Jojoba Oil Lube

[springfield art]

Just saw a post on FB concerning jojoba oil, which they compared to real Whale Oil in effectiveness...it seems to be a cosmetic item, but is touted as an excellent lube for black powder guns....anyone here have any experience with it? It's a non-petroleum product, as is Ballistol.

 

[Nobade]

I like to use it as patch lube when hunting, when I don't want to use spit. It also seems helpful for lubing paper patched bullets just before firing. It is actually a very light wax and will solidify at about 40 degrees or so.

 

[Frontier's]

Just saw a post on FB concerning jojoba oil, which they compared to real Whale Oil in effectiveness...it seems to be a cosmetic item, but is touted as an excellent lube for black powder guns....anyone here have any experience with it? It's a non-petroleum product, as is Ballistol.

Ballistol contains mineral oil, which is petroleum

 

[springfield art]

Didn't know that; thought Ballistol was supposed to be edible, usable on wounds, etc.! I think the post I saw about jojoba was on Flintlock Era site.

 

[springfield art]

Many years ago, the Dixie Catalog listed a highest-quality oil, which they didn't specifically say what it was...I wonder if it was indeed Whale Oil? This was decades ago.

 

[NotDanielBoone]

Just saw a post on FB concerning jojoba oil, which they compared to real Whale Oil in effectiveness...it seems to be a cosmetic item, but is touted as an excellent lube for black powder guns....anyone here have any experience with it? It's a non-petroleum product, as is Ballistol.

I bought a jug of jojoba oil when I first got my gun five years ago I think I read on this forum about its natural abilities. That’s what I run down the barrel after I clean it. I think the pint I bought will last longer than I will.

 

[The Crisco Kid]

I bought a partial pint of Brownells sperm oil at an estate sale that must be over 50 years old. Just for kicks I'll give it a try as patch lube.

 

[garypl]

I use jojoba oil sometimes as a barrel lubricant - seems to work as well as anything else I have tried!

 

[satwel]

I am a big proponent of jojoba oil. I've used it as a patch lube almost exclusively for 30 years. I first read about it in the back of an old Dixie Gun Works catalog. They described it as the closest thing to whale oil. I also read once that before the development of petroleum lubricants it was used to lubricate locks. I experimented with neatsfoot oil for a time but I didn't like it and switched back to jojoba oil. It's cheap, easily-available, odor-free, organic and good for your skin. I buy mine from Amazon.com.

 

[Ranch 13]

Jojoba oil is about as close as we can get to the spermicitti in this day and age. It works well mixed with beeswax for a blackpowder bullet lube, and patch lube.
. I use it in some rifles shooting paper patch cartridges. After seating the bullet in the case wipe the exposed patch with jojoba, wipe the excess off.

 

[Greenjoytj]

Here is a link to the source of Jojoba oil I like to use for patch oil, bullet lube component and as general gun oil.

https://www.lubegard.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/LG_Premium-Universal-Lubricant-4.pdf

The Lubegard company has invested in Jojoba oil in a wide variety of their products particularly automatic transmission fluid. You can read about Jojoba on the Lubegard site.

 

[waksupi]

I tried whale oil years ago when experimenting with patch lubes. It fouled the barrel after a few shots, and didn't get a very high rating overall. I did try it in some smokeless lubes. Okay, but not great. Carnuba wax worked better. Transmission fluid was made as a replacement for whale oil. How it would work as a patch lube, I have no idea. I suspect you would want to use synthetic if you try that, as it stands up to high temperatures, and works great for lubing bullet molds. I do recall jojoba being promoted in the old "Buckskin Report" years ago, but never personally tried it. I do have a little of it here, and may try it once the weather warms up.

 

[SCB]

Greetings from California! At one time, it was thought that Jojoba would become a major crop in California. Now, I only see it growing in the botanical garden.