Those little lead sprinkles on molds and sprue plates - pita!

[jayjay1]

Hey Gents!
What´s the best way to remove small lead sprinkles from anywhere on the mold or the sprue plate?

Not wanting to damage my molds, but to remove those little beasts is a pain in the ***!

How do you get rid of them?

[Beagle333]

When the mold is hot (casting temp), you can usually scrub it off with a bit of burlap or denim (any rough cloth). Wear good gloves when doing this.
If that fails, you can use a wooden stick (popsicle sticks are great, or kabob skewers) and get a bit of beeswax on the end of the stick and rub the hot mold with that. Quite often the spots or smears are actually tinning of the mold and the beeswax will turn (reduce) it back to liquid and it can be wiped off.
Also, stubborn spots can be rubbed off a cold mold by using another lead ingot as an "eraser" and rubbing the mold with the ingot.
Careful rubbing with a lead removing cloth used for cleaning barrels will work too.

[Ed_Shot]

While the mold is hot I use one of my reject rifle boolits (because they are long enough to hang on to without gloves) just like an eraser to easily scrub off any lead build-up on the mold.

[R.M.]

I use a carpenter's pencil on a hot mold.

[jayjay1]

I use a carpenter's pencil on a hot mold.

Oh, that do I have handy!
:mrgreen:

[DLCTEX]

Bullplate lube will prevent it.

[tomme boy]

Bullplate will not prevent the build up on the edges of the cavities. You will have to get it up to a very hot casting temp and then rub beeswax onto the ares to clean it up. It will clean the mold of most of the little lead spots. Just have to clean it again once it cools off.

[quasi]

on a hot mould, I use Bullplate on a cotton swab or even a rag, followed by rubbing with a Bamboo Chopstick. This works for me every time.

[Springfield]

Sacrilege, I know, but I just use my pocket knife. Just be careful. They usually slide right off.