FRETS.COM
Shop Tip #230
© Frank Ford 2006; Photo by FF

I use a lot of rags around the shop, and my favorite kind is cut from an old cotton bed sheet. After years of tearing the things, I finally hit on a really fast and easy way to cut a sheet into shop rags.  I simply fold the sheet up into about a 14" square, wrap it over with par of an old cardboard box and cut it on my band saw. 

This technique works great with regular cotton sheets.  Don't try it with terrycloth towels - what a stringy mess!