Dixon Mold Polish

[brshooter]

Years ago, I used to cast bullets with a guy who ran a printing shop. He introduced me to Dixon Mold Polish that we used on our molds. We would take a couple of cleaning patches and rub it on the top of the mold polish and then rub(buff) the bottom of the warm sprue plate and all so on the top of the warm bullet mold. It would remove the lead build-up and leave a coating that the lead would not adhear to. Amazing product, he used it on his Mergenthaler lead type making machine to protect the fonts and different areas of the machine where lead would built up. He gave me a six oz. can 30 years ago and last year I ran out. The printer who gave it to me passed away several years ago and no one in the area uses letter press machines anymore. So I searched the internet for suppliers for letterpress machines and Dixon Mold polish. Come to find out the Dixon Company is still in business but only make pencils now and had dropped thier stove polish and mold polish sales years ago. Then I found a company called NA Graphics in Colorado that sold "Mold Polish for Hot Casting Machines", Product # CL95. They had a 12 oz. can for $ 21.50 and I ordered one. Bingo, same as the Dixon Mold Polish and it works just as well. I'm very pleased with their mold polish. Now I have enough to last the rest of my life. It is seems to be a graphite and wax type material and a little goes a long way. I keep the patches that I used on the molds in a zip-lock bag and recoat the spruce plate and mold top at the beginning of each casting session and recoat the patches when I notice they don't shine up the surfaces.

[jim4065]

brshooter,

Ever think about selling some saturated patches? I'd be happy to send you $5 if you'd slip a dozen in a small baggie and mail 'em to me. It'd let me try 'em out and maybe pay you for your trouble. PM if you're interested. :drinks:

Jim

[utk]

Would some graphite powder melted in with beeswax work? What´s the color of your polish?

[Dale53]

Not to rain on anybody's parade, but I have been extremely happy with BullShop's Bull Plate Sprue Plate Lube. It costs only $4.00 per bottle plus shipping and will last a LONG time. I had him fill up a flat rate box to minimize shipping per bottle. I shared it with a couple of friends:

http://bullshop.gunloads.com/prices.html

Try it, and you'll like it. Just follow the directions.

Dale53

[utk]

Dale53, I live in Sweden, I "have to" make my own. No liquids allowed by air.
Besides, ít´s fun...

Urban

[brshooter]

The color is dead black. I would guess it is real finely ground graphite mixed with beeswax. There is not any label on the can. Jon

[44man]

Sounds interesting but I have to know if the plate is used to cut "spruce" trees or lead sprues?

[Hip's Ax]

Is this a solid material or granular? Does it really appear that this is merely graphite and beeswax or do you think there are other additives? Is it soft or hard?

[Nueces]

The site brshooter refers to is at nagraph.com. They also carry Unamet, what used to be called Vitaflux, the commercial linotype flux. Good price, too. The polish and flux are found in the 'Lubricants/Flux' link.

Thanks, BR!

Mark

[brshooter]

It appears to be a solid paste, like Johnson Floor Paste Wax except harder. I have no idea of the composition. I would guess by the smell on the beeswax, and the graphite because of the blackness and it's ability to stain my fingers. Dixon was in the graphite business, pencils, stove black etc, hence my guess on the graphite. I'm not a analytical chemist and can not determine the exact composition. The only thing I care about is that it works and in that respect it works good enough for me. Sorry about my spelling.

[Hip's Ax]

I appreciate the info brshooter. Thank You. :drinks: