ivory soap in lube?

[original]

Hello. I need to replenish my 666+1supply. The first batch I did worked great but trying to melt the soap was the worst part. I am not looking for replacement for the ivory but maybe a way to maybe melt it separate and add it to the mix? my first batch I just sliced the soap. Does it melt easier in a finer form such as through a cheese grater?

2nd question. I remember the first time that I made it the recipe called for the old school original type Vaseline. Can someone tell me again what the better type of Vaseline is? I remember it was very difficult to locate at my local stores. Thanks

[leftiye]

You have to cook it and the oils together to polymerize the oils into being greases. It's not a boolit lube, it just modifies the oils. You should add the beezwax after cooking the oils and greases. Bzwax will burn at the temps used.

[Mk42gunner]

original,

In my experience, the big problem with melting Ivory soap is the foaming while all the moisture is being boiled off, (I think).

Smaller pieces of soap tend to work better. I don't even use a grater, I use a dried out bar of soap and scrape across it with a knife. The results are a very fine powder than doesn't foam up as much.

Robert

[Elkins45]

Using a grater makes it a lot easier. I bought a dedicated one at the Dollar Tree and I leave my soap bars in the garage so they don't have a lot of moisture left and aren't so foamy.

[ghh3rd]

I used a grater on Ivory soap when I made my first batch of lube (Felix Lube). After that, I bought a supply of stearate, already shredded that seems to melt easier than Ivory.



http://www.lasc.us/LubeIngredients.htm#sodiumstearate

Sodium stearate is a chemical, the sodium salt of stearic acid and a major component of soap. It has the chemical formula C17H35COONa.
Stearic Acid, also known as Stearin, increases the hardness and opacity of wax. It's use in bullet lube is as a stiffener plus it binds the ingredients together so they don't separate when cooling.

Typical usage is 1-3 TBS per pound (2-5% by weight). Sodium Stearate can be ordered from candle & soap making suppliers. A simple source is shaving off slivers from a bar of Ivory soap. (See recipe for Felix lube (http://www.lasc.us/LubeIngredients.htm#felixlube) below) Another good source of Stearic acid is tallow (http://www.lasc.us/LubeIngredients.htm#tallow) which contains roughly 14%.

[runfiverun]

but it ain't the same thing. :lol:
sodium stearate and stearic acid are supposed to work the same but the ivory just seems to work better.
anyway you need to melt down the stuff and then add the ivory.
the ivory is just like adding lithium stearate to a mineral oil to make grease.
you can either have the grease made properly or just some oil base with ivory floating in it..
I prefer the stearated oil/wax mix to be homogenous.

[original]

thanks for the info. Since the lube with the ivory soap did so well I will stick with that and melt it with the mix.
Thanks again.

[Don Fischer]

Got a question. With all the different inexpensive lube's out there, why bother making your own?

[randyrat]

I carry Stearic acid if you want to try it some day..It is real easy to use, blends real easy.

[runfiverun]

because I can modify mine to work.
meaning if I'm using it in a longer barreled rifle or in the cold below 20-f I can modify the lube to flow better in those conditions.
if I lived further to the south and it never got below 40 or so but up well over 100 for most of the summer I would have a different mixture.

the ability to control the release of the lubes oils and it's release at the muzzle pay's off in fewer fliers and tighter groups.

one size doesn't fit all.

[GunsAndHarley]

Made my first lube this week-end. Turn out good. Mix of soy wax STP ATF and moly grease. Need to test now. I used 2 spoon of Ivory soap in it

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Got a question. With all the different inexpensive lube's out there, why bother making your own?
I'm sure everyone who makes their own, has there own reasons.
I list mine here:
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?288713-SL68B-the-quot-all-around-quot-boolit-lube-and-how-to-make-it

[Mk42gunner]

Got a question. With all the different inexpensive lube's out there, why bother making your own?

I haven't priced commercial lubes in the past few years, but I can make a pound or so of FWFL for less than a couple of hollow sticks a few years ago. All it takes is a bit of time.

Robert