Cleaning patches
 

I've been cutting my own cleaning patches from the Flannel sold at Walmart for a while now. I've always used the white flannel. Anyway, I went in today and it's gone up to $7.50 from $7, but they had most all of the colors on clearance for $5. I ended up picking up a really light yellow. Maybe closer to an off white. Now that I got to thinking about it though, I'm wondering if the colored flannel will work just as well. I also use these for rifles and use a copper cleaning solvent. I'm wondering if the cleaning solvent is going to react with the die in the fabric and then make the dye come out and have my bore full of the dye. Or is this a non concern? Does anyone use the colored flannel or is it best to stick to white?

Color - Shmolor. It's never made a difference to me. I go by the texture and feel of the fabric.

Here's a hint. Go to the local GoodWill/AmVets/Red White & Blue or other thrift store and look through the bedding for flannel sheets and through the curtains/drapes for fabrics that feel right. It's a lot cheaper than buying new. You can get an awful lot of cleaning patches from a large cotton table cloth. And the good thing is, all of that stuff has been washed a number of times and is soft and absorbant.

I picked up two nice flannel sheets at a Goodwill for $2.00 and made tons of patches out of them. I bought a fabric cutter and can make them pretty fast with that wheel thing.

Be sure and wash the fabric you purchase. It has to get the sizing out, and then they hold moisture better.

I'd stick with the White Color, I just like to see what's comming out and when the Patches are Clean. X2 on going to somewhere and getting some used Sheets, they make a-lot of Patches. Or better yet check with some of your relatives or friends, they usually have a bunch of old sheets or t-shirts and there FREE.
(BP)

Color-Shmolor, and texture and feel does make a big difference, Im just glad that TP is'nt Brown or ya'd never be able to tell how clean the Bore is. I like White so I can see and know when My Barrel is Clean.
Boy Semi I bet the Wife has to hide all the Table Cloths from you around the House:)
(BP)

I use the colored patches for the first few when cleaning a rifle. Use the white patches to see confirm that nothin was left behind.

Yeah I saw a post, I think it was from you talking about that fabric cutter. I had to go buy one to try out, and it does cut them very fast. I really like it.

As for the other tips, thanks guys. I think these will still show if the bore is clean since it's almost an off white. I may keep some white ones on hand for the last few though as suggested.

I've got a steel punch-fold up your material of choice and hammer out a hundred in no time.

I don't think color matters either...I wear flannel shirts a few years, then cut them up for patches...

Thats funny right there. But I do have a similar story. I was on a trout trip and brought my own tying bench and materials and soon learned I was out of my favorite hackel. Well low and behold the place I was lodging had stuffed ducks on the walls, well guess what I had gone done. I had two new quills in my bench and caught a ton of trout to boot. No one knew. I guess if you have missing holes in your tablecloth one might notice.

You can use old cotton bedsheets, encourage the wife to go get a new set and you can keep the old one. I still have enough left over from sheets 3 years ago.