paper towels for cleaning patches: any downside?

[Carl N. Brown]

For cleaning purposes I cut (tough) paper towels into
2 x 2 inch squares (using leather shears on a stack of
paper towel sheets to make 100s at a session).

I use the paper towel patches (right) to wet bores with
solvents and general wiping purposes. I reserve cotton
cloth patches (left) for serious cleaning. I feel this
saves some money and assures me plenty of cleaning patches
for thorough cleaning.

Any comments? Good idea, bad idea?

 

[pax]

I'd worry about leaving lint behind. Maybe your last patch should always be cotton, just in case?

Saving some money, I definitely understand. But I haven't bought patches in years -- I just cut up old tee shirts the kids have outgrown or stained or otherwise used up. Dunno what I'm going to do when they all leave home!

pax

 

[ClarkEMyers]

You're not alone - seems likely less robust scrubbing works with today's solvents.

You're not alone - seems likely less robust scrubbing works with today's solvents. I don't try for a tight scrubbing fit although somebody used to sell Tyvek patches for extra strength paper.

 

[DogBonz]

are you implying...

that people actually BUY patches?

 

[Carl N. Brown]

Well, some do. The question is, do paper towels
("wet strength" like Sparkle or Brawny) make adequate
cleaning patch material.

 

[Jim Watson]

I use the heavy blue "shop towel" paper towels to cut patches for the first swipe. You have to be careful with even them, cut them too big, too tight in the barrel, and the jag will punch through. They do not have the wet strength of cloth.

 

[dfariswheel]

The purpose of a patch is to carry solvent into the bore, and dirty solvent out.
Scrubbing the patch up and down the bore serves little or no purpose, and increases possible rod wear to the bore.
A tight patch is of little use for scrubbing the bore and doesn't get into the corners of the rifling.
You use brushes for that.

The only watch-out with paper is that the jag tip may punch through or the loop type may allow the patch to tear in half.

Some bench rest shooters buy the long "wrap-around" Parker Hale type jags and wrap ordinary paper towel around them.

This works well for them, and there's no chance of a torn patch.
Here's an example of the jag:

http://www.brownells.com/aspx/ns/store/ProductDetail.aspx?p=5651&title="PARKER+HALE"+STYLE+JAGS

 

[Peter M. Eick]

I have found that the blue shop paper towels work very well as patches for general use and I always have a roll of the paper towels in the range bag or my truck for just these purposes.

 

[Sunray]

Geezuz, are you appropriating the paper towels from public restrooms too? Go buy a yard or two of remnant cotton flannelette in a cut rate fabric shop and cut it into 2 x 4 inch patches for .30 cal. You'll get about 162 patches out of a square yard.

 

[Jim K]

2x4 patches for .30 are too big; GI patches for .30 are 2 1/4 x 2 1/4 and that is just about right.

Paper has little wet strength and you are always leaving pieces in the barrel that have to be pushed out.

My secret is that many years ago I bought a case of 25,000 GI patches for $20; maybe my great grandchildren will use them up.

Jim

 

[Clark]

I clean 12 ga shotguns with a single clean-ex and a 5/8" wood dowel to push it.

I do not use anything but the best store bought lint free cleaning patches for the rifles after I invest 100 hours of my gunsmithing.

Handguns, I don't care, I can't hit anything anyway

 

[Peter M. Eick]

But then I would have to go to the cloth store, cut the patches out and now we have a storage issue. With the blue shop towels, I always have a roll laying around. They are compact, easy to store, reasonably clean and easy to use.

Besides, they are already on the wall in the reloading room and in the truck in the box. Convenience reins supreme here.

 

[gezzer]

Paper has clay in it from the manafacturing stage. Makes a fine abrasive. Patches are cheap

 

[Troutman]

You can even use painters rags you buy at home depot, their lint free. Cut them up into patches. The cost difference is not a big deal for me, for patches vs. tee shirts or rags.
The cost difference is a big deal to me for the cleaning products though. I use Hoppes #9. About $10, for a 16 oz. bottle. It doesn't pay for me to buy the smaller bottles anymore.
For major cleaning problems, one can use the pricier products for those copper, leading problems one has.
Routine cleanings, for me anyway, I just use the Hoppes #9.

 

[dasmi]

Never tried paper towels. I just cut up old t-shirts.

 

[MD_Willington]

I use my old FOTL undershirts too, we recently tossed out a pile of old cotton towels and I use them as well, seems to work and didn't leave anything behind.