Deer Tallow for lube

[Major Dorman]

How does it work in below freezing weather?

Not much freezing weather in Alabama. I've used it in the 20's with no problems.

 

[BrownBear]

Neets foot oil will stay liquid down to a very low temperature.
I've been too content with the mink oil to try it.

That's certainly a factor. After trying TOW's mink tallow for a year, my experimenting with lubes moved way behind the back burner.

 

[Eterry]

Well I certainly wasn't expecting this much response, but am grateful.

About 98% of my patching is spit patch; started using it as a kid and if the patching has been washed a couple times its not a bad taste...certainly better than Brown Mule !


I meant to mention after rendering...I've rendered many many jars of hog lard. The idea of rendering deer fat for candles is interesting, may have to try that. This buck had so much fat is was surprising; and not wanting to be wasteful cut off as much as possible for re-use.


I have a line on about 50 lbs of black bear fat, if I can trade for it I plan on rendering it out and bottling it.

Again, thanks all for the replies.

 

[azmntman]

GRAB THE BEAR FAT

 

[Smokey Plainsman]

I don't shoot them because actually they absorb ticks and when the tick bites it falls off and dies, so they act like little vacuum cleaners.

?
Is Possum blood toxic to ticks? Do you have any scientific data to back up this statement?

https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/opossums-kill-ticks-inhibit-the-spread-of-lyme-disease/

Yes it is pretty much true but they eat them their blood isn't poisonous.

MY POINT IS they are a good animal to have around.

 

[excess650]

I agree with TOW's mink oil. It works on the patch and should be just as good on leather. Bonus points is that its relatively inexpensive, no work involved, and arrives already packaged.

Bear/'****/'possum fat rendered down should be good for patch lube although its going to take a number of '***** or 'possums to have enough fat to make rendering worthwhile. I know guys who render deer tallow and use it for making soap. I've never butchered a buck with enough fat to make it worth considering.

 

[schreck5]

The fat around the internal organs has a much different texture, (slicker, greasier ?). I wonder if that fat would be a better lube? Bruce

 

[bud in pa]

The best patch lube that I have used so far is the original Lehigh Valley patch lube. !5 rounds in a /smooth bore before any type of resistance was encountered. It doesn't freeze and it is liquid but doesn't dry out in the heat.

 

[BrownBear]

The fat around the internal organs has a much different texture, (slicker, greesier ?). I wonder if that fat would be a better lube? Bruce

Rendered, organ fat has a texture not unlike butter, and it's about as sweet. In fact we use it for cooking. The body fat has a stronger taste, so it is used elsewhere.

To be clear, there's a difference between the fat off the animal and rendered fat. Right off the animal it is indeed waxy. But render it and it will remind you more of cold bacon fat.

Interesting enough, it keeps real well. There's still about a quart left from the last time I rendered any body fat. Must be nearing 10 YOA now, since that's about how long it's been since I switched to TOW's mink oil tallow. As old as it is, you can still pop the top off the container and it won't drive you from the room. I'd still be using it if it wasn't so temperature sensitive.

 

[Black Hand]

To be clear, there's a difference between the fat off the animal and rendered fat. Right off the animal it is indeed waxy. But render it and it will remind you more of cold bacon fat.

This is not my experience with deer tallow. It is crumbly and waxy fresh off the animal, while rendered, it is smooth and waxy, somewhat softer than the paraffin wax, but still harder than cold bacon fat by quite a lot.

 

[coloradoclyde]

I think he was referring to cooking fat leftover in the pan. not rendered hard fat.

 

[schreck5]

Would the organ fat from this years harvested deer be worth the trouble? I am pretty strapped for cash right now, or i would buy mink oil from TOW. Organ fat would be a free source. Bruce

 

[Black Hand]

Would the organ fat from this years harvested deer be worth the trouble? I am pretty strapped for cash right now, or i would buy mink oil from TOW. Organ fat would be a free source. Bruce

Buy a pound of lard from the grocery store for a couple of bucks - whatever you don't use for lube, use for making biscuits or pie crusts.

Render the fat and give it a try. I still think it is too waxy to make a good lube for patching...

 

[coloradoclyde]

Back when I was strapped for cash, I just used spit.....I still use spit and I'm still strapped... :idunno:

A little lube goes a long way if you're not sloppy. I would do like Blackhand said and buy some lard....or better yet steal a little olive oil from the kitchen and a beeswax candle stub and melt the two together.

You don't have to mix lube up by the 5 gallon bucket....I often just use a metal measuring cup of 1/2 cup size or smaller to melt the ingredients in.

If your heart is set on deer fat, give it a whirl.....But the fact that you don't see a lot of guys using it says something....

 

[BrownBear]

Absolutely. But render it first. You're likely to need to tinker with beeswax blends though until the weather really cools. It's too soft and close to runny for straight use when you get up in the 70's. I'd try 1:1 blend and a blend of 2 parts rendered organ fat to 1 part beeswax to see what works best at your temps. You can make little tiny batches in your nuker or double boiler for your experiments.

 

[Black Hand]

If you decide to render deer fat, do it low, slow and outside. Freeze the raw fat until stiff but not hard, chop into small pieces and render. The fat has a little funk that sticks around until you do a couple cycles of purification and the smell will permeate the house if done inside.

The batches I've done are off-white and nearly hard as candle wax - the fat doesn't really melt even if left out in direct sunlight at 80-100F temperatures (which is an indication of how unlube-like it is). I have 5-10 pounds rendered from deer over the last few years and it may become candles next month when I get access to a mold.

 

[coloradoclyde]

BlackHand, you reminded me of something....Since some of us are describing deer fat consistency differently, I wonder if deer are like people....In humans climate and diet can vary the consistency of body fat.....I wonder if the type of deer, regional location and diet impact fat consistency in deer?

 

[azmntman]

I bet they do Clyde. I know the elk and deer here taste different depending on whether shot low in the cedars or up high in the aspens.

 

[Black Hand]

BlackHand, you reminded me of something....Since some of us are describing deer fat consistency differently, I wonder if deer are like people....In humans climate and diet can vary the consistency of body fat.....I wonder if the type of deer, regional location and diet impact fat consistency in deer?

It could.
That said, I'd suspect deer in Alaska would be more similar to deer in Montana, as opposed to warmer climes. I've never had rendered tallow from a deer be soft like cold bacon fat, which is not much different from the consistency of lard.

 

[schreck5]

I take meds that make make my mouth terriblly dry, so spit patcbes are a no-go.