beeswax and olive oil lube,

[kemart17]

what mix do you guys use and experience. im looking to try this very soon, thanks

 

[Carbon 6]

Depends on how, what and when you are going to use it.

You can adjust the mix to suit your needs. Add a little more wax for summer use, more oil for winter use, make it stiffer for lubing conicals, softer for patches. I have one gun with a grease hole and I mix it quite stiff for that, almost like a bar of soap.
If you don't like the stiffness you can just re-melt it and adjust it.
The big advantage is you can use beeswax/olive oil lube for so many different things by simply adjusting it's stiffness.

Some guys will give weights, volumes or ratios, but I just mix for final consistency.

 

[renegadehunter]

I haven't played around a whole lot with OO/BW mixture, but I did make some up at 2 parts OO to 1 part BW. It is pretty soft. By that I mean it doesn't take much pressure on a patch to get a glob on it when I lube patches in the house (70°F). It wouldn't hold up well in the summer.

 

[appalichian hunter]

Add more bees wax for summer temps.

 

[RjSixgun]

50/50 beeswax and olive oil is a good starting point.
make up a small batch and let it cool (harden) see how you like it.
If its to hard take some out, add more olive oil and just re-melt it, let it cool and test.
if its to soft for you, take some out and add more beeswax!
its pretty hard to mess up and nothing goes to waste.

also another trick is to let it harden then scrape up with a knife and keep mixing, kneading, whipping I dont know what its called but it will turn into a creamy mix like grease.

 

[LawrenceA]

Where I live it is hot.
People start wearing jumpers when it drops below 80.
I use 4 BW to 1 OO

 

[Grenadier1758]

When you are making a lubricant from wax, oil and grease, the best procedure is to use the double boiler method. The larger pan is filled about 1/3 with water and brought to a simmering boil. A smaller pan containing the wax and oil, (grease is optional) is placed in the water. The boiling water gently melts the wax into the mix of oil and grease. Once melted and well mixed, the processed lube can be poured into the desired storage container. I find Altoids tins to be about the best size.

Yes it can be done very carefully over low heat on the stove top or in a microwave, but it is very easy to over heat the mixture and the results are burned.

 

[renegadehunter]

Add more bees wax for summer temps.

I realize that, I was just trying to give the OP an idea of the softness when a 1/3 beeswax is added.

 

[Eutycus]

What would happen if some paraffin were substituted for some bee's wax? Say about half of the called for volume.

 

[Carbon 6]

What would happen if some paraffin were substituted for some bee's wax? Say about half of the called for volume.

You end up with bore butter.
Paraffin is not a substitute for beeswax.

 

[dave951]

What would happen if some paraffin were substituted for some bee's wax? Say about half of the called for volume.

Very very BAD idea if shooting real black powder. It makes for serious fouling problems.

 

[Eutycus]

That's pretty much the answer that I expected, afterall paraffin is a petroleum product. And I certainly don't advocate replacing beeswax with parafin. I should have worded it a little better.Replacing was never meant to be, it was adding a little "wax" to the natural stuff to stretch it a bit. By little maybe 10-20%.

 

[longcruise]

I don't use the "grease" lubes of any kind any more. Now I take a bottle of 91% isopropyl, pour out about four ounces and pour in 4 ounces of olive oil. It doesn't remain completely in solution but is fine when shaken. Just lay out a strip of patching and squirt it on. The alcohol evaporates in a few minutes and leaves a consistent OO lubed patch strip ready for use.

You can use denatured alcohol as well but the isopropyl is more economical.