Prepping Patching?

[Smokey Plainsman]

I propose a possible pondering about preparing patching for my pals here, that is to say, when one obtains fresh patching material (ticking, linen, drill, etc.) from the store, how does one go about preparing it for shooting?

I just made a run to Jo-Ann’s fabric store and bought two varieties of 100% cotton pillow ticking and some no. 40 unbleached drill. I’ve read it’s best to remove the “sizing” from the patching, sizing being a chemical substance applied to the cloth as it is manufactured.

Should I wash it in the washing machine? If so, what setting? Cold, hot, warm? Also, how should it be tried? On low heat, high heat, or hung to dry?

Just making sure I don’t ruin it. You all must think I’m a total boob asking these things, but I’m just trying to do it right the first time and trying to learn from you all here as I’m new to all of this.

Thanks!

-Smokey

[msellers]

I wash mine just like normal, and dry with my regualr laundry. With luck, it will tighten up the weave making for better patching material.
There is alot of additional information in this thread.
https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=55120.0

Mike

[MuskratMike]

I also wash it in the washing machine but use hot water. It seems to tighten up the weave a little more and then run it through the dryer. Probably makes little difference but do wash it to remove the sizing and use no fabric softener.
Might seem like a too basic of a question, but it is a vital step.

[Brokennock]

Hot water wash, 2 rinse cycles to make sure the soap is out too, and dry in a hot dryer. Gets the sizing out and tightens to weave. Only issue I've had doing this, that I haven't solved, is the unfinished edges fraying and tangling with themselves. Small matter though.

[Smokey Plainsman]

Thanks, gang.

Put it on double rinse in warm water and dried on high. The cloth shrank a lot, got wrinkly, and the edges frayed quite a bit. I hand soaked them in hot water, and they are now hanging up drying, just to get the wrinkles out.

Will report back in the morning.

-Smokey

[RoaringBull]

If you have a sewing machine, tonprevent the edge fraying too far, sew around the edge of the cloth.

[Maven]

As others have already indicated, wash your fabric(s) several times in the washing machine with HOT water, then either air dry them or use the dryer.  Afterward I iron mine and use a pinking shears to prevent unraveling.  Btw, I use those same shears to cut my patches and patch strips and don't get many strings or any water fabric to speak of.

[Gordy]

I recently invested in a Rotary Fabric Cutter and Cutting Board. So I went to JoAnne Fabric and made the purchase (They are available on Amazon as well, I purchased the Fiskars Brand.). This thing is amazing if you  cut square patches for shooting you will not be dissapointed. I used the scissor method before, and it has worked for many years for me. But after using the Rotary Cutter I was amazed. It is so much faster and easier than cutting with shears. I even use it to cut my cleaning patches from old worn out cotton T-shirts. Really takes the work out of cutting patches and with the self healing pattern board you don't even have to mark your material to cut it. Just simply lay it out on the board and follow the grids on the board. One thing is these cutters are super sharp, one must be very careful you could cut your trigger finger off !
Good day, Gordy

[Craig Wilcox]

I had a pair of those circular pinking shears, and used it a lot when covering an aircraft (or-recovering).  The pinking really eliminates a lot of frazzled edges.
So, was cutting some linen patches for my muzzle loader one day here in Ohio, and my Amish friend's wife saw what I was doing - upshot was that she walked away with the circular pinker, and I got free bread for a year!
Those Amish women can really make a treadle sewing machine hum!  She cut and sewed a linen shirt for me in about 2 hours total.

[Daryl]

I also wash my patching material in the machine, regular wash, no softener. I run it through for 2 cycles, second one, no soap, then dry in the dryer.
The denim 100% cotton usually thickens slightly & becomes nice and soft.

These all cut patches, very nicely. The bearing races, of course, cut only one patch at a time, but it goes quickly. Up to 20 layers at a time for the arch punches.
These are used on a 2" thick block of UHMW, which is called in the States, HDPE. Never wears out and always cuts nice patches.

[hanshi]

I wash mine with the laundry in hot water and dry in the clothes dryer.  I iron it to remove the wrinkles and trim the edges with scissors.

[MuskratMike]

Yes Hanshi, it is just that simple.