How to soften bullet lube?

[rwt101]

I made my first batch of pan lube. I used 1lb bees wax-1lb paraffin wax and 1 part lithium molly lube. It dries pretty hard and is not sticking to the cb too good. Would petroleum jelly help soften it and help it stick better?

Bob T

[JSnover]

reduce the parrafin. That's hard stuff.

[wiljen]

lanolin helps some with the softening and getting it to stick to the boolits. Try nipple cream from your local wally world baby dept as it is usually anhydrous lanolin.

[Ricochet]

Lanolin is terrific stuff!

[rwt101]

I will have to pick some up. I don't know if I should start over or try to salvage what I have?
Bob T

[GabbyM]

Work with what you have.
4 Tbs of Lanolin should soften 2 pounds of your lube.

[runfiverun]

use less parafin next time also.
start with about 30%.
some vasoline would soften it,but the lanolin makes it tacky so it adheres to the boolit better.

[mtgrs737]

I have read where Ivory soap or Stearic Acid will help the lube stick to the boolit. Stearic Acid is a fatty acid that candle makers use in making candles and is available from vendors on ebay. I bought a 10 pound box of it and use it to flux my alloy as it is clean.

[StarMetal]

Your recipe sounds very close to 357maximum's new lube which is 1 lb of paraffin, 2 lbs of soft micro crystalline wax, and one 14 tube of Walmart brand cheapo lithium grease.

Some have mentioned soap. You might also make a batch of my recent lube. Equal amounts of beeswax and Ivory bar soap, not the aloe stuff, and two tablespoons of caster oil. The tablespoon measures I used were the large kitchen spoons which I believe not to be a full tablespoon.

Joe

[hiram]

Lanolin will certainly work. I use it, but you might feel it is a little expensive. IMO I think you should use some but to soften your 2# of alloy, try a larger amount of a softer ingredient. If you don't want to use more lithium lube, try Crisco.

[Bullshop]

Bullplate will soften it. It will more than soften it too. It does the same thing in a barrel that it does on a mold, keeps lead from sticking.
BIC/BS

[405]

Pan lubing usually calls for a slightly softer lube for sure. You might look at Felix lube (tons in archives). Also, Bullshop has excellent lubes and advice. For softening--- any vegetable oil works, lanolin works and adds a little "stickiness", Bullplate works.

A better approach the next time you make lube is to start without the parafin- it is the primary hardener in many lubes. Add small amounts until you get the desired hardness/softness. This take a little time and patience because each time a test batch is made it needs to cool to test results.

Interesting how lube opinions/preferences take wide swings. "Lube too soft and messy, too sticky, attracts dirt, won't handle the velocity, etc." Then the opposite view. "Lube too hard for the lubrisizer, won't stick to the bullet, won't soften BP fouling, etc." :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

[rwt101]

Well it is a learning experience. I just startd to cast about a month age. I am doing pretty good at that right now. I can't afford a lube sizer. I tried the LLA and it coated good but I liked the idea of filling the lube ring. I will do some more experimenting and see what happens. The lanolin is a bit pricey.

Bob T

[TAWILDCATT]

I hit a yard sale and got a deep fat fryer.I use that to melt the ingrediants.I did buy a commercial lube in one pound blocks for $1.00 a lb.so now I use the fryer to melt and pour in my stick molds.my formular WAS parafine and bees wax and gear grease.then I used toilet bowl rings and parafine and gear grease.since I bought 50 lb of the commercial I still have plenty.

[Ricochet]

Here's a whole pound of anhydrous lanolin for $12.99:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Lanolin-Anhydrous-1-lb-Soaps-Creams-Lip-Balms-Lotions_W0QQitemZ350261529957QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH _DefaultDomain_0?hash=item518d36cd65

[405]

Well it is a learning experience. I just startd to cast about a month age. I am doing pretty good at that right now. I can't afford a lube sizer. I tried the LLA and it coated good but I liked the idea of filling the lube ring. I will do some more experimenting and see what happens. The lanolin is a bit pricey.

Bob T

Oh ya, you'll find nearly an endless list of recipes and opinions about lubes. I agree with the thought of filling lube grooves. I came to the conclusion a long time ago (right or wrong) that the lube acts as a kind of hydraulic cushion between the bare bullet and the bore. Some have theorized that full lube grooves are pressurized, at least for the first part of travel down the bore, thus maximizing that hydraulic effect. I imagine or guess that a slightly softer lube could also enhance that effect. I use mostly softer lubes. Also, I think many of the commercially cast bullets you see have a very hard lube simply because they can be handled, shipped, stored, etc. without messing up the lube.... or messing up the fingers of the customer :) Temperature can dictate how soft a lube can be. 100' plus can melt some lubes.

The cost of lanolin is not too bad if shopped around, like the posted link. Plus, a little goes a loooong way. Pan lubing is really a pretty good way to go. That coupled with a Lee push thru sizer is more than adequate to produce excellent bullets. For lube, if you experiment with ingredients, something we all like to do, one thing to watch for is good mixing. Some things just don't mix well with others. That's why testing in small quantities is always a good idea.

[rwt101]

I appreciate the link for the lanolin.

I just tried putting some petroliun jelly in it. Not too much. I really dont have the funds right now to buy much. The new problem that I have is that when I start putting the lube in the pan instead of flowing real good it starts to harden and doesn't flow around the whole pan. When it is in the pot on the burner it is real thin.
Bob T

[cajun shooter]

Go to Amazon and put NOW lanolin in the search tab. You will find several sellers and can pick the best price. It comes in 7oz bottles and is pure 100% lanolin. I bought 12 7oz containers for $4.00 each. A great buy if you price pure lanolin.