removing mold release agent.

[tazman]

I recently purchased a Lee 6 cavity mold for my 38 special loads. Turns out the guy who had it before I did, coated it with some sort of release agent. No idea what it is. the stuff is a dark gray color.
I have been hesitant to try to remove it without checking here for experience.
Any idea what this stuff might be and how to remove it without damaging the mold?
The mold drops at .356-.357 as it is which is too small for my barrel and will lead. Also the surface of the boolits as cast, are very rough as if they had been cast from a rusted mold.
I have powder coated some of them and except for the roughness have come out large enough that I can size them and have a nice round .358 boolit. I haven't test fired them yet but the ones I tested from a different mold(borrowed) that not coated with release agent and dropped at a normal diameter shot well.
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[Bullshop]

Acetone will take it off. Swab it on with a Q-tip and while its wet brush it with a soft tooth brush.

[geargnasher]

Aerosol brake parts cleaner works well, too.

Gear

[PalmettoProjectiles]

brake cleaner is right, its the way to go. i had a hbn mold release spray that ended up just not working as well as id like. scrubbed my arm off with a toothbrush before i realized i could it it with brake cleaner. good ol solvents.

[texassako]

Safariland Break Free Powder Blast. I had it on the shelf from trying various gun cleaners, and it cleans that stuff off fast. Basically it is a spray can of acetone and toluene.

[tja6435]

White gas scrubs the graphite mold release spray off with help from a toothbrush

[MBTcustom]

That's Frankford Arsenal mold release.

[MGnoob]

Am I missing something about the Frankford Arsenal mold release ?From my reading, it seems everyone asks or talks about it being difficult to get off.

Is it once it has been left on it becomes difficult to remove?Like in the OP's photo.

I never use it like in the photo, that's too much. I've never left it on the molds more than a few days, and would never apply or allow such a build-up.
After handling the molds while cleaning/storing, it seems to me like most of it has stuck to my hands leaving very little on the mold which i just wipe off.
It could be the hopes #9 solvent i use for lead removal cleaning.

[MBTcustom]

Don't put anything in the cavities of your mold you wouldn't put on a micrometer or your calipers. It's a precision instrument, and should be treated as such.

[MGnoob]

Don't put anything in the cavities of your mold you wouldn't put on a micrometer or your calipers. It's a precision instrument, and should be treated as such.

I wouldn't put lead on my calipers.....it goes in the mold cavities...
What your saying makes sense, i'd be more inclined to say Your cavities shouldn't need anything to make them drop, calipers micrometers don't need more than light occasional lubrication.. and maybe calibration. There really only comparable in that they are both precision instruments.

[tazman]

Thanks for all the input. I got the release agent off the mold. It turned out to be quite easy and an accident.
I was cleaning the lead from the barrel of a Ruger blackhawk 45LC for my neighbor. I was having trouble getting the last of it to come loose so I got out a bottle of Prestone power steering fluid I use to loosen the lead. It is very nearly the same as automatic transmission fluid.
Just for grins I rubbed the wet patch on the bottom of the mold where there was some of the release agent. The stuff melted like ice cream in hot water. I then poured a dribble over the mold face and cavities. Took a toothbrush and scrubbed the cavities a bit then rinsed the mold with hot water. Clean as a whistle except where there is some baked on pin/plate lube of some kind. The baked on lube causes no issues since it isn't in the cavities and doesn't hold the mold open.

117830

[tazman]

For a last post on the subject, I cast some boolits with this mold today and the results were all I could ask. The surfaces were smooth, the weight was correct(within normal tolerances), and the boolits were the right size. They are dropping at .359-.359 and 160 grains with my alloy.
They weren't sticking in the mold either. I really don't know why the previous owner used the release agent.
Thanks again for all your input.