find the right combination
You will also need to get a Hollow punch cutter (can't remember what the are called) of the appropriate size, to cut round patches, I use to use one for cutting the wads for a 12 gauge out of Buffalo board and had another that was just the right size for a .58 rifled musket that I occasional shot both minnie and round ball out of.
I was using wonder lube for a while, played with a synthetic whale oil and various homemade paste/wax/natural lube recipes..but have to admit I am not familiar with the lube you mention...one can use cutting fluid cut with water as a quick and dirty patch lube too.
Lee McNelly
Moderator
deerslayer303 said:
A lot of folks buy it in the Walmart fabric dept. but it's often reported to be thicker than .018, more like .020 - .022.
It's also recommended to wash it first to remove any sizing that's added at the factory.
However if buying it in bulk strips from RMC Oxyoke or sheets from Eastern Maine Shooting Supplies then washing it is not necessary.
http://www.rmcoxyoke.com/inc/sdetail/ox_yoke_originals___bulk_shooting_material__/221
http://www.emshootingsupplies.com/dry-bulk-materia.html
http://www.emshootingsupplies.com/dry-shooting-strips.html
Mention the March Special Discount Code EMSS03 for phone or fax orders and receive a 7% discount.
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Ticking, drill, denim...bottom line is a dense weave all cotton fabric, thickness as required by the ball and bore combination. Don't get hung up on minutia - 0.015 is pretty much the same as 0.016, and even 0.018. One of the great campfire arguments is whether you measure the 'crushed' or 'uncrushed' thickness - doesn't matter as long as you figure out what works for you and do it that way each time.
Surprising nobody has mentioned an old pair of skivvies...
Surprising nobody has mentioned an old pair of skivvies...
I do know someone who uses material from old fashioned long underware (wool/wool composite or linen blend) though from experience with it's use it poses a potential fire risk, since it can smolder for quite some time and in tall grass or dry condition it may start a fire, pillow ticking "CAN" at times contain embers, but, is not as likely to keep smoldering and extinguishes rather quickly on it's own, usually before hitting the ground.
Worn out underware (long/boxer/brief/tunics) usually makes better cleaning material than patch, though it can be used for wad when playing with buck and ball in smooth bore muskets or miniature cannons.
Worn out underware (long/boxer/brief/tunics) usually makes better cleaning material than patch, though it can be used for wad when playing with buck and ball in smooth bore muskets or miniature cannons.
Reminds of the time at one of our 3-day shoots. I had just built my fire with
flint & steel and had it burned down to real good coals. Some of my friends
came over and I was cooking pork chops for them. They were done and every
one was sitting around muching on a pork chop and saying how good it taste
and how it had such a good flavor. They were all saying how everything taste
better when the fire is made with Flint & Steel. I then showed them my
Char cloth you use when making a fire. It said, are you ready for this?
"Fruit of the Loom" Yes, my old under garments. Makes read good Char Cloth.
I thought they were all going to choke. Yes this is a true story. Really
flint & steel and had it burned down to real good coals. Some of my friends
came over and I was cooking pork chops for them. They were done and every
one was sitting around muching on a pork chop and saying how good it taste
and how it had such a good flavor. They were all saying how everything taste
better when the fire is made with Flint & Steel. I then showed them my
Char cloth you use when making a fire. It said, are you ready for this?
"Fruit of the Loom" Yes, my old under garments. Makes read good Char Cloth.
I thought they were all going to choke. Yes this is a true story. Really
Sure Shot Mc Gee
New member
Try a little silk sometime Gentleman. Old silk tie's work real good. As does your squeeze's old silk teddy or skirt-> a nice thin patch can be had from those garments. Got a Question?: Is that what mykeal meant by "an old pair of skivvies" Can it be? Those he-men from the U.P. of Mich where snow is on the ground until June 1st are wearing silk undees? Do my eyes deceive? 
He did say Hanes did he not?
I feel embarrassed just asking for clarity
But I do have an inclination to on those used Teddys >If without getting caught at it< 
Got a Question?: Is that what mykeal meant by "an old pair of skivvies" Can it be? Those he-men from the U.P. of Mich where snow is on the ground until June 1st are wearing silk undees? Do my eyes deceive? He did say Hanes did he not? I feel embarrassed just asking for clarityTo mykeal: Oh No. Not me. No way!!
But I do have an inclination to on those used Teddys >If without getting caught at it<
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