Using toilet rings

[Jim]

For years, I've seen posts on toilet rings. Questions from the curious and statements from the "acedemics" abound. I'm not an expert on anything, but I do think I have something of experience to offer on this. My experience is based on thirty years of puttin' these dang sticky things under toilets. Thousands of 'em! That's what I did for a livin'.

Toilet rings are made of a product titled "Petroletum Wax". Petroletum wax is the dregs of the petroleum refining industry. Like any good business, they don't waste anything that can be marketed and sold. There's nothing in a toilet ring but P/W. There's no lanolin, no beeswax, no essence of rose oil and no magic gypsy dust.

I don't care who says what, I'm tellin' ya', I know this. I have spoken with mfgr. R&D techs at the plants that make these things and have received dozens of MSD sheets over the course of thirty years to include in MSD books for job sites. At one time, I was a Safety Officer for a large construction firm. It was my job to know the contents of every durn thing we had on the sites in the way of anything chemical in nature.

I'm not condoning or condemning the use of toilet rings for anything. If what you do with it works for you, have at it, brother! I'm just making it clear what's used to make these things. That's all I'm after here.

If you have any doubt as to the facts of my statement, contact ANY mfgr. of toilet rings and ask them to send you a MSD sheet on the product. They are bound by law to provide this literature to ANYBODY that wants it.

I'm not ranting here. I'm not upset and I'm not trying to start any stuff. I'm simply trying to clear the air of all the theories, wives tales and conjectures as to what a toilet ring is made of.

Oh, one other thing I forgot. One of the mfgrs. I contacted years ago included a LUBRICITY FACTOR in their documentation. Petroletum wax DOES provide a friction reducing function. You can consider that for what it's worth to you.

[deltaenterprizes]

Would you consider the rings a substitute for paraffin?

[Eutectic]

As one who worked decades in the petroleum industry, much of that as a Lubrication Specialist, I will say this...

Beware of any product that doesn't have rigid 'specs' for what goes into making it! Even a wide range of what can be used 'specs' is bad....

We had a wax product years' back that was the drudges of the wax line. It wasn't useful for anything in the wax line and was waste. Finally a smart engineer found a fit for it in a fireplace 'easy light' log!

Bullet lubes, great bullet lubes are available cheap. Why trust a 'product' that may be only one notch better than what it seals?

Eutectic

[cajun shooter]

Jim, At one time several people who shoot Black Powder used the TB rings and other things as a BP lube. The rings of that time were all made from Beeswax. For those who make lubes the BW is more of a carrier than a lube. I know several people who say they still use them. In todays world with most all products that are in the low dollar class come from what were once third world countries. What they use is a wild guess unless one is equipped with a mass spec machine at a lab. I prefer to use the product of nature.

[Reg]

At least 10 years ago, three of us were playing with making our own lubes and just for the heck of it we used several of these toilet rings in place of paraffin in a standard mix that was popular at the time. Used it for several years in both rifle with mild loads and handguns in up to the most heavy loads. Seemed to work OK. Got good accuracy in all, no signs of leading whatever. One of us even took 2 deer with the 30-30 loads. This is in at least twenty different weapons over several years of time. It wasn't real scientific but was cheap and like I say, it worked.
I happened to mention it one evening on another site and man did I ever catch Ol Billy H*&$^.
I was told it was made from acid and would bring down the wrath of God on who ever tried to use it. Or words to that effect.
I tucked my tail between my legs and wimpered as I ran off into the night--- never to return. It really was that bad. Havn't been back since as a matter of fact. Even dropped my membership in the group.
Am really glad that you brought this up as I would like to see an truely intelligent conversation on this subject.
We found it worked well within its limits but found it was very sticky and in summer was a bit messy to handle but really stuck into the grease grooves better than many out there at the time. We felt it best not to use it on higher velocity rifle loads but took the top loads in the 44 and 41 mags without leading.
Any thoughts out there or is it time to turn out the lights and run ????

[clintsfolly]

I use the used ones for my self defense loads! if the boolit doesn't work maybe the lube will!!! Clint

[Jim]

Cajun,
The rings that were supposedly made of beeswax had to be very old. I've researched this many times over the years and have yet to find any data that showed they were made of anything but petroletum wax. I'm not disputing you, be sure. I'm just saying I could never find anything that supports this.

Reg,
Like I said, if it works for you, that's the thing to do! I just wanted to clear up the mystery of what they're made of.

Eutectic,
Exactly, Sir! Ain't no tellin' what might be tossed in the mix of those things. Considering what they're made for, the industry probably wasn't too concerned about purity. You can't expect much from something that is made by the tens of thousands and cost little to nothing.

[Reg]

Jim
Looking back on it now we obtained the rings as very old stock in a local hardware store.
They just wanted to clear the shelf for new stock and perhaps we had such good luck because they were bees wax but I still think they had something else in them because they were incredably sticky. This sticklyness seemed to actually make a better lube as it really stuck to the grooves. You could notice this adhesion in both pan lubing and machine lubing . If I can remember it, I might pick up another ring next time I get to town and re run this experiment.

[DeanWinchester]

I use the used ones for my self defense loads! if the boolit doesn't work maybe the lube will!!! Clint

That's nasty. I have heard of gang members smearing hollow point cavities full of feces to the same end. Just nasty.

[jmh54738]

Perhaps a petroleum engineer among us could expond upon this. My understanding is that paraffin wax can be taken from various fractions of petroleum distillation, from soft to hard. An example of soft is the coating on cheese, food grade wax, I assume. I also have slabs of machining wax which is very hard with a melting point of around 225 degrees. Also please tell me about the wax seal on Makers Mark whiskey. I cannot believe that a for profit company would use one of the most expensive waxes for a throw away seal. IMHO another myth.
John

[mdi]

Thanks Jim. I occationaly used Toilet Rings when experimenting with homemade lube and I know none of the rings I used were made with Beeswax. I used it for what it is; a cheap, easily accessed soft wax. From what I hear (FWIW) Beeswax at one time was quite cheap and some was used in T rings, and was a cheap source of beeswax for home lube makers, but that was way before my time.

[Dave Bulla]

I sure am glad to see this one too. I just put up a post about "going primitive" on lube recipes and was asking if anybody had used things like deer tallow, beeswax, lanolin etc. I also mentioned toilet rings because I'd "heard" that they contained beeswax and lanolin. Guess I heard wrong and that's good to know.

[markinalpine]

I think this is the same type of problem with using wheel weights. Not to disparage this practice, I do it myself, but I'm not deluding myself in thinking that the manufacturers are following any particularily strict recipe. They are out to make a useful product as inexpensively as possible that meets the needs of the customers. Same as sinkers, diving weights, sailboat ballast, and so on.
OT Rant off.
Happy New Year,
Mark

[nanuk]

I was thinking about them years ago when I first thought about casting, but figured the meat would taste $h!tty... then my buddy suggested we could BUY NEW ONES!

[alamogunr]

I melted a toilet ring into a small tomato sauce can and I use it to lubricate wood screw threads.

John
W.TN

[Sully]

Ive got one melted down in the concoction Im presently brewing up....but personally...as long as it keeps my barrel from leading...and doesnt smoke like a stack of old car tires aflame....I dont care if its made out of old "monkey boogers"....as long as it fills my needs

[Jim]

Like I said, Sully, I ain't knockin' it or promotin' it. If it works for ya', that's the thing to use.

[Jim]

Copied and pasted from the Johni-Ring site.http://www.herchem.com/products/bowlsetting.html

johni-ring® - standard size
Made in the USA Made in the USA

100% pure high-grade petroleum wax for installing closet bowls. Soft and flexible to conform to rough and uneven surfaces. Comes in all-weather non-stick package. Stainless, waterproof, impervious to vermin, odors, gases, acid. Bacteria-free and proven resistant to fungus and mold. Makes positive, permanent, sanitary closet bowl seal. Won't dry or deteriorate. Also available in combination packs with solid brass double nut closet bolts. Meets Fed. Spec. TT-P-1536A.

[mold maker]

Over at my dads in an old tool box, there are several from the late 49s or early 50s. They are still in their original boxes, and I really thought I had read Bees Wax on the label. I'll have a look next time I'm there.
Either way, I've got wax.

[Jim]

MM,
If that's what he's got, those are collector grade things, man!