Pillow Ticking

[Ohio Joe]

Ok, my local (25 miles away) Walmart no longer sales the blue striped pillow ticking I've been using for years to punch out patches, and the closest fabric store that I know of is a 150 mile round trip...

So,,, my question to you good folks that buy 100% cotton pillow ticking "online" by the yard,,, where do you get it, and which one do you order? 6-7.9oz really doesn't tell me anything as I don't know what that mic's out to be? I prefer to punch out my own patches from bulk material so I don't want to order pre-cut patches. I'm looking for .017 to .020 pillow ticking, or anything in between that.

Appreciate any insight you might have on this.

 

[rollingb]

Joe,.... when I run out of the ticking I currently have, I'm going to go here,.......
https://www.onlinefabricstore.net/hsearchresult.aspx?keyword=Ticking&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI2qLSxI691gIVRZ7ACh3EswPaEAAYASAAEgLcnfD_BwE

I think this,....
https://www.onlinefabricstore.net/aca-blue-ticking-fabric-.htm
looks promising for what we use it for. 

They also have "samples" of all the various tickings they stock that you can order,... for $2.00 per sample.

[Ohio Joe]

Rondo, Thanks!

I believe you are right on the money here with your link. I'm going to order some, along with some cleaning patch material... If by an off chance I can't use it / I'm simply not out anything, because as you know - Lucas will need to be upgraded with his Rondy outfit, so it's a win/win situation for me at this time by ordering these materials.  When it shows up, I'll post a review of it here in this thread, so if this ever comes up again we'll have a reference to fall back on.

Many thanks again! 

[Ohio Joe]

Well, I should know something about the Pillow Ticking from OLF next week. They have shipped my order today.

When it arrives I'll cut a little piece off and give it the lighter test just to make double sure there's no polyester in it as it's suppose to be 100% cotton,,, then I'll mic it, then I'll wash a yard of it, then I'll mic it again and let you all know! 

[Hanshi]

Joannes' is where I get mine.  Actually, I buy "mattress" ticking which is thicker.  It comes in blue stripe and brown stripe.  Compressed measurement of the mattress ticking I buy is .020".

[Ohio Joe]

Well, my material according to UPS tracking has been in Omaha since 9/29... So, it might show up today?    I'm hopeful anyway. 

[Ohio Joe]

Okay, my material arrived and I've started the testing of the pillow ticking.

1... It is 100% cotton (lighter test)

2... Before washing it mics at; Heavy compression .016 to .017 - Medium Compression .018 to .018/.019

3... After washing & drying it mics at; Heavy compression .018 - Medium Compression .020

So,,, for me this is good. I'm going to call it .018 and that is what I had been getting from Walmart after washing and drying.

This link IMHO that Rondo posted ought to make for good ball patching. 

https://www.onlinefabricstore.net/aca-blue-ticking-fabric-.htm

Thanks Rondo!   

Additional Info as of 10/6/17;

I cut some patches with this OLF material this morning and just for the heck of it, I took a mic reading on several of them and they actually read at a hard press reading .019 to .020... So, I'm going to update my previous post and call them - (.019 to .020). 

The other night when I was taking readings, I didn't have the best light - but in actual daylight I believe I'm getting a better reading. The old Walmart material I've been using also measured .019 to .020 with a good hard press and good light to read the results in.

So I'm calling it; .019 to .020 on the thickness.... 

[rollingb]

Okay, my material arrived and I've started the testing of the pillow ticking.

1... It is 100% cotton (lighter test)

2... Before washing it mics at; Heavy compression .016 to .017 - Medium Compression .018 to .018/.019

3... After washing & drying it mics at; Heavy compression .018 - Medium Compression .020

So,,, for me this is good. I'm going to call it .018 and that is what I had been getting from Walmart after washing and drying.

This link IMHO that Rondo posted ought to make for good ball patching. 

https://www.onlinefabricstore.net/aca-blue-ticking-fabric-.htm

Thanks Rondo!   

No problem Joe. 

I'll be ordering some too,.... after I get the 4+ yards of tickin' used up that I already have. 

[Ohio Joe]

 

[Uncle Russ]

No problem Joe. 

I'll be ordering some too,.... after I get the 4+ yards of tickin' used up that I already have. 

4+ yards.....
My goodness Rondo, your patches must look like bed sheets going down range...lol
Just kidding, but that is a bunch of patches.

Just a little bit related.........
I know about all of you guys know the feeling.......you're in a store measuring the thickness of some material with a Small Micrometer.
The Sales Lady looks at you with that "what the heck?" kind of look on her face, and finally manages to ask if she can help... as she just stares at ya.
You ask her if she knows the thread count on that particular piece of material and she says..."Mmmm, thread count? not sure, I will have to check???"

THAT is when it immediately dawns on you that the poor Lady actually thought that "thing" you were just using actually counts the number of threads!
You tell her that's okay, you were just checking the thickness, but you can still see that look of "why" on her face....and, BTW, she's wasn't going to check anything, she's just trying to get the heck away from this weirdo.

Shopping for patch material can be an experience, and I certainly don't want to belittle or appear to be condescending toward the many good folks that work in these departments.
I mean after all, we are the weirdo's, shootin up that perfectly good piece of cloth.

Still yet, you should never try to explain what your intentions are after going to such lengths looking for that special material...if you thought the look you got was strange when you were "just looking", that ain't nothing compared to the looks you'll get when you try to explain what it's for.

I feel certain most of us have experienced this at one time or another, and most of us were gentlemen enough to wait until we were outside before we had a good laugh, which we likely felt guilty about.

Uncle Russ...

   

[amm1851]

Good post, Uncle Russ.  I got some funny looks the first time I bought diaper flannel to make cleaning patches,  especially when I  tried to explain what I was using it for. Now I  go in with my wife,  which cuts down on the strange looks.   

[Winter Hawk]

Good idea, diaper flannel.  I've been using some old flannel nighties of my wife's which were in the rag bag, but I'm getting down to the last few strips, need to find some more.  Maybe I'll have to buy her some new nightwear so I can grab the old ones...

~WH~

[Uncle Russ]

Good idea, diaper flannel.  I've been using some old flannel nighties of my wife's which were in the rag bag, but I'm getting down to the last few strips, need to find some more.  Maybe I'll have to buy her some new nightwear so I can grab the old ones...

~WH~

A bit off topic, but speaking of Diapers....years ago there was nothing, and I mean nothing, that would spit-shine a pair of 10" Corcoran Boots, or shine your brass, quite like a diaper. Bird's Eye Diapers to be exact.
They were bought and passed out within the Squad, and its age could be determined by the number of holes from "spin shinning" and of course that distinct Kiwi Color...he with the cleanest diaper bought the next dozen.

I don't want to get to far off topic, but when it comes cleaning anything, from rifle bore to Combat Boots, it's downright hard to beat that lowly diaper.
Don't even know if they are even available anymore, or where you could buy 'em.
 
But if you want a 'rag' that will last longer than a Timex, look no farther than the diaper. The cost was ridiculous, even many years ago, but for our purpose at the time, there was nothing better.
And, they are very likely still pretty popular in the Squad Bays around the world.

Brother Al Bateman likely has enough memories of Birds Eye Diapers to last him a life time. But I betcha one thing....he'll never forget 'em. Great stuff they are.

Uncle Russ...   

[Hank in WV]

That was my first thought when the subject of diapers came up.

[Two Steps]

Yep Russ,sure do...and still use them on my foot gear!
I buy and use a thin flannel for cleaning patches...works well and believe it or not...is cheaper than a pack (can't find them in singles anymore) of dIapers.
Al