Bear fat patch lube

[Fullyloaded]

Does anyone make patch lube from bear fat? Can you tell me how it works for you. I am also interested in knowing how well it works in cold weather.
On that same note, how about deer tallow? That is readily available this time of year in WI.

Any tips on making patch lube from these animals?

FL

 

[Black Hand]

Bear grease is all I use and it works very well for me. When rendering the fat, use low heat and be patient.

Bear grease works well in cold temperatures, as the slightest heat from your hands will cause it to melt. I avoid deer tallow as it is very waxy and stiff in cold weather (I use it for moccasin grease).

 

[tenngun]

I do not know how to do this but have seen bottles of bear oil rendered from the fat, and stays oil well. Stays liquid well below 0 f. I have no experience with it.

 

[Black Hand]

The oil will rise to the top when the rendered grease is allowed to sit. That said, I think the fat is rendered at a higher temperature, which yields a darker product that separates. Rendered low and slow resulted in a creamy off-white grease that doesn't seem to separate (even after 3-4 years)...

 

[coloradoclyde]

Check out posts from Greenmtnboy.. http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/fusionbb/showtopic.php?tid/301718/post/1591975/hl//fromsearch/1/

Also, rendered beaver tail is supposed to make an excellent cold weather lube....

There's also enough fat on a possum to water proof about a 100 feet of board fence.... :haha:

 

[Fullyloaded]

Thanks for the replies. I just happen to have a beaver tail in the freezer from a 50 pounder I trapped last year.
Just told my wife of my plan....(eyes close slowly, grin with head shake).
So now I have the ok....lol.

 

[Black Hand]

Do yourself a favor - render any fat outside (I use a hot plate and an old pot). It leaves an "after-smell" that can be a little off-putting...

 

[ike]

A little story. Three years ago I was ready to take my trade gun deer hunting and went to the range to practice one last time. Prior to the cold weather I could hit a paper plate 4 out of 5 times off hand at 50 yds. On that day I had trouble keeping it on the 18" by 18" target paper. Wonder why? After some frantic experimenting I tried some bear fat that I was saving for pie. Target came back to what it was before the cold weather. I now use bear fat all the time and will never go back to something else. Others may have a different tale but I am sticking to my tale.

 

[Stumpkiller]

If I had a steady supply I would use nothing but the oil rendered from bear fat. Swampy sent me some a few years ago and it is a terrific lube. I still have a small amount I save for "special occasions".

 

[BrownBear]

Bear grease works well in cold temperatures, as the slightest heat from your hands will cause it to melt. I avoid deer tallow as it is very waxy and stiff in cold weather....

Same experience here. For ease of handling in the field (grease in a tin rather than oil in a jug), I generally melt deer tallow and stir in a little bear oil. It's an "eyeball" job, as I don't measure. My guess is it's around 10:1. Works great! Too soft in summer though, so I switch to straight deer tallow.

Truth time?

Now that I have it all figured out, I'm mostly using TOW's mink tallow for year round simplicity. Really good stuff.

 

[Black Hand]

I understand goose or racoon grease work well, as does lard.

 

[Fullyloaded]

Never thought of raccoon fat. I do some trapping and get enough where rendering some fat down would be easy to do.
Any thoughts on pork fat? I have a fresh supply of that also from a pig we just got back from the butcher. That seems to not get to stiff when cold.

 

[Black Hand]

Any thoughts on pork fat?

Rendered pork fat = Lard....

 

[Flintfan69]

Any thoughts on pork fat?

Rendered pork fat = Lard....

minus the salt.

If one is thinking of using store bought lard, check to make sure it doesn't have any added salt. You might have better luck finding that from a local butcher shop.

 

[410-er]

Start with cubed up Bear Fat from butcher.Give him a bucket or 2 right before Bear season and ask to save fat.
Crockpot low for oil-High for lard
Pictures 350 by t410er, on Flickr
After 12hrs or so of cooking,remove chunks and ladle oil thru a nylon stocking to remove solids.
I add water and reheat to remove any salts or impurities.Again skim oil off the top.JUST WARM if you boil it you will get lard.Thats OK too.Makes GREAT pie dough!
Put in large jars and let set for months for separation.These are gallon jars.
Pictures 356 by t410er, on Flickr
Clear oil will rise to top.Skim off and jar.
Pictures 037 by t410er, on Flickr

 

[Black Hand]

Any thoughts on pork fat?

Rendered pork fat = Lard....

minus the salt.

If one is thinking of using store bought lard, check to make sure it doesn't have any added salt. You might have better luck finding that from a local butcher shop.

Salt is not an ingredient added to Lard. At least, not in any lard I've ever purchased.

 

[Flintfan69]

And I don't think I've ever seen lard that didn't have added salt, at least with the common stuff found in super markets.

Different parts of the country I guess.

Easy enough to check when looking at the container.

 

[Black Hand]

Armour Brand Lard, 1lb purchased at the local supermarket.

Ingredients:
Prepared from Lard and Hydrogenated Lard, BHA, Propyl Gallate and Citric Acid added to protect flavor.