45-45-10 Simplified
Lee Liquid Alox (LLA) is wonderful stuff, a real time saver. For correct size as-cast bullets, it is lube and load. If you need sizing, Lee’s push through sizer is fast and inexpensive. As it comes from Lee, LLA is too concentrated, it is hard to get a thin, even coat. C. E. Harris recommends diluting LLA 50/50 with mineral spirits. I find this works great, but the coating is still sticky, messing up seating dies, cartridge boxes and pistol magazines. This problem was cured by the addition of Johnsons Paste Wax (JPW). The result, 45-45-10, is 45% LLA 45% JPW concentrate, 10% mineral spirits. 45-45-10 is very popular, it is so popular it is available commercially.
Johnsons Paste Wax contains carnauba wax plus paraffin and microcrystalline wax. Polishing wax formulas use carnauba wax, which is very hard, with a small amount of a softer wax to make it easier to use and polishing agents like fine pumice. The balance is petroleum solvent, which evaporates leaving the wax mixture. The polishing agents are the white powder which is rubbed off, polishing the carnauba wax film.
Carnauba is one of the hardest of the natural waxes, with unique characteristics no other natural or petroleum wax can match. Because of its uniqueness, carnauba has many uses, in addition to polish it is used in pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, candle making and many others. It is commonly available in craft stores, woodworking shops and on the internet. It is also inexpensive, 8 ounces of pure flake carnauba is currently about 10 dollars.
To make 45-45-10, JPW is heated to boil off the solvents and concentrate the wax. The concentrate is mixed with LLA and mineral spirits. This is cautious work, overheating can ruin the wax, and there is significant risk of fire. It is also uncertain, it is difficult to define the correct level of concentration.
The solvent in JPW is mineral spirits, so what you are doing is boiling off mineral spirits and then adding some mineral spirits back. It is the carnauba wax in JPW which hardens the LLA, giving the desired non-sticky film. Why not add pure carnauba wax to LLA? It turns out this is easier, less expensive and works the same.
LLA plus carnauba wax
In a 1 quart glass Mason jar, add 4 ounces of deodorized mineral spirits, and 220 grains carnauba wax flakes. If you do not have a scale this is about 2 level tablespoons of flake carnauba. Put the cap on the Mason jar, and heat it in boiling water. DO NOT use direct heat, DO NOT use a microwave! Swirl and heat until all the carnauba dissolves. Open the jar, add a 4 ounce bottle of LLA and swirl to mix. Allow the mixture to cool.
You can double this recipe, a quart Mason jar will hold a double recipe.
The result is a soft paste at room temperature, when warm to touch (~100 F) it is a thick liquid. The choice of 220 grains of carnauba was the minimum amount of carnauba to get a non-sticky coating. This coating is still relatively soft and easily scratched with a fingernail. 300 grains gives a harder film and 350 grains is much harder with a slightly longer dry time. Accuracy testing showed the 220 grain lube was equal to LLA.