Question on Felix Loob....

[oldfart1956]

Alright fellers after constantly reading accolades about Felix loob I just hadda give this stuff a try. Actually....3 trys. I procured all the ingredients and followed the instructions as posted. Read "The short version" at least a dozen times to make sure I'm doing this right. By the way, what was the reaction when ya'll went thru the checkout at WalMart with a bottle of mineral oil, castor oil and nipple cream?? Anyway...I shaved the ivory soap and dried it out some weeks back then ran it thru the food processor till it was dust to make it easy to add. Weighed it out as told in the post, (one tablespoon/73gr.) and bought a small pot and whisk just for the job. Then used a timer to make sure I heated/stirred 30 min. and mixed it up. 3 seperate times. Fellers...this stuff is right smart firm. Mind ye it's only 70 degrees in here but this ain't gonna go thru my 450 without heat. It's coming out firm and not overly tacky...no seeping or weeping on the windowsill. Seems like it'd make a dandy pan-lube but I'm wondering if I might need to up the liquids to soften it up. Or just heat the 450 a smidge? I just now compared it to a stick of Lyman loob (black stuff...ancient package...) and it's softer than the Lymans. I don't want to blow the seals out of the 450 so thought I'd better ask. Right now the 450 still has some unknown red extremely tacky translucent red loob in it and when it's gone I'll fill it with the Felix so there's no big rush here. Thanks Felix and to all. Audie...the Oldfart..

[Mk42gunner]

Audie,

I am using my version of FWFL in an RCBS Lubamatic. Mine seems stiff in the plastic container that I keep it in, but is softer than new tubes of Orange Magic and Tamarack 50/50. It does take some fairly hefty torque to turn the feed screw when I start sizing. Once I have sized ten or fifteen boolits though, it seems like the lube flows easily (or I just get used to it).

I have never used heat with FWFL, but I don't think a little bit at the start would hurt.

Robert

[runfiverun]

hold some and squish it between your fingers that will tell you how it will react to pressure.
after you make lubes for a while you can do a pinch and smear test like that and tell how it will lube and shoot.

[geargnasher]

On the rare occasion the temp is below 70F in my gun room and I'm using the standard formula, I use a clamp-on spotlamp with a 100-watt bulb in it to warm the sizer. Also, the lube will soften somewhat with age.

My winter version of FWFL contains a little Vaseline and I sub synthetic ATF for the mineral oil, plus it usually has a bit less beeswax so it's altogether more soft and flows no problem through the sizer at room temp.

Gear

[oldfart1956]

Thanks fellers. Mebbe I'm worried about nothing. I just pinched off a piece about the size of a grape and it wasn't really hard at all to smoosh it between thumb & forefinger. It rolled nice too, not brittle. I might be underestimating the compressing power of the 450 and jumped too soo. Many thanks! Audie....the Oldfart..

[geargnasher]

If you can pinch and smear the edge of that grape-sized chunk to a feather-edge between thumb and forefinger, your 450 can handle it no problem. Yes, it takes a little force on the pressure screw, and one push of the wrench (about 10-15 degrees rotation) per boolit, when it's at the bottom of the die, is how I do it.

Gear