Beeswax and ????

[bowjock]

Been seeing a lot of post on here about using beeswax and Tallow or all kinds mixed together to make a waterproffing?

Fist what do you use to make the tallow and how do you make it?

Second. What is the mixture (receipt) that you have found to work the best?

Third. How do you apply it?

Fourth. What do you use it on? Have seen about putting it on leather, around frizzen and pans. What are all the uses you have found it works for.

Fifth. How do you store it, and carry it in your possible bag.

Ok....thats enough for this time.... eace:

 

[Stumpkiller]

Part # LA1002 from Dixie Gun Works. $3.50 for a pint-sized tub (actual weight varies slightly to moisture content).

http://www.dixiegunworks.com/product_info.php?products_id=3686&osCsid=debc4db0d23fc343698fc4279f8a99c2

I have two mixes I use. The first is equal parts of tallow and beeswax for a very heavy wax consistancy - good for dipping or rolling shotgun wads in when molten as it hardens nicely and is less messy to handle.

I also mix tallow/beeswax/Crisco in equal parts for a revolver grease or Mini

 

[vradin]

Been using beeswax for long as I can remember- learnt it from my dad. I got a deal on a 5 pound block a while ago and melted it into a small muffin tin for storage. I use a "muffin's" worth as a standard part or half-part in recipes. Stuff keeps forever.

I mix shavings with mineral spirits until I get a vaseline-like consistancy, then apply with a soft brush allow to dry, about 24 hours, then buff. I use 4/0 steel wool or a well-used 3-M pad.

An old recipe I had mixed beeswax, lye soap, and oil in a large vat and then boil leather in it to make it "arrow proof". Wish I had kept the reference- it was some medieval process making leather armour.

Vic

 

[bowjock]

What other forms of fat do you consider good for this. Have read about bear fat making the best,(hard to get unless you kill one here) and mutton tallow. Some even use lard. What is suggested to use that might be more readly available?

 

[Gatofeo]

About four years ago I found a lubricant recipe in a 1943 American Rifleman article. It was reportedly the factory recipe for outside lubricated bullets, such as the .22 rimfire and .32. 38 and .41 Colt.
Since I have a Marlin Model 1892 rifle in .32 Long Colt caliber, which shoots best with a heeled bullet, I tried it.
Wow!
What a great lubricant. I use it for ALL my black powder applications: greased felt wads between the ball and powder in cap and ball revolvers, patch lubricant in my muzzleloading rifle, and .44-40 and .45-70 lead bullets in cases charged with black powder.
This recipe undoubtedly dates to the 19th century.

The original recipe called for 10 pounds of tallow, 10 pounds of paraffin and 5 pounds of beeswax.
The recipe I use is more specific:
1 part mutton tallow
1 part canning paraffin
1/2 part beeswax
All ingredients are by weight. I use a kitchen scale to measure 200/200/100 grams of ingredients, then place them into a quart, widemouth Mason jar. Place the jar into a pot with 4 to 5 inches of boiling water.
When all ingredients are melted, stir well with a clean stick or disposable chopstick.
Allow to cool at room temperature. Hastening cooling by placing the jar into the refrigerator may cause the ingredients to separate before hardening.
This is an exceptional lubricant. I believe that the use of mutton tallow and canning paraffin make it so. Substitute either one and the lubricant suffers.
Mutton tallow has a lubricity not found in other tallows, in my experience. I use canning paraffin because it's pure. Who knows what lurks in old candles, especially the scented variety?
This is the only black powder lubricant I use anymore.
When I want a grease, I use CVA Grease Patch. It's good stuff too. I haven't tried making my own natural grease, though I understand a very good is made by mixing beeswax and olive oil. I don't know the ratio or if you measure by weight or volume.

 

how is it in cold weather ?

 

[RussB]

"1 part mutton tallow
1 part canning paraffin
1/2 part beeswax
All ingredients are by weight"

Gatofeo...I assure you, your recipe is a good one. It works good in BPCartridge, and on Conicals. I've never used it as a patch lube but I have little doubt that it would work there too.
This dog will hunt!
Russ

 

[bowjock]

any idea where one could find locally mutton fat to make the tallow, or bear fat?
Where do you guys get yours?

 

[RussB]

any idea where one could find locally mutton fat to make the tallow, or bear fat?
Where do you guys get yours?

Don't know about Bear fat, but you can get Mutton fat from most any Meat Market / Butcher. It is best to stop by ahead of time and let them know you are looking to buy some fat.
Sometimes I pay, sometimes it's free. I don't think I've ever paid over $4/$5 (if that much) for several pounds of trimmings.
Most food stores that cut their own meat will gladly help you out...It's just fat "trimmings" that would be thrown away anyhow.
When you render fat....start your heat low, and try not to "fry" the meat, or "burn" your drippings. The drippings are then poured off and run through a cheeze cloth.

Russ

 

[Gatofeo]

I buy my mutton tallow from Dixie Gun Works. A tub of 12 to 16 ounces is $3.50. That's cheap because you can lubricate a lot of bullets, patches and felt wads with this much, especially if it's mixed with paraffin and beeswax as in the recipe above.
However, I usually order two tubs at a time, to ensure I have plenty on hand.
Locally, I know of no place. But if you know of a butcher who processes sheep, you could likely get it.
You may get it as raw clods of fat. No problem. Throw the fat into a big soup pot, Add plenty of water and boil the dickens out of the fat.
Then, place the soup pot in the refrigerator or the cool outdoors (but not where its water will freeze) and leave overnight.
The next day, the tallow will be on the top of the water as a big cookie. It can sometimes be tipped and the whole cookie lifted out of the water. Otherwise, you may have to bring it out large pieces at a time. Anyway, remove the tallow and pat dry with paper towels.
Discard the fat and membranes from which the tallow was rendered.
Some people will put the fat in a large frying pan, then heat the tallow out of the fat at a low temperature. This works, but you never recover as much tallow as the soup pot method.
Store the tallow in a sealed plastic tub, in a cool, dry place. It will keep a long, long time if not exposed to heat or moisture. I have some that's been on the shelf for three years or more, and still hasn't turned rancid.
Mutton tallow may be a little more difficult to obtain but it's worth it. I consider is the finest tallow you can use for bullet lubricant.

 

[brushbuster]

Part # LA1002 from Dixie Gun Works. $3.50 for a pint-sized tub (actual weight varies slightly to moisture content).

http://www.dixiegunworks.com/product_info.php?products_id=3686&osCsid=debc4db0d23fc343698fc4279f8a99c2

I have two mixes I use. The first is equal parts of tallow and beeswax for a very heavy wax consistancy - good for dipping or rolling shotgun wads in when molten as it hardens nicely and is less messy to handle.

I also mix tallow/beeswax/Crisco in equal parts for a revolver grease or Mini

 

[sturgeon]

To the fire,

Does it really matter what kind of tallow I use. I have some beef tallow I made up for candles that didn't burn well. So I was thinking of using this in some lube. I know that most people say mutton tallow but why? The beef tallow seems pretty slick. Is it a matter of purity or salt content? Thanks all!!

Tim Sturgeon
Irwin, PA

 

[Stumpkiller]

stumpy you changed the castor oil from 4oz to 8oz howcome?

You must be compairing my moose milk recipe with my Moose Snot. The Snot is a heavier grease-type lube with beeswax (2 oz beeswax, 8 oz castor oil, 1 oz Murphy's Oil Soap). My spin on generic liquid moose milk as a bottled lube and powder solvent:

Stumpy's Moose Milk
Castor Oil 3 oz.
Murphy's Oil Soap 1 oz.
Witch Hazel 4 oz.
Isopropyl Alcohol (91%) 8 oz.
Water (non-chlorinated) 16 oz.

Two different critters. Most recently I've been soaking patches in the moose milk and letting it dry. It doesn't rub off much on my hands or in the bag, but it still works good as a patch lube. No tins or bottles to fuss with in the woods. :thumbsup: I do have to wipe with a saliva damp patch every, or every other, shot.

 

[musketman]

You must be compairing my moose milk recipe with my Moose Snot.

So, is Moose Drool a mixture of the two?

 

[Stumpkiller]

:haha: I had something else all ready for patching using blue dresses, but couldn't find virgin cotton.

There's a whole product line of "Moose" bodily fluids.

Moose Spit (home made "Windex" type cleaner).

Water (non-chlorinated) 5 cups
Household Ammonia

 

[sse]

This discussion is not very considerate to Moose-kind. You guys need some sensitivity training. ::

Regards, sse

 

This discussion is not very considerate to Moose-kind. You guys need some sensitivity training. ::

Regards, sse

SSE,.... I agree with ya,.... mooses have "feel'ns" too!! :results:

I wunner what Stumpkiller would think'a folks call'n ther lube-concoctions,.... "Stumpkiller Snot"!! :shocking: :huh:

Jest kid'n'ya Stumpkiller!! :haha: eace:
YMHS
rollingb

 

[Stumpkiller]

Hey Rocky! Watch me pull a patch lube out of my . . .

 

[Keith]

:haha: I had something else all ready for patching using blue dresses, but couldn't find virgin cotton.

That's made ... never mind I'm not even going there. :no:

Stumpy I'm looking for a formula for Moose Ear Wax. Do you have a good one? :haha:

 

[sse]

Keith - That's not easy to find. I've seen plenty of poached mooses in the woods, intact, except fer their snot and earwax. ::

Regards, sse