Lube recipe

[KReider477]

I found a recipe for lube that I want to verify and I haven't found it on here. I'm very intrigued by it because its simple and seems weather stable which in my area is important because we range from -30 standing temp in the winter to 100 in the summer.

The recipe is 1 pound paraffin, 1 pound Vaseline, and 2 table spoons STP and melt it together for pan lubing. I would add candle color concentrate.

Not to mention the only non food safe/medical grade part would be the STP.


Thanks

[6bg6ga]

While it sounds interesting I'm sticking to Ben's Red.

[toallmy]

If you go to Forum then boolit lube you will realize your going off the deep end , you may never make it back . It seams so simple just a little of this and a little bit of that but what is deceiving is that is just how it starts . I have in a year and a half acquired a closet full of assorted items to create a simple lube , not counting tumble lube , or powder coating . The wife watches me when I'm in the kitchen like a hawk so I can't take her pots , and pans , she keeps looking for the measuring cups even the replacement ones seam to walk off , the toaster oven was missing . I'm going to seek therapy just not yet . But the only real advice I can offer is just make a very small amount of what ever you try and dip lube instead of a whole pan full . It's a obsession !

[rancher1913]

if you have not found it on here yet then its not really tried and tested for my liking, bens red is tested and works and is not that hard to do, a crock pot and some ingredients and you have enough lube to last a while. you can adjust the wax to make it better for your temperature.

[rda72927]

If you go to Forum then boolit lube you will realize your going off the deep end , you may never make it back . It seams so simple just a little of this and a little bit of that but what is deceiving is that is just how it starts . . It's a obsession !

I'm with Toallmy, been reloading 30 years and started casting less than a year ago. I have over 20 moulds now, but I KNOW I have a larger collection of different Lube's I have made, tested and the list of components is to large to name. Be careful going down this rabbit hole Alice.

[runfiverun]

what works well is to mix all of those experiments together and adjust the viscosity of the final product into one homogenous lube batch.
you'll forget what's in it but it'll last for years.

I wouldn't even try the OP's recipe, it is gonna be a sticky mess.

how we work around the hot cold thing is to have 2 lubes, one for below 40 and one for above.
or to modify the same lube for the 2 temperatures.
Ben's red works pretty well within a temperature window of about 20 to 85 then it starts getting dodgy.
for the plus 85 it needs a bit of carnuba and for below the 20 it starts to need another oil like atf that will come out of the lube easily and lay down a little something not gummy-grabby in the bore.

[Lead Fred]

In my entire casting adventure, Ive used one formula. I do change one thing when using smokeless powders.

1lb Randy's bees wax
1lb mexican lard

8oz cornola oil for holy black
80z STP oil treatment for smokeless.

Yet to fail me

[dverna]

R5R makes a good point. Most of us (well most of they guys I know) do almost all our shooting in the 20-85 degree temperature range. There are a number of lubes that do that well and are "simple". Commercial lubes are so cost effective that there is little incentive to make your own.

I can envisage a "hunting" lube for extremely cold temperatures but is it worth the investment in time and resources when jacketed bullets will do the job? Not for me, but YMMV

There is a 152 page thread (see Lube Stickies) on Extreme Bullet lube. There are talented and knowledgeable people who worked on this. So it is not an easy thing to do. Good reading though if this interests you.

As others have said, you will buy a lot of "stuff" and spend a lot of time testing. Is it worth the effort when a proven lube (costing less than $2 a stick) will accomplish 98% of your needs? And few will shoot many groups at -20 to test their latest concoction.

If you want a cast bullet to perform at such a wide range of temperatures, the powder coated bullet may be a better alternative as it forms a type of jacket and it not dependent on lube qualities like grease or wax. Just my $.02

[rwadley]

I found a recipe for lube that I want to verify and I haven't found it on here. I'm very intrigued by it because its simple and seems weather stable which in my area is important because we range from -30 standing temp in the winter to 100 in the summer.



The recipe is 1 pound paraffin, 1 pound Vaseline, and 2 table spoons STP and melt it together for pan lubing. I would add candle color concentrate.

Not to mention the only non food safe/medical grade part would be the STP.


Thanks

That is the Barry Farr lube recipe. It is post #7 on http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?26524-Just-the-facts-Lube-recipes

[KReider477]

Thanks guys. I had been digging through the old posts but I do most of this at work and sometimes miss posts. (for some reason people keep calling 911) I have looked into powder coating and as is mentioned I will be taking the toaster oven (I'll get a newer one for the kitchen) but I cant spend much more right now I have been buying too much for other projects.

[Toymaker]

rwadley, is that Barry Farr or Barry Darr? I learned that as Barry Darr's Lube. The variation I have is 2# Canning wax (Bee's wax is good too), 1# Vaseline, 1 Tablespoon STP.
I used that for years as a black powder lube before switching to Pete's lube. No, I never had any problems because it was a petroleum based lube.
I occasionally used it as a low velocity smokeless lube too. Then I switched to Ben's Red and never looked back.

[rwadley]

rwadley, is that Barry Farr or Barry Darr? I learned that as Barry Darr's Lube. The variation I have is 2# Canning wax (Bee's wax is good too), 1# Vaseline, 1 Tablespoon STP.
I used that for years as a black powder lube before switching to Pete's lube. No, I never had any problems because it was a petroleum based lube.
I occasionally used it as a low velocity smokeless lube too. Then I switched to Ben's Red and never looked back.
Typo or autocorrect. I meant Darr. His original recipe was half paraffin and half Vaseline. He later suggested adding a tsp of the old RCBS case lube to 2 lbs. of lube (this is called Darr #2). Over the years, it has been modified to 2 tbsp of STP. I don't know who changed it, but it is often still called Darr lube.

[leftiye]

I'd go 33% beezwax, 33% microwax (good paraffin), 33% heavy (military) vaseline, and the two tsp. STP. It'll be firmer and leave a thinner coating (bore condition) on the bore. Add a couple of tsp of tranny fluid too. It's almost Runfiverun's simple lube.

[country gent]

I believe the original Barry Darr recipe called for a teaspoon of the original RCBS case lube ( the old petrolium based lube that was very tacky and sticky) Stp should work as well as it also. I have made it a couple times and have thought about small amount of lanolin in the mix also. Or substituting the lanol;in for the STP / case lube.

[rwadley]

I believe the original Barry Darr recipe called for a teaspoon of the original RCBS case lube ( the old petrolium based lube that was very tacky and sticky).


You are right. My mistake.

[Oklahoma Rebel]

sorry to butt in, but for commercial lubes, what would be best for 45-70,44mag at 1300 and 1600 or so max, and 7.62x54R at 2000 max, most likely 1800.?i have a star with no heater. I have seen a lube that was half red careuba and half something else.what was the name of that? any suggestions would be appreciated., Travis

[rwadley]

sorry to butt in, but for commercial lubes, what would be best for 45-70,44mag at 1300 and 1600 or so max, and 7.62x54R at 2000 max, most likely 1800.?i have a star with no heater. I have seen a lube that was half red careuba and half something else.what was the name of that? any suggestions would be appreciated., Travis
BAC?
http://www.lsstuff.com

[gwpercle]

In my entire casting adventure, Ive used one formula. I do change one thing when using smokeless powders.

1lb Randy's bees wax
1lb mexican lard

8oz cornola oil for holy black
80z STP oil treatment for smokeless.

Yet to fail me

What's Mexican Lard ?
How is it different from American Lard or Hog Lard ?

[leftiye]

I think it has ghost peppers in it?

[Engineer1911]

I started reading this Forum about 3 years ago. In that short time, I've mad enough lube mixtures that my 7 year old grandson will have bullet lube for his lifetime. I'm 68 so I am way beyond enough lube for my lifetime. Bullet lube has 2 "products": 1] components to be used now or immediate foreseeable future. 2] Finished lube mixtures that have eternal shelf life.

Good luck with your lube recipes.