Vegan Lube

[bettieguitar]

For some time now I have been on the search for a bullet lube that contains no animal products. I have seen posted that there are several products that can be used to replace beeswax such as: bayberry wax, Japan wax, candelilla wax, or a vegetable wax such as soy. The problem is all of the recipes that I have seen containing any of these products still contain beeswax. Is there not a suitable lube that can be purchased or made up that contain no animal products? I will be using this lube primarily for black powder but, if it works for smokeless too that is a plus. Thanks guys and looking forward to feedback.

[Rcmaveric]

Hmmm.... problem is bees wax inherent perfect qualities. I understand honey and beeswax isn't vegan. I cant thinking of any black powder lubes that are vega

Disclaimer: if have never made or used vegan lubes. If i had to make one this is what I would do. Maybe someone has a one they use and can save you the trouble. But there isn't one you will need experiment and tinker to find your own.

You would need hygroscopic materials and vegan materials. My vegan friends would probably roast both of us if they saw this but here goes. Sorry gunpowder isn't vegan and we SOL on that one. Glycerol is made from animal mostly.

Coconut oil/grease is pretty soft. So try paraffin wax and Coconut oil mixed.... rapeseed oil is vegan. Castor oil is vegan as well as mineral oils. For black powder mineral based materials are steered away from because it doesnt keep the fouling soft. But a stiffer black powder lube works fine on smokeless along as your aren't pushing to hard past blackpowder pressures and velocities, but different people have different results.

Problem is also getting things to mix. I said to try coconut oil and paraffin wax. But it may not mix. Thats another area where bee wax shines. It's alcohol esters mix with everything.

So you going to have to try things out your self so get a good cleaning kit and a few extra brushes because scrubbing out leading will destroy a bore brush quickly.

Get a package of gulf wax and a can coconut oil. Just get a single sheet of gulf wax from the pack and melt and then add a table spoon or two of coconut oil. Then let it cool and check consistency. I personally like my black powder lube to be like thick butt paste. So I would slowly add the oil or grease component until the lube had that consistency when cooled. Also let the lube sit for a day or two to see if it separates. Sometimes the oils will leach from the wax and thats not good. That will foul the powder. You can try different oils.

All waxes but bee wax are vegan. I would use a soft one. Palm waxes and beery are stiff as well as Japan wax. Some of the pseudo waxes might work well if mixed with gulf wax or a stiff true plant wax. Soy wax is pseudo wax (hydrogenated soy oil) as well as a few others. Carnauba is a true plant wax but its super hard. It gives the bore a nice shiny look though. After doing a little research I think Candelillia wax would work great and is a popular vegan candle wax and has a high oil binding capacity (from a quick Google search).

Also. Make the original SL-68 lube with out the bees wax. That would be a good vegan smokeless lube and use a cheap vegan bar soap as the soap. That would make it vegan.

Sent from my SM-N970U using Tapatalk

[Nobade]

Dick Dastardly's Pearl Lube will fit your requirements. Soy wax, Crisco, and toilet bowl ring. Those used to be beeswax but are synthetic now. It works fairly well and is cheap and easy to make. You can find info about it on his web site. http://www.biglube.com/

[BNE]

Powder coat?

[remy3424]

What BNE said. Vegan lube...I was expecting this was going to be a joke. I will not ask why.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

SNIP...

no animal products.
Bettieguitar,
Welcome to the forum.
My suggestion would be to buy some Microwax and substitute that in a homemade lube recipe.

With that said, my understanding is that Honey Bees are not animals. But I suspect you have passionate views on Mass farming and don't want to contribute to the colonization of insects. While I have never heard of Vegan's being sensitive to Bee farming byproducts, I can respect that. Our modern world is completely intertwined with Mass farming techniques, if there was ever a majority collective movement toward ending those practices, I suspect the human race, as we know it, will end.

[farmbif]

I got to ask
why do you want vegan bullet lube?

[flyingmonkey35]

I got to ask
why do you want vegan bullet lube?Well my gusse animals eat vegetables so therefore a vegan bullet would attract the tasty things.

....

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

[fiberoptik]

Don’t eat the lube!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Maven]

bg, There may be one (or more) that is vegan: https://castbulletassoc.org/uploads/...cblube2016.pdf

[Rcmaveric]

I got to ask
why do you want vegan bullet lube?I work with vegan friends. I learned not to ask. When we first met I made the mistake of saying I was hunter. Then the conversation turned to cows and I got a 3 hour lecture about raping cows... its not about the meat side of it it goes deeper into kindness to animals and sweet shops in China and animal testing ext. Good stewards to the earth. My friends won't use anything from China and other certain countries.

As to the other post about bees being animals. I actually asked my vegan friends and the agreed it is not vegan. It has to do with possibly hurting the bees and you are taking that which doesn't belong to you.

Sent from my SM-N970U using Tapatalk

[Winger Ed.]

It has to do with possibly hurting the bees and you are taking that which doesn't belong to you.

Hmmm, I never thought about that.

I've helped a beekeeper relative a couple times,
and the smoke you spray at them is probably a little irritating, but doesn't seem to hurt the little critters.
I always figured honey & beeswax was OK with vegan types since ya didn't kill the bees getting it.

I respect other people's beliefs & wishes, but sometimes I trip up a little.
I had a vegetarian co-worker who got down on me one time about hunting.
I asked him how he could ignore the plant's screaming when he cut into a tomato or whacked off a ear of corn.

Whew,,,,, I'll never do that again.:bigsmyl2:

[gwpercle]

Powder coat?

That answer is way too easy and practical . Vegan's like to go the difficult route .
I wonder if this is a fishing expedition . You don't eat boolit lube and a vegan isn't going to be hunting game for consumption ... what's up Doc ?
Crisco , Vaseline and paraffin would be vegan & black powder lubricant .
Gary

[Rcmaveric]

Vegans dont just not eat meat. Its a life style of choices. They won't use any products either that use things like animal testing or made in Chinese sweat shops by child labor.

It goes deeper than food. Its the products they use and clothes they were also. My vegan friends refuse to use plastic bags. That's how deep it goes.

Sent from my SM-N970U using Tapatalk

[Buzz Krumhunger]

If vegans object to plastic bags they may object to paraffin and vaseline, and powder coat. They’re all made of petroleum products.
One might expect lead bullets would be unacceptable to a person of such sensibilities , too.
Wonder if the OP is trolling us?

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Vegans dont just not eat meat. Its a life style of choices. They won't use any products either that use things like animal testing or made in Chinese sweat shops by child labor.

It goes deeper than food. Its the products they use and clothes they were also. My vegan friends refuse to use plastic bags. That's how deep it goes.

Sent from my SM-N970U using Tapatalk

In the early '90s, I dated a lady who was a Vegetarian (for religious reasons.) She was a Catholic-Buddhist. She would draw the line at the Mollusk. Anything with less brain activity than a Mollusk was fair game. She wouldn't buy leather products for herself, but she would buy rawhide leather chews for her dog, because her dog (Newfoundland) wasn't a Vegetarian.

[remy3424]

If vegans object to plastic bags they may object to paraffin and vaseline, and powder coat. They’re all made of petroleum products.
One might expect lead bullets would be unacceptable to a person of such sensibilities , too.
Wonder if the OP is trolling us?

No way!! A new guy on his first post, nooooo!

[dverna]

That answer is way too easy and practical . Vegan's like to go the difficult route .
I wonder if this is a fishing expedition . You don't eat boolit lube and a vegan isn't going to be hunting game for consumption ... what's up Doc ?
Crisco , Vaseline and paraffin would be vegan & black powder lubricant .
Gary

Maybe just shooting targets.

[Outpost75]

Japan wax and olive oil is vegan and is acceptable for Hindus and Buddists.

Can't speak to Catholic-Buddists... Probably OK if you clean your matchlock with Holy Water...

[greenjoytj]

I thought bees were insects & therefore ok with the vegans.

Crisco + Jojoba oil + carnauba wax.

[Rcmaveric]

Hopefully our facetiousness doesn't scare off the OP.

Sent from my SM-N970U using Tapatalk

[Winger Ed.]

I wonder if vegans lose sleep over the dead bugs collected on their windshield when driving to and from the range.

Good question. I've wondered about that myself.

Best I can figure is-- As well as spraying for spiders and roaches in the house,
it might be OK if there was never any plans to eat them.

[fiberoptik]

If they love animal soooooo much, why do they eat the poor critters food? Plants have feelings too![emoji41]
I’m a member of PETA. People Eating Tasty Animals! Vegans need to throw rocks 🪨 instead!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[bettieguitar]

Thank you for thoose that have answered respectfully. Much appreciated Nobade, I will give him a call. There are obviously several people on this forum who are ignorant and show a complete lack of respect. That is ok, I am used to it. It is about educating yourself. Thank you Rcmaveric for your understanding and your efforts towards that on here.
I was hoping that there would be someone who has made a product that could share quantities or a commercial product.

[Rcmaveric]

No problem. I wouldn't call them ignorant. They know better. They are just poking fun for a laugh at anothers expense. Dont take it personal. Means they like you lol. Owe, welcome to the fun.

You will be hard pressed for commercial products. Alot of people keep their secret concoctions recipe guarded and about everyone of them calls for beeswax.

You will have to do some research. But I think 45/45/10 (wax component is Johnsons paste wax) and Ben's tumble lube (Lundmark Floor wax is the wax component) should be vegan. Both are tumble lubes for smokeless. I think you can get 45/45/10 from white label. Both are made from Lee Alox which is hydrocarbon based. Also both are super easy to make and some have had great successes with them.

Sent from my SM-N970U using Tapatalk

[MostlyLeverGuns]

If you are avoiding animal products, at some point the petroleum industry will come into play (transportation of all those 'plant-based products', tractor fuel to grow ...)

[flint45]

Vegans object to almost everything I like so I just don’t do vegan to each his own but vegans are to much for me.

[Rcmaveric]

Lol my vegan friends grew on me. We have fun little debates now.

An often missed idea. Vegetarian and vegan is promoted by all religions and mandated by a few. We could all use some good karma or good works in life. Even Christianity promotes vegetarianism and kindness to animal while also forbidding passing judgment on others based on what they eat.

I know when I harvest an animal it breaks my heart to see it suffer. I want a good quick clean kill. I pray for the animal and my aim and squeeze the trigger as I admire its grace and beauty. Half the fun of hunting is wild life watching.

If the shoe was on the other foot how do you want to be killed. I would prefer the needle or bang flop after a long great life. As apposed to a gut wound a quarter way through my prime.

Sent from my SM-N970U using Tapatalk

[robg]

there aint much to a vegan so it would be difficult to make lube from them.

[Nobade]

Lol my vegan friends grew on me. We have fun little debates now.

An often missed idea. Vegetarian and vegan is promoted by all religions and mandated by a few. We could all use some good karma or good works in life. Even Christianity promotes vegetarianism and kindness to animal while also forbidding passing judgment on others based on what they eat.

I know when I harvest an animal it breaks my heart to see it suffer. I want a good quick clean kill. I pray for the animal and my aim and squeeze the trigger as I admire its grace and beauty. Half the fun of hunting is wild life watching.

If the shoe was on the other foot how do you want to be killed. I would prefer the needle or bang flop after a long great life. As apposed to a gut wound a quarter way through my prime.

Sent from my SM-N970U using Tapatalk

I'm hoping for red mist...

[Good Cheer]

Anybody tried peanut butter?

[richhodg66]

Anybody tried peanut butter?

You know, never thought about it, but that may work just fine as a muzzle loader lube. Seems most everybody agrees a half anf half mix of just about any kind of vegetable oil and Bees wax to stiffen it works. Peanut butter is stiffened up already and vegetable and oily.

[barrabruce]

Paper patching.
Don’t know how one is going to clean and protect their gun from rust.
Ballistol?

Can’t use smokeless powder because they use something from pigs to equalise the burn rate.

[slohunter]

How do you know someone is vegan? They will tell you every 5 minutes!

[Winger Ed.]

Peanut butter is stiffened up already and vegetable and oily.

That old school kind that the oil floats up and ya have to stir it might be good by pouring off the oil.
I guess that'd be pretty much the same as just using peanut oil from the grocery store though.

[Bigslug]

But is Marine Grease made by, for, or OF Marines? Should we also be concerned about baby oil? And how do the Girl Scouts select who sells vs. who becomes cookies? It's a WEIRD cult, that one.;)

Peanut butter - - I think we discussed it years back in the Quest thread. My thought was that maltodextrin could be used in moderate quantity to stiffen/stabilize it. Don't know if anybody ever followed up on that.

[Rcmaveric]

I remember that thread. Wasnt the grit of the peanuts speculated as bad for accuracy? I recall someone tried dry lubricants suspended in wax base and it didn't work too well.

Sent from my SM-N970U using Tapatalk

[DougGuy]

No way!! A new guy on his first post, nooooo!

Somehow I don't think bettieguitar is a guy. I could be wrong. Welcome to the forum. If you are female yes you are in a bit of a minority, if you are a guitar player as I am, we are in an even slimmer minority but there are a few pickers here. Ok fellas, be nice now...

[Rcmaveric]

I have tried to learn the guitar. I am saxophone and Recorder player. Played the recorder as a child and picked up the saxophone in my teens and play both throughout high-school. I bring my recorder with me on travels. Same key and fingers as my alto sax so I can pass time and keep playing.

I want own a beautiful gold and white gold trimmed saxophone with black mother of pearl keys before I die. Wife say the price tag and told me what I can go do with myself. It cost as much as a car.

Sent from my SM-N970U using Tapatalk

[Bent Ramrod]

You might need to make a few experimental mixtures, but some combination of one of the leaf or berry waxes and jojoba oil should give you the right combination of hardness, lubricity and ability to soften black powder fouling, in combination with moisture.

Sperm oil was reportedly the gold standard in the 19th century for long-range black powder target shooters. A guy named Charlie Dell did a lot of experimenting with various oils and waxes for boolit lubes, and said that jojoba oil came closest in characteristics to the now-unavailable sperm oil.

A winning BPCR target shooter in Mike Venturino’s book on black powder cartridge rifles (forget his name) said that any lube that softens fouling and can be applied to boolits seems to work as well as any other.

Don’t know why you all are ragging on this poor lady. A Vegan lube isn’t any more out-there than a lube that generates official screamer groups with cast boolits at 3000 ft/sec, and everybody wants that one. There may even be an untapped market indicated here. Make up your own certified proprietary trade-secret Vegan lube recipe, advertise on the black-powder sites and see if it sells.

[fcvan]

HaHa alert, stupid comments to follow . . .

I am a modified vegetarian. Cows eat plants which is like vegetables. I simply eat processed veggies.

I don't have a problem with vegans or vegetarians, it leaves more meat for us!

Now for the serious stuff. My niece's daughter has recently decided she is vegan. Her parents fixed some plant based sausage links for her. Her comment was 'they taste too much like the real thing.' They in fact did, I tried some. My niece also fixed some turkey corn chowder, lots of veggies and such, but before the meat and dairy was added some of the chowder was pulled off for her. She liked it but still commented it was missing something. My niece is going to try tofu and almond milk, should fill the bill.

I had a cook recommend some meat substitute made in his home town of Petaluma, CA. I bought some Nature's Burger, came out to be about the same price per pound as regular burger. It is a dried box mix so it's shelf life is stellar. Fixed as described, it was very good. It was even better when made into Sloppy Joe's.

I don't have a problem with vegetarian or vegan folks for their beliefs, kind of like folks who have different personal beliefs. This is America, personal liberty is a core ingredient to our national culture. I do have a problem with folks who are militant, non accepting of other's beliefs, and develop some sort of superiority complex. As Woodrow F. Call said, 'I hate rude behavior in a man, I won't tolerate it.' I think it is time to re-watch Lonesome Dove again.

[shampine]

There are many good vegan friendly hand and body lotions . I would try Jack Black Industrial strength hand healer first . You could also google DIY vegan friendly salves,creams, lotions etc. Good luck on you venture .

[fiberoptik]

there aint much to a vegan so it would be difficult to make lube from them.

It takes sooo many of them to get enough oils to make the lube![emoji41]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[BamaNapper]

I have wondered if bar soap could be used as a lube (in a pinch, maybe SHTF). I mention it here knowing that there are vegan soaps. Melt the soap and dip the boolits like any other wax lube. Would it smell like flowers when you get to the range? Could you add a little more oil to the soap when it's melted and run it through a lube-sizer?

[Winger Ed.]

Would it smell like flowers when you get to the range?

Probably.

I use Mrs. Winger's cast off remnants from scented candles in my low speed .45ACP & .38Spec. lube.
They have a pleasant foo-foo smell when fired.

[Rcmaveric]

Soap is nothing more than oil and fat saponified. Its best to cut it though with wax and additional oil.

Lol you want a little bit more lubing action and a little bit less cleaning action.

Sent from my SM-N970U using Tapatalk

[gwpercle]

Anybody tried peanut butter?

With Strawberry Jam it makes a good sandwich !
Gary

[John Boy]

Want substitute beeswax? Use microcrystalline wax ...

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I have wondered if bar soap could be used as a lube (in a pinch, maybe SHTF). I mention it here knowing that there are vegan soaps. Melt the soap and dip the boolits like any other wax lube. Would it smell like flowers when you get to the range? Could you add a little more oil to the soap when it's melted and run it through a lube-sizer?

First, try melting the soap you want to use...let us know how that goes ;)

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Soap is nothing more than oil and fat saponified. Its best to cut it though with wax and additional oil.

Lol you want a little bit more lubing action and a little bit less cleaning action.

Sent from my SM-N970U using Tapatalk

I think you mean Lye and fat/oil saponified ;)

[skeettx]

Marfak and Beeswax is what I used for pistol bullets
and some rifle bullets
So maybe paraffin and Multifak?

https://cglapps.chevron.com/msdspds/PDSDetailPage.aspx?docDataId=336300&docFormat=PDF

https://www.jewellamberoil.com/sales/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=66&products_id=273