Pure Carnuba as Lube?

[Fish_N_Russ]

I was going thru my car stuff box the other day and found an old can of 100% pure carnuba wax.......I know carnuba is a ingredient in many lube recipies, but can a person just use this by itself as lube? thanks

[44man]

I don't see why not. Guys are using JPW at the lower velocities to good effect.

[Down South]

I was thinking that pure carnuba is in flake form and is very hard. At least what I have is. If you have a can of car wax that is a paste then it has something esle mixed in with it to make it that way. It may still make a good lube, I don't know.

[Tom W.]

Sure it......should.

[Fish_N_Russ]

mines in a can, not flaked but says '100% pure brazillian carnuba wax'........hard paste but when u touch it, it melts like crisco in your hands.
hmmm that reminds me, the wife has a big jar of that Shea Butter and its about the same consistency.....wonder if that would work too hmmm

[Alchemist]

I'm probably full of crap (it happens occasionally), but personally I would avoid automotive polish/wax of any kind. Here's my thinking (or lack of)...

Car wax usually dries to powder, which looks to me like it would be at least a little bit abrasive. Rubbing compound is definitely abrasive. Do you want to send abrasive material down your bore? I know there are fire lapping materials of various kinds on the market, and admit that I have zero experience and almost zero knowledge of them. Still, they are designed for the purpose and intended to be used in a known fashion. Using something of unknown abrasiveness, in uncontrolled circumstances seems less than logical to me. YMMV

Okay, lemme have it...I'll take my lumps with minimal sniveling.

Alchemist

[felix]

Nah, when was the last time you fired a primer down your barrel? Check it out tonight and feel the grit! ... felix

[David2011]

Jeff Hilde, the maker of Jake's Lubes told me that the Carnauba just makes the bore shiny and doesn't really contribute to the basic functions of the lube. Maybe it's better used as a additive in a volume of around 5%. Personally, I don't know one way or the other- just passing along what I was told by a lube manufacturer.

David

[David2011]

Nah, when was the last time you fired a primer down your barrel? Check it out tonight and feel the grit! ... felix

Doesn't the more complete combustion of a full load burn the primer residue better and carry the rest out with the expanding gas? Agreed- primer residue is nasty stuff. It's really obvious the way my Dillon presses collect lots of primers.

David

[geargnasher]

Carnauba wax won't work by itself because it won't stay on the boolits without some help. That's why most lubes use a carrier like MC wax or beeswax. A little lanolin or chassis grease will help it stick to the boolits.

Straight JPW will work, but it cracks and flakes off since it is mostly petroleum wax and solvents and only a small percentage carnauba.

Gear

[high standard 40]

100% pure carnaube is VERY hard and brittle. Your can of wax is made with 100%carnauba. That does not mean it is 100% carnauba. Pure carnauba is only one ingredient in it.

Kinda like your soup being made with 100% pure sea salt.

[buck1]

Yep . Carnauba is just hard like corn flakes.

[Edubya]

What is the jewelry polish that sits next to my buffer if it's not canuba? It is not flaky, it is hard and makes steel shine up real nice. I bought it as carnuba and have cut off slices of it to use in my Felix lube. It does seem to help there and it gives a nice color also.
EW

[mooman76]

Carnuba is also very expensive. It cost about $20 to by a 100% carnuba car wax.

[Edubya]

Wood worker's get it for 30% less. It is used in wood turning and many fine wood working projects. I can get it for $15.00 for a pound.
EW

[felix]

Anything over about 6 bucks per pound is too much for 100 percent carnuba. ... felix

[high standard 40]

There is no 100% carnauba car wax. Check the MSDS.

[geargnasher]

What is the jewelry polish that sits next to my buffer if it's not canuba? It is not flaky, it is hard and makes steel shine up real nice. I bought it as carnuba and have cut off slices of it to use in my Felix lube. It does seem to help there and it gives a nice color also.
EW

paraffin wax + polishing agent.

Gear

[SciFiJim]

Anything over about 6 bucks per pound is too much for 100 percent carnuba. ... felix

Felix, Where do you find it for $6 a pound?

[felix]

Google "the sage" ... felix