Can Vaseline be used to lube cases, etc?

[-Mischief]

Can Vaseline be used in the swaging process to lube 22LR brass as they are derimmed? How about as a lube when swaging lead cores?

[500MAG]

I don't know if I would use it as a case lube but it is commonly used in panlube recipes. I prefer mystery oil to lube my cases. They go thru nice and smooth.

[w5pv]

also good for door knobs

[shadowcaster]

Save the Vaseline (I prefer Crisco) as a bullet lube ingredient. I would stick with something in liquid form.. It makes clean up so much easier.

Shad

[grumman581]

I use the Klein Tools synthetic wax cable / wire pulling lubricant. At $16 for a gallon of it, I figure it will last me a lifetime and be cheap to boot.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Klein-Too...5#.UhvkhtKsiSo

[btroj]

Vaseline lacks the film strength you want. Look at a mix of anhydrous lanolin and castor oil, it will be the best extreme pressure lube you could ask for.

[randyrat]

Lanolin is the cat's meow....Mix it with 95% or better Alcohol at about 10% Lanolin and it makes a great case lube. It also protects

[runfiverun]

Lanolin and castor oil is a favorite here also.
swaging, case forming, re-sizing, pipe dope when used with pipe tape,,,whatever/wherever i don't want something stuck somewhere.
mixed with 90%+ rubbing alcohol or applied by hand it does the job.
good additive for boolit lube too.
i make a mix of 2 parts lanolin [from randy rat] to one part castor oil [from the local grocery store] and use it everywhere.

[btroj]

Woah, everywhere? I sense an over sharing violation.

[runfiverun]

i'd say everywhere again, but it'd start sounding like a bad rap song if i did.
i don't use it as a penetrating oil atf/acetone get's that job.

[bangerjim]

Vaseline has no place in lubing cases. It is too sticky and does not come off easily. Commercial case lubes or the above mentioned mixes are the best. Stick with those.

bangerjim

[-Mischief]

Gotcha. So what's the process to making a good swage lube from Lanolin and castor oil?

[btroj]

Mix them about 2/3 lanolin and 1/3 castor oil. Use a very, very small amount.

[-Mischief]

Mix them about 2/3 lanolin and 1/3 castor oil. Use a very, very small amount.

Not heating or cooling...just stir?

[btroj]

Slight heating might help. Don't over heat it, lanolin scorches easily. Be use to get ANhydrous lanolin, it should be a gooey, yellow to tan ointment. It is also a great case lube by itself, just a bit on the fingers makes it easy to apply to cases.

[geargnasher]

The lanolin makes your hands baby-butt soft.....

Gear

[Char-Gar]

'tGood question. I have been using Vaseline for 50 years as an additive to beeswax in my bullet lube. I don't use it because it is slick, but to soften the wax for use in a lube-sizer. I had never thought of it as a case lube.

I just now took some once fired USGI cases and FL sized them in an old Lyman (shell resizer) hand die. I chose this method as you can really tell the difference in case lubes vis-a-vi a press which has leverage. I used a cheap 1 ton Harbor Freight arbor press. as a control I used some Imperial Sizing wax.

Whoa Nelly! The Vaseline sized cases required much less force than the Imperial sized cases. Easy in and easy out, wiped clean.

Now I know, that Vaseline makes a pretty good sizing lube.

I can't speak to swaging and such as I don't do those things.

PS: Spurred on by the spirit of experimentation, I tried some range pick-up 44 Magnum cases in a box on the floor. Same type of die, same press and same lube tests as above. Again, Vaseline beats Imperial hands down.

I am a convert!

[josper]

The lanolin makes your hands baby-butt soft.....

Gear

Lanolin acts like poison ivy with me. I have to stay away from it.

[fredj338]

I don't know how you would get the lube off the cores or jackets? Swaging lube is cheap, making your own out of Lanolin & Castor oil I simple, better tool.

[grumman581]

I used to use the Kiwi brand mink oil for lubing my cases for use in non-carbide dies.