Kroil in the mould - I did it, it works!

[62chevy]

Been lurking and finally signed up....thought you guys were talking in some sort of secret code about Kroil ...till found this.

Did a good bit of casting back in 90's and put stuff away... back now and going to go full guns shortly still assembling stuff, but have to check out this NAPA connection for this stuff...on fixed income, the prices of the S&H for a lot of stuff keeps me on the ropes!

Thanks for allowing a nummie like me to read and learn.

Gotta admit, at this stage, I read, read, read some more and my post count just won't go up... don't know enough to even try to post...but this one compelled me to try!

Don't feel bad started cast last year myself and still have a lot to learn. Thanks to places like this it will happen.

[BAGTIC]

It appears that the main ingredient in Kroil is the solvent n-butyl acetate

[Rompin Ruger]

Bagtic, et al,

I don't read labels. IF I can't pronounce it, all those words would do was either scare me or confuse me.

Reading all the posts, the seasoning aspect of Kroil appears to have similarities to things like Eezox and more recent (to me) Frog Lube stuff... heat, season metal, leaves pore infusion in place.

Anybody familiar with either of those compounds that are to penetrate the pores and leave a dry film behind and into the pores of the metal? Think they'd work?

Even the BP "Bore Butter" is reputed to "season" the bore thru heat and friction and make the inside of the BP gun barrel seasoned like a good black fry pan...????

I called every auto parts place around for 20 miles and 90% never heard of Kroil...one heard of it, but that was NAPA and they nor any other NAPA store had it around here...

[dikman]

If you look at the MSDS, the major ingredients in Kroil - up to a maximum of 75% - are a combination of two petroleum distillates. Basically mineral oil. MMO is also 70% petroleum distillate (mineral oil). There's nothing particularly special about either of them (other than the advertising claims). WD-40 will probably have the same effect if applied to a mold - at least, for some people. I tried a similar product to WD-40, and it appeared to work ok - but after it had worn off the mold still kept working ok. My latest mold has had nothing done to it and is casting excellent round balls.

As for Bore Butter and it's "seasoning" capability . A certain black powder rifle manufacturer used to recommend using this to protect and preserve the bores on their rifles. They dropped this little item from their advertising (eventually). It appears that they were quietly replacing barrels from customers who had rusted bores after using this stuff! It cannot "season" the metal in a modern steel barrel, and it's rust prevention capabilities are minimal.

[Rompin Ruger]

dikman,

Would you believe, I was more interested in this "new" Frog Lube stuff and/or EEzox. But tonite, at a reasonably local gun shop, I just was poking around and what to my wandering eye do I behold, but a can of Kroil! End of story. I now have that, plus the Frog Lube (different ingredients but looks and smells like the 'green' Bore Butter, which is why I mentioned it.

Thanks for the insight on the BButter NOT seasoning the bore... I'll get that crud outa my 2 guns directly and replace it with other products!

The concept in this original thread was that Kroil would penetrate the pores of the mould metal and "season" it in the sense that it created a molecular bond, or so I interpreted what I read...

In that sense, Frog Lube or Eezox would likely do the same, but alas, I know have KROIL! Yea...$14 seems like a lot for a small can... but alas, it's bought. Bring on good weather so I can fire up my furnace and start relearning to cast!

[jonp]

Been lurking and finally signed up....thought you guys were talking in some sort of secret code about Kroil ...till found this.

Did a good bit of casting back in 90's and put stuff away... back now and going to go full guns shortly still assembling stuff, but have to check out this NAPA connection for this stuff...on fixed income, the prices of the S&H for a lot of stuff keeps me on the ropes!

Thanks for allowing a nummie like me to read and learn.

Gotta admit, at this stage, I read, read, read some more and my post count just won't go up... don't know enough to even try to post...but this one compelled me to try!

Been here just over a year and already have topped 3k posts. I read a lot but ask a ton of questions. There is no such thing as a stupid question and the guys and gals here have been good enough to either answer outright or send me to threads discussing what I am asking about. Welcome aboard and ask anything and everything. I've learned more here in 1yr than I could ever have learned on my own.

[jonp]

If you look at the MSDS, the major ingredients in Kroil - up to a maximum of 75% - are a combination of two petroleum distillates. Basically mineral oil. MMO is also 70% petroleum distillate (mineral oil). There's nothing particularly special about either of them (other than the advertising claims). WD-40 will probably have the same effect if applied to a mold - at least, for some people. I tried a similar product to WD-40, and it appeared to work ok - but after it had worn off the mold still kept working ok. My latest mold has had nothing done to it and is casting excellent round balls.

As for Bore Butter and it's "seasoning" capability . A certain black powder rifle manufacturer used to recommend using this to protect and preserve the bores on their rifles. They dropped this little item from their advertising (eventually). It appears that they were quietly replacing barrels from customers who had rusted bores after using this stuff! It cannot "season" the metal in a modern steel barrel, and it's rust prevention capabilities are minimal.

I used Bore Butter to clean and it worked ok for me. Never considered it as a rust preventer.

[dikman]

The MSDS is the magic "key" to many of these products. If you start comparing products, you'll find many use the same, or similar, ingredients. Petroleum distillates generally make up the bulk of many of these products (the CAS # is a good identifier). Often there are extra bits added, but in general they are in very small quantities, as an overall percentage, and as such can't have much effect on the product (other than make it smell nice).

Occasionally a manufacturer won't list the ingredients, usually claiming "proprietary rights" or some such thing, or will claim that there is nothing hazardous to the health in the product (or the latest seems to be claiming that it contains "all natural products"). All well and good, but if they won't state what's in it then I just get suspicious and I won't buy it. (For example, peanuts - and peanut oil - are all natural, but people have died from allergic reactions to the stuff. How can you determine something is safe if you don't know what's in it?).

As for whether a product works, the only way to find out is to try it, because for every happy user you can find someone equally unhappy with said product. Bottom line is if it works for you then that's all that matters.

[Rompin Ruger]

Dikman,

You sound like you have chemistry background!

As I said before, reading all that stuff reminds me of physics and chemistry classes... grandma used to give me a "physic" when I was stopped up.... never cared for the topic since!

From reading closely, the PROCESS seems to be as important as the product in the use of Kroil for seasoning moulds! therein lies the rub as you suggest....some have success, others might not and I suspect the process is a key ingredient with them all...

Now all I have to do is find handles that fit the RCBS moulds and I can heat them up and season them!

[FLYCUTTER]

Kroil oil is cheaper by the case, & delivered right to your door. I got hooked on their product long ago and like they say it turns rust into a soft mud and it creeps into the tightest spot. I also use their spray moly to season the barrel before a shoot to keep copper from fouling . Try using kroil to clean your guns , it works great.

[sunburn]

I use Kroil for everything and a can lasts forever. Get a needle oiler and apply 1 drop at a time exactly where you want it. Brownells has both.

[rbuck351]

I wonder why Kroil works in a mold for a bunch of you guys and is a total disaster for me. I have tried it twice and both times a mold that was casting well went to throwing wrinkled boolits until completely cleaned.

[725]

I can't explain it either. If casting some wrinklers and can't quite get it all going, I use a Q-tip moistened with Kroil, wipe the cavity well and within a few casts they usually come out perfect. Might be a case of a very little goes a long way.

[bangerjim]

Repeated wrinkled in cast boolits are caused NOT by oil, but from either a cold mold or cold alloy. Or both.

I have proven many times (as have many other on here) that pre-heating your mold to FULL CASTING TEMPERATURE (not just "warming it up" on your pot) on an electric hotplate, and having my alloy at sufficiently correct temp, I can drop perfect boolits from the 1st pour.....WITH oil in the mold cavities. The pre-heating will drive any oil out and any that is left will be easily displaced by the 1st pour/drop.

I also use my molds for making HMG boolits (you use ice cubes to COOL the mold) and use PAM as a lube/release agent. When I am done with the glue boolits, I just wipe off any PAM dripping off and go right into casting lead by preheating as stated above.

The old wives' tale about oil causing repeated wrinkles until all has been totally cleaned out has been dis-proven over the years by many more successful casters than I.

So - - - go ahead and use kroil or whatever other oil you want. I even get blue 2 cycle oil down in the cavities when lubing my plates and pins now and then. No scrubbing and cleaning and cleaning and scrubbing ever needed. Just a lot of HEAT from a good hotplate, not just sitting your mold on your pot as many of the old-timers used to do.

Works for me....................every time!

banger

[too many things]

this is old post started few years back.
the Kroil does work for a release and lube. with NO build up. when you try to use too much you cool the mold and get the bad bullets. The mold has to be casting temp as Banger said. the Q tip works best. as it tends not to cool the mold as much.
I spray the mold when finished casting and put it away.Most times it will heat up and cast good the next time.
Kroil has a product that is better . but they don't sell any less than a gal. I got a gal but it was $180

[TenTea]

Kroil has a product that is better . but they don't sell any less than a gal. I got a gal but it was $180

From their website...

Kroil 1/2 pint (8 oz.) can - $9.50 ea.	Aerokroil 10 oz. aerosol can - $13.50 ea.
Kroil case of 24/8 oz. cans - $168.05 /cs	Aerokroil [case of 12/10 oz. aerosol cans - $115.65 /cs
Kroil 1 gal. can - $53.85	Aerokroil Kingsize 13 oz. aerosol can - $15.00 ea.
Kroil 5 gal. pail - $228.25	Aerokroil Kingsize case of 12/13 oz. aerosol cans] - $138.15 /cs
Kroil 15 gal. drum - $637.50	AeroKroil Industrial Size 16.5 oz. aerosol can - $19.00 ea.
Kroil 55 gal. drum - $1987.15

http://www.kanolabs.com/

It is also sold on eBay & Amazon.

[too many things]

they did drop the price by 1/2 but still high
its called pyrolube

[Mal Paso]

they did drop the price by 1/2 but still high
its called pyrolube

I'd pay that rate or a little more for a quart or pint but I'd never use a gallon. I've got Kroil, Marvel, chain, gear, synthetic of every description, silicone, contact cleaner. B-12, electric grease, dielectric grease, pull lube, graphite, gun oil, 5 gun cleaners, case lube, bees wax, lanolin, Kerosene, Stoddard, Acetone, MEK, mineral spirits, lacquer thinner, honing lube, threading and cutting oils, how many kinds of ATF?? and that off the top of my head. No Room For Gallons of Specialty Lube.

[rbuck351]

I tried it on a mold that was already up to temp and casting good boolits. Instant wrinkles for several more pours. I wonder why it went from good boolits to bad as soon as I wiped a bit of kroil in the mold. It didn't take a complete scrubbing to get it to cast well again. Just wiped it out with a q-tip with brake kleen and cast a few more and it was back to casting well again.

[too many things]

you have to remember that when you put that on it evaporates . that will cool the inside of the mold. can either cast a few and toss or reheat, its the stuff left is what you want. Look back to the beginning , most of the old posts came around to see it works.
if you don't want to do it right , don't do it at all .
if you look at hot water and freezing , same deal. evaporation will make things react quicker