Please recommend a punch for making patches

[Smokey]

 . .  cutting patch strips . . . insures that ALL patches cut at the muzzle or ball board are . . . proper diameter. 

RobD. Understood. That's why I want to experiment with both methods. I plan to buy some ticking soon enough and I am not ruling out any particular method. I like the idea of cutting at the muzzle. For now, the question is still about finding a punch to make round patches. I want to try that method for now.

[RobD]

 . .  cutting patch strips . . . insures that ALL patches cut at the muzzle or ball board are . . . proper diameter. 

RobD. Understood. That's why I want to experiment with both methods. I plan to buy some ticking soon enough and I am not ruling out any particular method. I like the idea of cutting at the muzzle. For now, the question is still about finding a punch to make round patches. I want to try that method for now.

That's the way to go - test and see what fits your shooting agenda best.  A precut patch is clearly faster that cutting a patch at the muzzle, a ball board is clearly faster than a precut patch, a ball board with powder is faster yet, and the fastest of all is the way it was mostly done in the military of the 18th century - a paper "cartridge" for muskets.

[Smokey]

I recently completed a woodswalk that was very educational. It revealed a lot about how my bag is set up, and the patches I was using.  I no longer see any real benefit in punching my own patches. When I use pre-cut, I'll just buy them. BUT, I stil want to try cutting at the muzzle. Tying some strips of ticking to my bag will reduce the amount of times I have to go reaching into the bag to fish out items.

[Eddie Southgate]

I use the same wad cutters that Dixie sells (or did) to cut my precut patches .

[Ohio Rusty]

I have never found a large enough, or the right size punch for punching out the patches I need. Just this week I made several dozen round patches for my .48 caliber flintlock rifle. Once I figured out the right size I needed, I cut out a round cardboard pattern of that patch size. I used that card board pattern to draw circles on my pillow ticking patch material then cut the circles out with scissors. I find that relaxing making patches like that. They were then greased and put in the patch tin to be used.
Ohio Rusty ><>