A #1 Surprise

[KCSO]

I bought what was suppose to be a box of parts or an incomplete Lyman 45 sizer for spares for my old 45. The box arrived last night and as I started taking things out I couldn't find anything that looked right. After about and hour of cleaning and assembling I ended up with a complete Ideal #1 sizer,Pat. date 1892. Also in the bottom of the box was a set of Modern-Bond mould handles. The Ideal #1 is the original style with the faucet handle on the lube resevoir and it came with a set of .358 dies and top punch. Cleaned it looks tight and I am wondering if I should use it or just put it up. I think that with a soft lube it should be ok, I sure don't want to break anything on it, but my old #45 has been in use for 40+ years with minimal problems.

[trooperdan]

Did this come from an eBay auction? Seems I saw a recent sale that mentioned an "Lyman old sizer".

[Swagerman]

Hope you take some pictures for us.

Swagernab

[KCSO]

I have tried to put in a picture , but I can't seem to get the hang of it.

[Willbird]

Heck I'd use it, make up a lube that works nicely in it and put it to work.

Bill

[wills]

spg stays fairly soft

[felix]

So does Felix lube when made closely to origonal published specs. Stays soft. ... felix

[floodgate]

KCSO:

To try to answer your question on using your "new" No. 1 lube-sizer, I
set up the one I recently assembled from parts of two others, and gave
it a try. GOOD NEWS! Despite (a) the absence of the extra guide ring
which - on the #45 - slides down the lube reservoir; (b) the
unfamiliar side-swinging handle; (c) the rather wobbly clamp
attachment to an improvised shelf; and (d) the use of the older
"shear" type Lyman dies - I was able to size several #457125
"Government" bullets out of what felt like 1:25 tin:lead alloy
(couldn't find my notes on this batch) that cast 0.458" down to 0.457"
using the old, black "Ideal" lube with relatively little effort. I
even ran one through my 0.454" .45 Colt die, but that was about as
hard as I wanted to force it. So, yes, you should be able to size the
Sharps bullets very nicely in your No. 1, especially if you are using
something nice and soft like SPG, for BP. The NRA / Javelina alox mix
should do fine, too, for smokeless loads. You've got a handsome,
historic and perfectly practical tool there!

Doug Elliott

[Bent Ramrod]

Congratulations, KCSO. That's a classy specimen you have. Mine has the non-ratcheting wrench handle; yours is probably even earlier. And in better shape, from what I see of that black Japanned finish.

The Modern-Bond handles take a weird set of dies that are larger in diameter than the Lyman ones for the 310 tool but smaller than 7/8 x 14 dies. Like gold, they're basically where you find them, and they have no markings on them that I can find to indicate caliber or cartridge.

Bent

[Swagerman]

Thanks for the pix, classic lubersizer...a real gem.

By all means, use the little beauty.


Swagerman

[floodgate]

Bent Ramrod:

KCSO was talking about a pair Modern-Bond MOULD handles. But if you need to identify dies for either the M-B Model A or B tong tools or the Model C bench-clamp tool, I have charts of die codes for all of these. Basically, the letter (if present) indicates the die function, and the numbers are diameters in thousandths. Since each die set has ten to a dozen little bits, gubbins, lock rings, etc.; this can be a REAL chore - but it CAN be done. PM me if you have specific questions about M-B dies, or if you want me to mail you a set of the charts.

Doug/"floodgate"

[KCSO]

I filled it with my black powder lube, a mixture of Bear oil and bees wax that is just a little softer than SPG. I lubed up about 50 slugs for the 45-110 with no problem so I am giving this a permanat spot on the bench. My Mould drops the 535 bullets at 459 and I am just lubing in a 4595 die so there are no problems. I will also use it for 45 Colt. Just adds a little romance to the process. I have a complete 1880's handloading outfit that I use for the Sharps and an Ideal #1 that I use for my pistol.

Floodgate these are Mould handles and are on the way to you .