15 Year Old Lube

[Papa Foxtrot]

I'm new to the site - getting ready to get into casting for the second time. The first time, I bought a bunch of equipment from a wholesaler that was going out of business 15 years ago and never got around to using it. Life interfered - one relocation and several job changes later, I'm ready to try again. I was going thru unpacking some of it last week and found six sticks of Hodgdon Alox lube. I opened one and, other than the wax paper sticking to it, it looked fine. I'm planning on running it thru a Lyman 450 with a Midway heater. Any reason not to use the old lube? I figure that a little work with a hairdryer should get the wax paper off.

I've enjoyed reading the site so far reading threads and gathering information. I'll be starting off with 38 Spec., 357 and 45 ACP. I've also got a Marlin 336 in 35 Rem that I can't wait to try shooting cast boolits with.

PF

[beagle]

I'd say it was all right. I just used a 1966 vintage stick of Micro Lube and it's about the same.

Several years ago, I had about a dozen sticks of Red Fox lube. It had no zip code on the address. It was a tad hard but I melted it and ran it through the sizer. Worked just fine.

I'd use it./beagle

[mikenbarb]

Welcome to the site! And it should be fine and I have used stuff alot older than that and it worked fine. Let us know how you make out.

[jdgabbard]

I honestly do not see why it would go bad. It is mostly beeswax. And that alone should help it last for quite a time. I would use it. But I'm also not very picky.

[sundog]

Holy crap, Beagle! Many (most?) of us on this board premember when there were no zip codes, and state abbreviations were like Colo., Conn., Fla., Lou., Tex., Okla., Ken., Tenn., and the like. You've really dated yersef ole boy! Days of party lines and telephone operators getting your number for you if you even had a phone (and listening in), or, if you were 'uptown' you might have a rotary dial. Making a long distance call was a really big deal. And then, there was only one phone in the whole house! And, it was black. Didn't even have one of them silly sprially cords on it. Straight fabric cover cord.

I've got bees wax in blocks that's no telling how old. It's purdy old. It makes Felix loob just fine. I can see where a prepared loob with any kind of oil in it might dry out a little, but not if it's well wrapped.

[sundog]

and nickel pay phones...

[Papa Foxtrot]

Thanks for all the responses! Now just gotta' find a source for WWs...

[sundog]

Papa, wally world or toysrus parking lots. Take pliers. And a boolit proof vest.

[Papa Foxtrot]

Papa, wally world or toysrus parking lots. Take pliers. And a boolit proof vest.

Hmm... or not...

[mtgrs737]

I believe they have found useable beeswax in the Egyptian Pyramids. Some things are timeless!

[missionary5155]

Good morning and WELCOME Papa Foxtrot...
Now I am Just guessing but "Molom Labe" Have not looked at Kone´for a few days..
Me for those revolver calibers you mentioned I would use any lead I could dig up off any impact area. I am using range scrap in 44-40, 357 mag, 38 special, and pushing it as fast as I want to but under 1300 fps. There is no WW readily available down here. The tire shops RE-USE all wieghts. They actually charge by the ounce how much gets put on each tire. I remove mine before buying a tire. I dash out on the downtown streets to rescue fallen victims. I may have a whole half pound carefully gaurded. Check plumbers for pure lead. Ask around machine shops. Local ranges after a good rain... Technical schools... And then of course the tire shops... a Box of donuts will make alot of friends...

[Papa Foxtrot]

Now I am Just guessing but "Molom Labe"

Close - It's "Molon Labe", the response that King Leonidas of Sparta sent to King Xerxes of Persia at the onset of the Battle of Thermopylae. Xerxes sent a message to Leonidas for the Spartans to lay down their weapons. Leonidas' reply was "Molon Labe" - roughly translated, "Come and take them". The photo in my avatar is of the insciption on the monument to Leonidas at Thermopylae.

IMO, it's a classic response to the request to disarm...

PF

[Hardcast416taylor]

When I was younger and the world was too I used the daylights of that lube. I had a supply from a closing gunshop of about 25 boxes. He said it wouldn`t sell well so it was stored until I bought it all at the closing. He told me that some of it may be 10 yrs or more old. I used it till it was gone on my .38 and .45s. Some of the wax paper came off hard, but i just melted it for pan lube then.

[runnin lead]

Party lines? dating your self ? I was on a party line untill 1995
It was kinda a pain to call my brother had to dail his number ,hang up then pick up when the phone stoped ringing .

[Shiloh]

I'm down to the last 29 sticks of RCBS alox left from a lot I purchased back in the '70's. It's still as good as ever.

One challenge is to keep it from accumulating dirt and debris.
I have some sticks of 50/50 from a long defunct supplier. As sticky as when new. Only two sticks have been contaminated and those lube sprue plates and flux a lead pot

Shiloh