Case lube clean up

[kr54]

I bought some older RCBS loading dies. They had been stored with a leaking bottle of RCBS case lube. Does anyone have any experience cleaning the lube off, and out, of die boxes?

Thanks.

[TexasGrunt]

Some of that old lube was water soluble. Try soaking them in hot water.

[gwpercle]

If it's the old thick greasy stuff ( sort of like STP oil treatment) Give mineral spirits or paint thinner a try. Use paper towels , wet with spirits, wipe away what you can and dispose...repeat as needed. Once you get the lion's share off , dampen a rag for the final clean up.

Clean the dies the same way and use a gun cleaning rod with a patch to clean inside the die.
The dies can be taken apart and soaked in a small metal container.

Watch the plastic boxes , don't soak them, just wipe them clean . I don't think the spirits/thinner will affect the plastic but you never know.

Welcome to the club.

Gary

[country gent]

dishwasher when the wifes not looking................

[kr54]

Not going there. Besides, I'm the dishwasher.

[kr54]

If it's the old thick greasy stuff ( sort of like STP oil treatment) Give mineral spirits or paint thinner a try. Use paper towels , wet with spirits, wipe away what you can and dispose...repeat as needed. Once you get the lion's share off , dampen a rag for the final clean up.

Clean the dies the same way and use a gun cleaning rod with a patch to clean inside the die.
The dies can be taken apart and soaked in a small metal container.

Watch the plastic boxes , don't soak them, just wipe them clean . I don't think the spirits/thinner will affect the plastic but you never know.

Welcome to the club.

Gary

Yes, that's the stuff. Thickens with age. I will try the mineral spirits. Thanks.

[JBinMN]

I have used Brake Cleaner & it works, but it is expensive & I would suggest using something less expensive like the others have offered here.

I do have the suggestion to try soaking in a hot water citrus solution like is done with brass & then wipe it out like a barrel & maybe repeat as needed. I think the citric acid will help break down the lube.

It may sound a bit silly , but ear wax can be flushed using warmed olive oil & it may be another non caustic method to get rid of the "wax"/lube.

G'luck! & please post what ya do & how it works.

[runfiverun]

it's mineral oil based, just like motor oil.

[gwpercle]

Not going there. Besides, I'm the dishwasher.

Smart !

Funny how wives get upset about things like that...drying cases in the clothes dryer, casting boolits in the kitchen on top of the new gas range, making boolit lube in the kitchen, Tip: don't use the micro wave oven to melt beeswax and Lucas Red-N-Tacky...the smell stays in the oven for a long time and you get reminded about it every time you use the micro wave .
Spilled hot lube is hard to get off a kitchen floor also.

A gallon of Sunnyside mineral spirits is $12.00 at Wally Mart , do a lot of cleaning with that.

Glad to be of help
Gary

[lightman]

I'll second the mineral spirits. I'd probably put the dies in a coffee can and let them soak and then get after them with a bore brush on bore mop.

[dondiego]

They also sell brand new die boxes. Sorry, don't have a link.

[kr54]

Paint thinner (mineral spirits) from Walmart worked. Just a little on a paper towel worked on the boxes and the dies. It took the stickiness and the grit embedded in it right off. It wasn't sticky after it dried either.

[Shiloh]

Not going there. Besides, I'm the dishwasher.

Then what's the problem??

Shiloh

[lightman]

Mineral spirits is great stuff. I bought a used aluminum truck tool box a few years ago. The previous owner kept a chainsaw in it and it was coated with the very sticky bar lube. Some industrial strength soap and a high pressure washer did not touch it. I set it up on the edge of my trailer so I could reach into it easily. A rag with some mineral spirits cut it right off. It was amazing!

[Shiloh]

I put a cap-ful is mineral spirits in my tumbler with corncob media. Helps with the waxy soot on fired cases.

Shiloh