Case Lube Boo Boo Maybe

[pete501]

I had made some case lube from 90% rubbing alcohol and some RCBS case lube in place of Lanolin. The problem was not the lubricity but the clean up. Tumbling with stainless pins resulted in dingy dull and dark shells. I had been out of lemishine so I used some lemon juice and dawn soap. I repeated this only the second time without the lemon juice. The shells came out looking no better. The crud wiped off with Rem Oil. This must have been the lube. I ended up rinsing and draining the entire lot in kerosene then running them in walnut media vibratory tumbler. Seems the dawn soap was unable to break down whatever was in the lube.

[Shawlerbrook]

Since I switched to Imperial Sizing Wax I tossed all others. Works flawlessly and I wipe it off with a cloth dampened with ammonia-free glass cleaner.

[Boogedy_Man]

Hmm. I don't use any additives at all to clean off lube....just straight corncob.

[MyFlatline]

OK, I am confused (as usual) I do not do my final size until the cases are clean. Seems if you put them back in the tumbler the could get deformed. With cleaned brass, I either use mink oil paste or Imperial paste on my fingers. Have never needed to clean of any excess lube.

[pete501]

These were 30-30 and some 30-06. I normally don't use the vib-tumbler for cleaning. I was surprised I still had some media.

I do my sizing/de-capping first, trim next if needed. The cases are placed in plastic tubs and liberally spray the lube before sizing. Maybe too much lube but it beats a stuck case any day.
Trimmed cases get de-burred in the stainless steel pin tumbler. I do a few hundred cases at one sitting.

[Walter Laich]

I use 99% alcohol (Heet at Walmart automotive) and liquid lanolin

when time to clean the lube off the cases I lay out an old towel, squirt some cheap 70% alcohol up and down and across it and then put the loaded cartridges on the towel, fold it over the brass, pick up each end and with a see-saw motion move the brass from end to end for about 15-20 cycles

I'm very satisfied with the cleanliness of the brass after this

my 2¢

[NyFirefighter357]

When that happens you need to use a heavy degrease as you solution like Grease-off/ Grease lightning/ Simple Green or that purple stuff and hot water. I've only had it happen one or two times but wasn't tumbling bullet cartridges. You still need to do this as your pins are still filthy dirty and they will contamination your next batch of brass. Tumble the pins alone for 1-2 hrs empty the water and repeat until the water comes out pretty clean.

[Wayne Smith]

RCBS case lube used to be, and I assume still is, STP.