Zero dollar gun cleaning hack

[Chas B. Wolfson, SASS #11104]

 About a month ago, I mentioned to the redhead that I had to purchase more gun cleaning patches.  An hour later she came out to the garage with several legs of lite weight denim jeans she cut off of worn out pants to make shorts.  Why not try these first she asked.  So I got a pair of scissors, turned on a western and cut patches duplicating the size of the three I use the most, .38, .44, and twelve gauge.  Boy howdy, they work great.  Just enough texture in the material to remove residue.  I put the used ones in containers, I used one pound butter and when a fair number are there, I just add some water and a few drops of Dawn and wash them out, let them dry and ready to use again.  The material seems durable as I have only discarded one patch.

If the fit with the jag seems too tight, just chuck an extra up in the drill press and use a file to reduce the diameter to desired size.

I realize someone else has already done the same basic thing, but new to me.

This did cost me however.  Dinner at Blue Adobe Grill.

Regards,

Chas B Wolfson 

[Worst Case Scenario]

New to me too pard! I guess I owe the redhead dinner too. Thanks for the tip!

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

Old T shirts make great cleaning patches too.

[Imis Twohofon,SASS # 46646]

What is this "cleaning" thing of which you speak?

 

Imis

[Burt Blade, #25657]

"I put the used ones in containers, I used one pound butter and when a fair number are there..."

 

Oily rags are a major fire hazard due to spontaneous combustion. Do not store them indoors, or anywhere fire is a bad idea. As they age, they oxidize, then smoulder, then fwoosh! The fire damage will be greater than your savings.

 

Ask your local fire marshal.

[Chas B. Wolfson, SASS #11104]

9 minutes ago, Burt Blade, #25657 said:

"I put the used ones in containers, I used one pound butter and when a fair number are there..."

 

Oily rags are a major fire hazard due to spontaneous combustion. Do not store them indoors, or anywhere fire is a bad idea. As they age, they oxidize, then smoulder, then fwoosh! The fire damage will be greater than your savings.

 

Ask your local fire marshal.

I sincerely appreciate your concern, however you are assuming that these are oily.

They are not.

[Chas B. Wolfson, SASS #11104]

23 minutes ago, Imis Twohofon,SASS # 46646 said:

What is this "cleaning" thing of which you speak?

 

Imis

Just a fad I expect.

[Warden Callaway]

6 hours ago, The Original Lumpy Gritz said:

Old T shirts make great cleaning patches too.

 

I don't think I've ever bought patches.   Some have came as part of a kit. Just used old T-shirt.

[Chas B. Wolfson, SASS #11104]

6 minutes ago, Warden Callaway said:

 

I don't think I've ever bought patches.   Some have came as part of a kit. Just used old T-shirt.

The denim material has shown to be more durable than T-shirt material.  The weave/texture of the denim also cleans better.

Kind of the gist of my post.

[John Kloehr]

I cut an old t shirt into cleaning patches. The patches left a lot of lint behind.

 

Maybe get better results with a shirt not totally worn out.

 

 

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

Cotton balls are the best 

[watab kid]

4 hours ago, Imis Twohofon,SASS # 46646 said:

What is this "cleaning" thing of which you speak?

 

Imis

sorry to say im also confused as ive neglected a lot - dont shoot BP tho so not as big an issue , but i have thrown out some well worn denim recently that would have been great candidates for this 

[Oddnews SASS# 24779]

I have two old bedsheets that will be cleaning patches for a good long time into the future. I won't say I've never purchased commercial patches, but the nylon mesh things that come packaged in cleaning kits strike me as useless.