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Thread: Lead smear on block

  1. #1
    Boolit Master



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    Lead smear on block

    How to get it off? Tried brass brush, no joy, tried scraping w/pocket knife, no joy, tried heating with torch and hitting w/brass brush, no joy. How do it?
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    Echo
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    Boolit Grand Master Bazoo's Avatar
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    Id try heating the blocks by putting them in the melt for a maybe 5 minutes. Handles attached of course, and not submerged, but just rest the blocks on the top of the pot so the bottom of the blocks are in the melt so they'll become "over heated". Whenever I do that, I always like to rubber band the handles so they dont open and make it worse or fall in or something. Then I do whatever and come back, Open the blocks, keep them spread with my thumb and you can do some serious scrubbing with a cloth, OR, lots of times I use a stick (similar to a popcycle stick).
    Last edited by Bazoo; 05-20-2018 at 08:47 PM.

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  4. #4
    Boolit Grand Master

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    Quote Originally Posted by Echo View Post
    How to get it off? Tried brass brush, no joy, tried scraping w/pocket knife, no joy, tried heating with torch and hitting w/brass brush, no joy. How do it?
    Click image for larger version. 

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    You've tried all the normal things that should have worked....pocket knife usually gets lead off.
    Do you think the material is NOT lead ? Is it harder than lead? Zinc maybe ? What would stand up to a torch , brass brush and pocket knife.....this one's a mystery !
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  5. #5
    Boolit Master 243winxb's Avatar
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    Soak with Hoppies number 9 bore cleaning solvent. At least 8 hours, 24 is better.

    Then try this razor blade to lift it. Dont damage the mold.

  6. #6
    Boolit Master reloader28's Avatar
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    Wow thats a big spot. Is it possible the mold is warped a bit?

  7. #7
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    I like to heat on hot plate then use a bamboo skewer with a sharp point to see if I can lift one edge somewhere on a vent line. Did this happen when you were casting or did you get the mold in this shape ?

  8. #8
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    Not a lead smear,but a repair to a blowhole in the iron with nickle rod.....I can see typical bubbles/slag pockets in the weld.

  9. #9
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    Good eye there john.k Saw the bubbles or slag pockets but it didn't register. Kudos my friend! That explains why the pocket knife didn't release the offender. Now does it affect casting or not ?

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    Boolit Buddy zubrato's Avatar
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    Lead smear on block

    Best thing I do is heat up the mold to casting temp on a hot plate.
    Rub with the edge of a cold ingot and it will come off.


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  11. #11
    Boolit Buddy vrh's Avatar
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    When the mold is hot, I spray Ballistol on it and scrub with a bronze brush. Works for me. it also is lubes the mold.
    Da Okie/ Now known as Vearl

  12. #12
    Boolit Master 243winxb's Avatar
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    a repair to a blowhole in the iron with nickle rod.
    Interesting. New to me. I did notice the bubbles.

  13. #13
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    I use a 3/4" wood chisel. Has never failed.
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  14. #14
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    If it is a lead smear, I heat up the mold to temp and then scrape the spot with the sharp edge of a boolit base. Comes right off.

  15. #15
    Boolit Master



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    Quote Originally Posted by Oily View Post
    I like to heat on hot plate then use a bamboo skewer with a sharp point to see if I can lift one edge somewhere on a vent line. Did this happen when you were casting or did you get the mold in this shape ?
    I got it this way on eBay...
    Echo
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  16. #16
    Boolit Master



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    Quote Originally Posted by john.k View Post
    Not a lead smear,but a repair to a blowhole in the iron with nickle rod.....I can see typical bubbles/slag pockets in the weld.
    Well - that makes sense to me. The torch didn't touch it, and I found that interesting. Your explanation rings the bell. I guess I'll leave it as is, and see what kind of boolits it throws.
    Echo
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    One of the most endearing sights in the world is the vision of a naked good-looking woman leaving the bedroom to make breakfast. Bolivar Shagnasty (I believe that Lazarus Long also said it, but I can't find any record of it.)

  17. #17
    Boolit Grand Master

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    Quote Originally Posted by john.k View Post
    Not a lead smear,but a repair to a blowhole in the iron with nickle rod.....I can see typical bubbles/slag pockets in the weld.
    I was thinking it might be a repair but was looking for a brass rod repair ....didn't think of nickel rod repair....I would bet money it's a repair.
    Good call john.k
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  18. #18
    Boolit Buddy KrakenFan69's Avatar
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    Wow. I'm kinda shocked how many people suggested taking a metal implement to the mold. I would never do that for fear of ruining it. Guess I'm just a chicken.

    Kraken Fan #69

  19. #19
    Boolit Grand Master Bazoo's Avatar
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    Never seen anything like that. What would cause the need for a repair like that?

  20. #20
    Boolit Master Boolit_Head's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bazoo View Post
    Never seen anything like that. What would cause the need for a repair like that?
    A Idiot...
    On every question of construction let us carry ourselves back to the time when the Constitution was adopted, recollect the spirit manifested in the debates, and instead of trying what meaning may be squeezed out of the text or invented against it, conform to the probable one in which it was passed.

    Thomas Jefferson, letter to William Johnson, June 12, 1823

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check