Kroil in the mould - I did it, it works!

[Vly]

There was a thread here about 2 months ago about using Kroil in the mould cavities to improve the "castability" of a mould. Here is a link to the original thread.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=55260

I will admit I had my doubts about it. Commonly accepted cast boolit wisdom is that any oil in a mould is bad and will cause wrinkled boolits. I do know from experience the preservative oil in a new mould needs to be removed or you get wrinkles. So from that many casters infer that all oil is bad and to apply oil on purpose just makes no sense at all.

I have a new Lyman 311359 that I acquired to feed a National Postal Meter 30 Carbine. The boolit does well in the carbine, but the mould is a real chore to use. The front cavity hangs up badly, and requires many forceful blows to release. I cleaned and cleaned and looked for burrs, but still the production rate was low and the fatigue and frustration level high.

So today I used Kroil in the cavities. The Kroil I have is liquid, not spray, so I soaked a Q-tip and throughly wet both cavities, waited a bit, then swabbed the excess out. Once the mould got up to temperature, it was like a different mould. The front cavity still needed an occasional tap, but the improvement was astonishing. My production rate shot up, and the frustration was way down. I quickly got into that "groove" where boolits are falling perfect with every cast and you want no interruptions. It was a beautiful thing. :bigsmyl2:

So if you have a balky mould, ignore past "wisdom" and try Kroil in the cavities.

http://www.fototime.com/0DB367EAECDFA37/standard.jpg

[45nut]

Amazing isn't it? I too have transformed a balky stubborn mold into something quite resembling that is a joy to use with Kroil.
I use it frequently now,, and smoking a mold here is a relic of the past.

[fastgun]

I guess after 35 years of bullet casting you can still learn something new. I have a mold that I will try it on. It will sure beat having to beat the *#@%& out of it to get the bullets to fall out. I sure hope it works.

[Shiloh]

Although not really a betting man, you could have taken some money from me. Whenever I have had bad, wrinkled, or incomplete fillout it is because of the incomplete removal of oil.

What does Kroil have in it that doesn't act like and oil contaminant??

Shiloh

[jim4065]

Does it only work with steel and iron, or has it worked with aluminum also?

[45nut]

Works great with aluminum molds, steel,,whatever.

I have no idea why,, or what it has in it,, no chemical engineer degree here,, but it flat works.

Now when I get a new mold,, I spray it with carb cleaner or boil it out first,, then try casting a few times when I get the mold hot,, gives me the opportunity to apply bull plate anyway,, then if the mold does not want to cooperate it gets the Kroil treatment.

Between Bullplate and Kroil,, we achieve happiness and get the boolits without beating up the molds.

[Vly]

You guys ask excellent questions. This is the first time I tried this, so am far from an expert on the subject. I would refer you to the thread linked in the OP for a more thorough discussion. The linked thread is 3 pages that touch on your questions.

[Blammer]

kroil huh? hmmm I got a bad dog mould that I'll have to try it on....

[RP]

Its majic dude I sometimes wear a chicken feet lucky charm if iam haveing a bad casting day.

[Bret4207]

Someone do us a favor- measure the castings before and after the Kroil goes in. I'm thinking it's leaving a coating of some kind. If it works that's great, but how think is the coating and does it affect boolit diameter?

[45nut]

Bret,, it's wiped on,, then wiped off ..
Dip a q-tip in the Kroil,, like Brycreem, a little dab will do ya,, then wipe the cavities and spin the q-tip and wipe it out with the clean end.

Really,, its also a great way to find any burrs in a cavity as well, but it literally isn't meant to be a layer,, if anything its a micro-thin one that would be impossible to measure.

Its similar to Bullplate in it's application,, less is more. And a little bit goes a long , long way.

[NuJudge]

Kroil is magic stuff, as far as I'm concerned. I have a number of rifles with non-stainless barrels I shoot regularly, and they shoot to a different POI if the bore is clean or oiled, but if I Kroil them I get no change in POI and no rust. YMMV.

The stuff creeps everywhere, so I store them muzzle down.

[Marlin Hunter]

Is it just standard Kroil? [they have so many different products at their website.]

Do you have to pay a HazMat fee for shipping????

Is there a local chain store place that sells it, like ACE hardware etc?

[mdi]

I bought Aero Kroil on line (they had a special) 2 cans for $12.00. No hazmat fees

[mdi]

https://secure.cnchost.com/kanolabs.com/index.shtml

[462]

Yep, the stuff is truly magic. Don't know the how or the why, but it works.

I hope all the posters who said they'd try it would let us know their results.

Perhaps a Kroil sticky?

[Old Ironsights]

OK, OK... I have plenty of Kroil, but now I'm going to have to try this... and I ordered some BullPlate too...

Jeez, you guys are worse than Perfume sales girls... ;)

[45nut]

this will be a sticky after a while,, don't want to copy it too soon.

[725]

I never would have thought. Will try it soon.

[Vly]

Someone do us a favor- measure the castings before and after the Kroil goes in. I'm thinking it's leaving a coating of some kind. If it works that's great, but how think is the coating and does it affect boolit diameter?

Bret - I just measured some I cast 2 weeks ago and compared them to the ones cast today. Any difference is undetectable by my micrometer.

[Three44s]

I'm a big fan of Kroil, Aerokroil and Silikroil but would never have guessed that it would help thusly with casting!

Next sticky casting session, I'll try it.

Three 44s

[Down South]

Hmmmmm, I remember reading one of the earlier post on Kroil being a great release agent but forgot about it. I keep several cans of the stuff in my shop. I’ll have to remember this and try it out next time that I’m casting with one of my finicky moulds.

[masscaster]

Aero Kroil rocks!!
masscaster
Look for the Orange Can!!

[Leadforbrains]

Been using Kroil for barrel prep for years. Recently started using it on my molds a couple of months ago. I love the stuff!

[snaggdit]

After reading the older post a few months ago, I tried it in one of my stubbern Lee molds. It helped some with dropping boolits but I didn't get monstrous improvement in that mold, but also didn't get any wrinkles. IIRC, the thought was in Steel molds it would fill the pores more than aluminum. I am not knocking it. I'm just saying I think the improvement is greater in steel than aluminum. Love Kroil to clean my barrels!

[geargnasher]

:holysheep I've still gotta try this. I first heard about it from Shotman earlier this weekhttp://http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=58839

Gear

[stubshaft]

I use it to rustproof my moulds. I use it also to clean lead out of barrels. The only problem i have is that it cleans it too clean. I have to shoot about 5 rounds to condition the bore again. It is magical on lead smears. Shoot it in (aerosol) let it sit for about 3 - 5 minutes and use a plain patch to push the lead out! The first time I did this I was amazed. The lead came out of the bore/land grooves in strips.

[longhorn47]

try it on chicken legs you will not believe it

[odoh]

Is it just standard Kroil? [they have so many different products at their website.]

Do you have to pay a HazMat fee for shipping????

Is there a local chain store place that sells it, like ACE hardware etc?

During their promotion I ordered some acid unknowingly. They shipped it w/o HazMat but in reading it, I picked up that I wasn't supposed to have it. Its advertised as a rust remover.

I spray the kroil oil onto my iron blocks at the end of the session. Then degrease it w/carb cleaner while the alloy is heating. Perhaps degreasing step isn't necessary?

[qajaq59]

I wish I was a chemist, just so I'd know why that would work!!

[shotman]

Well it took you all long enough to try it. I bought a mold off feebay its a lee 6 cav . it is the spcl run of the 165gr tl fp. I found out why he sold it . I cleaned it and used the Kroil cast about 100 and 90% were trash. I took more Kroil and heated it with a torch [not real hot] and sprayed it and let cool. sprayed again and wiped off wet and cast another 100 or so. This time it was about 50% trash. Let cool and sprayed again. Cast about 100 more. That time was donwn to 10% and most of those were my doing .
Do not clean off after you use it . You will need to wipe the face and use the Q tip to keep from getting a build up on the face of the block . It will clean its self in the cav.
It DOES NOT prevent rust on the steel molds[does on al molds I guess] After the mold gets seasoned I can cast 200 or more before they dont drop when you open the mold.
It DOES NOT change the size like the smoke or spray release. If you have one that is smoked or sprayed the Kroil will clean it up . New molds should be cleand of the shipping oil/coating with actone or the like Most all NAPA stores have it rick
The best surprize was what it done to a 25acp mold

[cajun shooter]

I have used Kroil for years in doing any type of machine work. I keep a can next to my drill press for that chore. I had a friend with severe leading in his 44-40. I told him to soak the barrel with Kroil and let it stand over night. The next day all the leading was lifted and went easy out the bore. When I use it to clean any new gun barrel also. I also jumped on the deal of 2 Areo-Kroils to your door for the price of one. I remember when WD-40 first hit the market and the raves it got. Kroil has been around for years and is somewhat a hidden product. The use of inside the mold cavity is new even to me and I already am using it for mold storage. But I've only been casting for 38 years so I'm still in the learning process. I've been cleaning my molds with acetone and now find out I should leave it there. Amazing!!! Long live KROIL

[Three44s]

Temporary hijack:

Someone mentioned barrel effects with Kroil.

I won't dis Kroil for cleaning but for barrel coating and then firing, my best has been hand lapping with USP or JB bore paste and then final clean and season with CorrosionX then dry patch it down to a steady roar.

Hijack off

Three 44s

[Maven]

Great post Lloyd! I just remembered that I have a mold that could benefit from "Kroiling." And, as luck would have it, I happen to need some of those CB's. I'll let you know how this turns out. Btw, Monty will be away for the Aug. 14 meeting in case he didn't e-mail you about it.

[captain-03]

I have that same carbine mould and one the cavities is a "bugger" ... know what to try next time! Thanks ...

[HWooldridge]

try it on chicken legs you will not believe it

No kiddin' - I'm gonna smoke some ribs and spray it on for baste...:-D

[shotman]

I just run about 200 more. I got it this time. Only loss was my fault. Those were moving mold too fast to get a base fill out.

[Cloudpeak]

Jeez, you guys are worse than Perfume sales girls... ;)

But the sales girl's smell a heck of a lot better[smilie=1:

[44man]

My guess is Kroil doesn't gas off at casting temps. But has anyone tried Bullplate in the cavities yet? I have had some get in the cavity and just wiped it off and cast with no problems.
We just might have two good products to play with.

[cohutt]

I used kroil on my new mihec 44 hp mold this afternoon to clean the HP pin arms that slide through the mold. I had to work on this mold a little to get it to close properly (didn't take too much). After I cleaned the whole mold with brake cleaner and warmed it up to cook off the condensation, I touched up the pins with the kroil and it got in the cavities.

I figured i'd see how it went and after the mold heated up things went really really well. I noticed the bullets started dropping easily without wrinkles about the time I caught the smell of the kroil burning off.

BTW This is a brass mold.

[leadeye]

Kroil looks like more of a solvent/surfactant combination to me. It's advertised function is to penetrate rusted parts. It probably contains some lubricant that may not be hydrocarbon related. In my old line of work we used butyl benzyl pthalate for lube on everything from machinery to spray guns as it had no affect on any of the coatings we made.

[peter nap]

They're having a special on it now. I ordered two spray cans for a little over $12.00 delivered.

[BRIARPATCH]

:!:
FWIW, Looking at their website I see Kroil also offers a special product specifically for mold release. It's called (Parteze Mold Release) and a free can is available when your order a regular or larger size can or Kroil from them.
You can read their info for yourselves but description states that it's silicone based and is repellent to oil and water and heat resistant.

[BRIARPATCH]

peter nap,
Who's offering the special and on what size cans?

[Vly]

That Parteze stuff looks interesting. They have many interesting products on the website. Maybe they will become a site sponsor, with all the business we are pushing their way. ;)

Briarpatch - If you go here - https://secure.cnchost.com/kanolabs.com/index.shtml - you will see the free trial offer on the checkout page. Free can of your choice with purchase.

[peter nap]

peter nap,
Who's offering the special and on what size cans?

http://www.kanolabs.com/google/

[Maven]

Tried the Kroil swab on my balky Ly. 245496 yesterday (swabbed, let it sit and preheat, wiped the excess from the cavities) and found no material difference in performance or CB diameter. To wit, the front cavity was still balky, but a bit of smoking with a wooden match worked better than Kroil. Also, if I cast and cooled the mold a la Bruce B., I'm sure the CB's would have fallen with little coaxing on my part.

[Gohon]

Tried the Kroil swab (swabbed, let it sit and preheat, wiped the excess from the cavities) and found no material difference in performance or CB diameter. but a bit of smoking with a wooden match worked better than Kroil.

Ditto experience here with my mould.

[HWooldridge]

NAPA sells a similar product called "Knock 'R Loose" - works well to clean barrels and actions.

[Rick459]

did th kroil thing on my lyman 427098 mold and now it will not fill either cavity all the way up. washed the mold in hot soap and water and still it will not fill the cavities all the way up. any one have any ideas as to whatt's going on ? did i wreck my mold using this stuff......

[snaggdit]

Try cleaning good with white gas or brake cleaner as well then whipe clean with a qtip. I also tried Kroil again a few nights ago in a Lee six banger that had some sticking boolits. Ended up with wrinkly boolits for a half dozen or so fills. Finally they began to drop OK again, but still sticking in the same cavities. Smoked the stubborn cavs and it improved a little.

[shotman]

I guess some never learn. and from several molds I have bought I can understand. It does work and works good . If you do it right . It is like "seasoning an iron skillet" once done its forever. It takes a little longer to get a AL mold to season than a steel one.
Heat the AL to casting temp. take Qtip and wet inside of cavity. It will dry cast about 10 sets. they will not be very good. Spray the mold all over and let cool. next time wipe the wet off and heat mold cast about 10 more sets. you will see they improve. sray the mold and let cool again. repeat same thing wipe the wet and cast .This time you should get 90% and most will fall out. Every time do same thing Spray after you finish and let cool. at about 10 times I rarely have to tap a mold.

[snaggdit]

Why not? I'm a glutton for punishment. I'll try that the next time.

[Springfield]

Or you could just cast a few hundred bullets and let the natural coating take over and they will cast well. They best casting LEE moulds I have are the ones that are brown most everywhere. What it seems to me you are doing is just speeding up the natural coating process. I have never had a mould that didn't get better with use, at least not aluminum ones. Don't use that many steel ones, and most of them are used and work fine already. If I ever get one that just won't release properly after a break-in I might try this, but of the 35 LEE 6 cav's I use I haven't had one yet. Reminds me of a Diesel Engine repair class I took once, actually it was the transmission repair part of the course. The teacher said that whenever he rebuilt a tranny he would take a dremel tool and round off all the edges of the dogs to make for a smoother shifiting tranny. Some of the students protested this precedure, felt he was just shortening the life of the tranny for the purpose of an immediately smooth tranny. Which he was. It would have smoothed out by itself in due time. My moulds always drop bullets properly eventually, with out my having to cast a bunch of bad bullets. Either way will work, I suppose. Just a different approach.

[qajaq59]

Sounds like it may have filled the venting grooves?

[redbear705]

I suppose that one of you guys are gonna tell us that RainX will work as a mold release too!:grin:

JR

[markinalpine]

I suppose that one of you guys are gonna tell us that RainX will work as a mold release too!:grin:

JR

Try it and give us a report. Who knows? :idea:

I've had pretty good luck with my Lee 6 cavity handgun moulds and double cavity rifle moulds, after thoroughly cleaning the mould first with brake cleaner (outside, of course) and carefully deburring, preheating on a hotplate, casting and then lubing with bullplate per the instructions, and then casting away, realizing that the first few casts are going back into the pot.

I have had the same experience as Springfield a few posts earlier with using the moulds until they are seasoned nice and brown.

Mark :coffeecom

[Lead Fred]

Just sent away for the 2 for 1 google deal.

thanks guys

[inuhbad]

I like the Kroil too! It's truly one of those things that has a CR@PTON of different uses in a man's workshop!