Beeswax and lard proportions

[The Crisco Kid]

I used a 1/2" fiber cushion wad in my 58 smoothbore today and a mixture of lard and beeswax soaked into the wad worked very well. I got it from a friend who has no idea what the mixture is. He forgot. Does anyone have an idea as to where I should start? The temperature for the next month or so will be in the 70's or 80's.

 

[wiscoaster]

I like 40% beeswax plus anything else of animal or vegetable origin. I tried a number of different combinations and my opinion is that more than 40% beeswax just ends being too hard and too firm to be easily usable for whatever purpose you want to use it. I like olive oil as the second ingredient, though it's a little softer in warm weather. I think lard should work just fine, but that's one ingredient I didn't try. Crisco, too, as per your username, should work fine, though might be a tad too hard in cooler weather.

 

[oldwood]

Good to experiment a bit. I ruined a batch of lovely bear lard using too much bee's wax. Barely usable in summer temps , and impossible in cool temps.

 

[Hiverano]

I like 40% beeswax plus anything else of animal or vegetable origin. I tried a number of different combinations and my opinion is that more than 40% beeswax just ends being too hard and too firm to be easily usable for whatever purpose you want to use it. I like olive oil as the second ingredient, though it's a little softer in warm weather. I think lard should work just fine, but that's one ingredient I didn't try. Crisco, too, as per your username, should work fine, though might be a tad too hard in cooler weather.

Like mentioned. we have used a mixture of 40/60 beeswax to buffalo or bear lard when available for at least 50 years. I now see that Frontier Gander is selling this mix on his website.

 

[Grenadier1758]

I've used 1 part bee's wax to 4 parts of olive oil. This may be a bit too soft in the summer heat, especially the heat we had this summer. When using a waxy lubricant, you need more soap in the cleaning solution to remove the fouling. Water alone will not adequately remove the wax and oil fouling as when using spit patches, water soluble oil and water or soap and water lubricated patches.

 

[Britsmoothy]

Good to experiment a bit. I ruined a batch of lovely bear lard using too much bee's wax. Barely usable in summer temps , and impossible in cool temps.

Just warm it up and add some olive oil untill you are happy.

 

[The Crisco Kid]

Thanks for the replies. I'll mix up a small batch at a time and see how works.

 

[rodinal220]

Gatofeo #1 Lube

by weight:
1 part mutton tallow
1 part paraffin canning wax
1/2 part beeswax

 

[wiscoaster]

Gatofeo #1 Lube

by weight:
1 part mutton tallow
1 part paraffin canning wax
1/2 part beeswax

Hmmmm ... Paraffin wax is a petroleum product, and any petroleum product isn't soluble with black powder residue. I won't use paraffin wax. Sorry. Maybe it works for you solely because of the other ingredients. Have you tried making a lube without it?

 

[Britsmoothy]

I have used candle wax and olive oil.
It does work but I don't know how well it would work at protecting the steel.

 

[1861colt]

Good to experiment a bit. I ruined a batch of lovely bear lard using too much bee's wax. Barely usable in summer temps , and impossible in cool temps.

Looks like you need a bigger bear.

 

[Grenadier1758]

Hmmmm ... Paraffin wax is a petroleum product, and any petroleum product isn't soluble with black powder residue. I won't use paraffin wax. Sorry. Maybe it works for you solely because of the other ingredients. Have you tried making a lube without it?

Waxes, including bee's wax, are not water soluble. Bee's wax could be substituted for the paraffin if you want to use only natural products. There are petroleum based oils that emulsify in water, the mineral oil in Ballistol is one of them. The water soluble oils used in grinding are others. In my opinion, we place too much concern about the alleged effects of petroleum products causing problems in black powder firearms.

 

[Johnny Tremain]

1 lb bee's wax
1 lb lard
6oz cornola oil.
Been my BP lube for decades.

 

[AlexB]

Recently mixed up some very stiff beeswax and lard at 8\1 and while its much harder I like it better.
Just break a piece off and stuff the cylinders by hand ends up quicker,easier and less mess overall with no discernable difference in fouling from a softer mix.

 

[rodinal220]

Hmmmm ... Paraffin wax is a petroleum product, and any petroleum product isn't soluble with black powder residue. I won't use paraffin wax. Sorry. Maybe it works for you solely because of the other ingredients. Have you tried making a lube without it?

It has been explained by persons schooled better in chemistry that this isn't an issue with paraffin and black powder. I have used the #1 lube for years, and so have many others without issue. I have never had any black goo or hard fouling using it, it is a proven formula.

The paraffin stiffens the wad and is "dryer" than just beeswax and tallow. It works incredibly well for keeping fouling minimal and soft.

Yes, I have made lube with just 50/50 beeswax and sheep tallow. It is softer. Works well for over chamber lubing on C&B revolvers.

There are many formulas out there. Everyone has a favorite.

 

[Rifleman1776]

My experience same as others, too much beeswax causes problems. I used a 50/50 mix beeswax and peanut oil. Not a good patch lube.

 

[wiscoaster]

It has been explained by persons schooled better in chemistry that this isn't an issue with paraffin and black powder. ....

OK, I never was any good at chemistry. Physics was my thing. Anyhoo ... candle wax is the same as paraffin wax isn't it? I tried candle wax in one of my trial mixes and it's not for me. I'm sticking with beeswax, but thanks for the Chem 101 lesson anyway.

 

[rodinal220]

"Candle wax" could contain anything. No way of knowing what the Chinese put in stuff without using a HP GC. The Gatofeo #1 lube was popularized by the online person Gatofeo, he got it from an old American Rifleman article I believe dates back to 1941. While originally used by US ammo manufactures for smokeless ammo, Gatofeo tried it for BP felt wad lube for C&B revolvers. It proved to be a very cost-effective solution to Wonder Wads.

Whether or not lubed wads work well for your application/firearm is another matter. I did make some fiber wads soaked in #1 lube like I do for my C&B revolvers. The lube worked exceptionally well but I was still getting donut holes in my shotgun patterns. I no longer* use wads in my shot load column in my two Pedersoli shotguns: I get nice patterns now with equal measurements of powder/cornmeal/shot/ * over shot wad.

There are countless lube recipes out there.


Gatofeo · #5 · Mar 29, 2012

I use an expensive kitchen scale I bought at Gat-Mart for about $8. I also use it for cooking. Handy to have a scale in the kitchen that goes up to 4 pounds.
I doubt very much you'd get the same mix by using volume. The original 19th century recipe called for 10 pounds of paraffin, 10 pounds of tallow and 5 pounds of beeswax. When I began posting the recipe that was soon named Gatofeo No. 1 Lubricant, I simply reduced the weight of the ingredients but not their ratio.
I've substituted various tallows, old candles, synthetic beeswax, Crisco, etc. in experimentation. None have worked as well as mutton tallow, canning paraffin and real beeswax in the 10/10/5 ratio.

https://www.go2gbo.com/threads/gatofeo-1.208625/

 

[wiscoaster]

"Candle wax" could contain anything. .... <big snip>

OK, fair enough. One more reason for beeswax. I like to use the "pelletized" pure beeswax from craft and hobby shops. It's really easy to melt down and use.