Shelf life

[Dave C.]

I just inherited a good supply of bees wax.
It is marked as being at least 15 years old.
Is this a problem?

Dave C.

[randyrat]

No it will last longer than you or I will..Beeswax has been found thousands of years old still good..
It will bloom a bit and turn but when you heat it up it all goes away, also it will lose some moisture content.

[brassrat]

Good, I dropped $35 on a bunch of overpriced/ refined lil ingots. There was a noob, rush factor, involved, and a reading problem. I read just enough to be dangerous. Now, I like T.L. and PC. Sometime, later in the future, I see a pot full of stuff that hopefully I can call a lube, if I can handle a new machine or the re-soiling of my nice, shiny, Lyman.

[gwpercle]

Shouldn't be any problem at all.
I have some sticks of beeswax-litihum lube I bought in 1978 , that's 38 years old , and it's still good. No drying out or separation....I still find the stuff a great lube and use it extensively for cast boolits, handgun and rifle. The original maker was kind enough to give me the recipe, he no longer manufactures it. In case you want to give it a try it's : 3 parts beeswax to 1 part lithium grease ( I use Lucas Red-N-Tacky because I like the color). Heat it in a crock pot or double boiler, beeswax has a flash point and will burst into flame, something like 400 degrees, so be careful making lubes with beeswax.
Gary

[Le Loup Solitaire]

I have a large amount of the old NRA 50/50 2138 Alox-beeswax lube for over 30 years now and it is the same as when I first bought it. No change in it in any way and it does the same good job as it always did. LLS

[GONRA]

GONRA bought a gallon of 2138 Alox when original NRA article came out.
All my cast boolit lube groves are inside the cartridge, not in contact with powder either.
So I use "Pure 2138 Alox". Fits my needs Just Fine!