Felix Lube - the Short Version

[utk]

IMHO, if you want the properties of FWFL, don't include anything but what the recipe says...

[Marlin Junky]

UTK,

The problem with the recipe at the beginning of this thread is the imprecise nature of the ingredient amounts. The soap should at least be given in weight, not tablespoons of grated soap. Actually, I think the amount lanolin and beeswax should be given in weigh measurements too. Somewhere else I read the amount of soap that can be dissolved in the oil depends on the oil temperature and mineral oil starts smoking at a lot lower temperature than most cooking oils. I'm after repeatability and a high lube melting point without a lot of fiddling around. Am I asking for too much?

MJ

[utk]

MJ, I totally agree with you in everything!
What I was thinking about was the olive oil, it isn't mentioned in the recipe.

I too would like more precise measurements. One reason for being imprecise could be for example, the soap can contain different amounts of sodium stearate, it can differ between batches. This was said by someone, Felix I think.
So getting pure sodium stearate would probably be a way towards a more "fixed" recipe. If any of the other ingredients can vary in "chemical power" I don´t know, perhaps the type of mineral oil used? ("baby oil", atf etc).

Urban

[utk]

Forgot to comment:
About oil temperature and dissolving the soap: maybe the amount of stearate dissolved/melted with the "average" mineral oil is enough?

Urban

[Marlin Junky]

That's why I want to make two batches: one with Ivory and one with SS (all else equal) and test them side by side this summer. I've already played around with melting Ivory in hot oil and one tablespoon of finely grated Ivory wouldn't melt in 2 Tbs of mineral oil and 1 Tbs of castor oil. I had some white lumps floating around in my smoking oil. I guess what I'll do if none of the experts chime in is simply turn the Ivory into the finest powder I can and use 2 Tbs in one double batch and 2 Tbs of the sodium stearate in the other double batch. My oil will be 2:2:2 (olive, mineral and castor) in each batch.

Or maybe a better solution would be 2:1 olive oil to castor oil for each batch. I think I may make a batch this weekend with just olive oil and castor oil to see how it works out. I'll try to get the temp way up there without smoking and toss 2 tablespoons of finely grated (whatever that means) Ivory into a total of 6 tablespoons of hot oil. I don't want to experiment with my sodium stearate until I know what I'm doing because I only have 2 oz. of this stuff and I had to write a half dozen companies before scoring that little sample. What's so special about sodium stearate that the chemical companies are so stingy about it? I ran into a few companies on the internet that were happy to send samples of anhydrous lanolin that weighed up to a half pound.

I also want to get a candy thermometer that'll clip to the side of a sauce pan. I'll let you know how it all turns out.

MJ

[Hip's Ax]

I made my first batch of Felix Lube today and it took a long time and more heat than I thought it would to get the 1 tablespoon of Ivory to melt in the mineral and castor oil. It did eventually all melt though, almost gave up a couple of times and went on but just couldn't with those lumps in the pot. The mix had a frothy look for a long long time so after what felt like a half hour I increased the heat and in several minutes I looked and it was clearing up. I grated the Ivory as fine as I could with a 4 sided grater using the side you'd use for carrots, it is an old bar that has been in my bathroom for years, new in the wrapper but years old just the same. The label is even different. Sprinkled the Ivory in the pot in about 4 or 5 steps and kept stirring until I thought it was incorporated. Grated the bees wax too and that melted faster than I thought it would, took it off the heat and the 1 tablespoon of lanolin (pure beige grease not anhydrous) melted in less than a minute. I poured it all into a plastic tub and I am waiting for it to cool completely so I can give it the old thumbnail test to see if I think its to hard or soft. I can see how this can become addicting.

[Marlin Junky]

Hip's Ax,

Was your mineral/castor oil blend smoking when you added the soap? Did you by any chance happen to weigh the soap before adding it to the hot oil?

MJ

[Hip's Ax]

Yes, the oil mixture was smoking when I added the Ivory. No, I didn't weigh the Ivory, just dipped into the ziplock bag of grated Ivory with a regulation kitchen measuring tablespoon, shook it level and added it slowly as per the directions. Lube is cool now and seems what I would think is perfect hardness according to my thumb press test, harder than Alox/Beeswax and softer than Zambini. I'll let it sit a while longer to make sure the center is cool then I'll cut it and look for seperation, from the looks of the outside it stayed mixed perfectly.

[Hip's Ax]

I just cut the lube cake in half, no indication of seperation or layering at all. A nice uniform beige color throughout.

[Marlin Junky]

Excellent... I was pretty sure it wasn't going to separate though. The $64.00 question is, at what temperature does it melt?

MJ

[357maximum]

Excellent... I was pretty sure it wasn't going to separate though. The $64.00 question is, at what temperature does it melt?

MJ

HOT, HOT, HOT and SLOOOOWLY

[Doc - J]

Has anyone tried using bees wax, liquid Alox, and ivory?

[Marlin Junky]

I just finished up a batch of lube with the following contents:

3 Tbs. each of mineral, castor and "Extra Light Olive" oils
1 ounce (weighed on a powder scale) of finely grated Ivory Soap
14 ounces beeswax
4 Tbs. anhydrous lanolin

The oils were heated together at 300F for about one hour and stirred occasionally. At 300F this blend of oil occasionally gave off a wisp of light smoke. One ounce of finely grated Ivory is about a palm full and I was surprised when all of it melted into a meringue like foam. I took the stuff off the burner and placed a 14 oz. chunk of beeswax in the pan and realized it was going to need more heat in order to melt so I placed the hot plate on low and went away for a few minutes. When I returned the beeswax was only partially melted so I turned up the heat a bit more. Long story short, the concoction didn't become homogenous and thin enough to pour until above 225F which is where I added the 4 Tbs. of lanolin. After which I kept stirring as the temp climbed to 250F which is where I poured it through a piece of cheese cloth into a mayonnaise jar. It appeared there were a few lumps of undissolved Ivory.

After cooling, the lube has about the consistency of silly putty and is nearly as sticky as Javelina with a thick, slick feel to its residue. I just took a sample out of the refrigerator and although it's a bit firmer, after rolling it in my fingers I now have it all over my keyboard. I think it was a success... especially if this stuff's melting point is over 200F! Excuse me while I clean up my keyboard.

MJ

P.S. OK... I got most of it off my keys now, and placed a sample in the oven set half way between 150F and 200F. I'm going to leave it there for about an hour and see what happens.

[13Echo]

The reason the Ivory soap gives you the foam is that it contains a considerable amount of water. As the water converts to steam it makes the foam. It also absorbs a large amount of heat Once the water is gone the soap will dissolve, slowly. If your sodium sterate powder is anhydrous an ounce of it will give you much more than an ounce of Ivory soap. By the way Felix does condone Peanut Oil in place of the Mineral Oil. I use the peanut oil since I sometimes use this lube with black powder. I suppose the unsatureated Olive Oil will be much healthier for my firearms. Help them keep that lean look and prevent atherosclerosis of the bore.

Jerry Liles

[Marlin Junky]

13Echo,

That sounds logical to me. The first batch of lube I made with a bar of Ivory straight from the grocery store grated more like cheese opposed to the second batch where I used a bar I found under the sink which was probably years old and grated into powder. I used 1/2 ounce of the "fresh" Ivory in the first batch and it created much more foam than the second batch with twice as much "aged" Ivory.

MJ

[robertbank]

This stuff is great. I made mine using the basic formula and have had great results with it in my pistols, No leading! My wife donated a large pyrex measuring cup so I can pour the lube into my RCBS lubricator. I re-melt it in her micro wave. Takes about 8 minutes on high to get clear liquid then just pour. Cools quick and away you go.

Take Care

Bob

[JackOfAllTrades]

I don't have time to cook in the kitchen.

Where can I buy some of this?

-Steve

[robertbank]

The beauty of this elixar that cures every ailment known to man and also doubles as a great lube for your boolits young man can be had for the cost of the incrediants. Not a dollar, not 10 dollars, nope from your corner of the garage to your lubsizer all it costs is time cuz you gotta make the darn stuff yourself..

Take Care

Bob

[robertbank]

Where were you two guys when the fellows down the street got upset over the tax on tea.

Felix Lube is the elixer of life - can't be made the same batch after batch making Felix Lube is an art not a science, kind of like life. No set formula just seems to work over a wide spectrum of applications cuz it comes out in a wide variety of ways. I added a pinch of commercial lube to add colour - it came out crappy light creamy green. Should have added two pinches.

Take Care

Bob

[waksupi]

Notice how many views this subject has had? Holy Cow!